How to buy XRP (Ripple)

On this page, you’ll learn how to buy XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger, an open-source, high-speed blockchain designed for global transactions. Often associated with cross-border payments, XRP offers a fast and low-cost alternative to traditional finance.

XRP is fundamentally different from other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Find out everything you need to know about buying, using, holding, and securing your XRP with Ledger’s self-custody solutions.

Quick access

What is XRP?

XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a decentralized, open-source blockchain network. It was created in 2012 by founders Jed McCaleb, David Schwartz, and Arthur Britto, predating many other cryptocurrencies.

Unlike Bitcoin, which has no central company or related business, XRP is closely associated with the San Francisco based technology company Ripple (formerly OpenCoin). Although Ripple uses XRP for its global payment solutions, it does not control the XRP Ledger itself.

Pre-mined and controlled by consensus

While some cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are being actively mined, XRP was pre-mined with a total supply of 100 billion tokens. 80 billion tokens were allocated to Ripple to build solutions for financial institutions and enterprises. It’s critical to clarify that while Ripple uses XRP for its services, it does not control the XRP Ledger. The XRPL operates on a unique system.

The power of the XRP Ledger (XRPL)

The XRPL’s main distinction lies in its unique technology and practical features:

Federated Consensus: The network uses a federated consensus mechanism where trusted validators agree on the transaction order, making it highly efficient.
Speed and Scalability: The XRPL is known for its speed, capable of handling up to 1,500 transactions per second (TPS). Transactions settle in 3 to 5 seconds.
Low Cost: Transactions on the XRPL typically cost around $0.0002, making it significantly cheaper than traditional cross-border transfers. A tiny amount of XRP is burned with each transaction, making the token slightly deflationary.
DeFi Ready: The XRPL features a built-in decentralized exchange (DEX) designed for cross-currency transactions.

Secure Your Assets: When you buy XRP, you need an XRP wallet that supports the XRPL network to hold it safely. The Ledger Wallet TM app, paired with a certified secure Ledger hardware device, provides an industry-leading security solution for simple, sovereign management of your XRP.

Is XRP a good investment?

Like any cryptocurrency, XRP is more than just crypto; it is part of a new system that enables fast, decentralized value transfers. When considering whether to buy XRP, investors often look at its real-world utility in the cross-border payment space, its standing by market cap, and the strong liquidity provided by global trading. XRP’s unique technology and practical features are key factors in why many investors choose to buy it.

You can choose to buy XRP using a credit card or a traditional bank account transfer, but your investment decision should be based on the asset's fundamentals, not just the current XRP price volatility. We encourage all readers to do your own research (DYOR) before investing and believe in the cryptocurrency you are purchasing.

Cautionary note on volatility: The current XRP price is inherently volatile and speculative. While XRP benefits from high liquidity across major exchanges, its ranking by market cap can change rapidly. Overall market confidence can be impacted by external regulatory events and news.

Disclaimer: This page is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell any crypto asset. Nearly all cryptocurrencies are inherently volatile and risky. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

True Ownership & Decentralisation

Security Beyond a Bank Accounts: When you buy XRP and hold it in a Ledger hardware wallet, you gain complete ownership of your funds. Unlike traditional financial institutions or centralized crypto exchanges, your private keys remain offline, far from hackers’ reach and where no banks or third parties can take control of your assets.
Community Governance: The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is an open-source system maintained and secured by a global community of independent validators, not a single corporation. This federated consensus model prioritizes stability and reliability.

Borderless

Global Reach: XRP is designed as a truly borderless network, enabling near real-time, cross-border transfers across a large number of fiat currencies.
Infrastructure Support: RippleNet, the payment network that can utilize XRP for liquidity, supports infrastructure in over 110 countries. This real-world utility positions XRP as a critical bridge asset for liquidity in global finance.

Open and Inclusive

Decentralized Control: While Ripple, the company, uses XRP in its services, the XRPL is an open-source ledger and is not controlled by Ripple.
Transparent and Accessible: The XRPL is transparent, and anyone is free to join the network, run a validator, or hold the native asset, XRP.

Fast

Sheer speed: XRP transactions settle in near real-time, typically taking just 3 to 5 seconds.
Efficiency Compared to TradFi: This settlement speed is significantly faster than traditional international wire transfers, which can often take several days to clear through banking systems.

Low fees

Inexpensive Transactions: The average transaction cost on the XRPL is extremely low, around $0.0002—making it substantially cheaper than the fees associated with traditional cross-border payments.
Deflationary Mechanism: A tiny amount of XRP is burned (destroyed) with each transaction to pay the network fee, which slightly reduces the total supply over time, making XRP a deflationary token.

What are the best ways to use XRP (Ripple)?

HODL your XRP Long-term

A long-term investment strategy, often referred to as HODLing, involves purchasing XRP and holding it for an extended period, based on the expectation of continuous, gradual growth. This approach relies on the fundamental crypto market principle that as the asset’s utility and demand grow while the pre-mined supply remains fixed (or slightly deflationary), the value will increase over time.

However, HODLing requires discipline. The crypto market is known for sharp, volatile movements, and it can be difficult to keep calm during sudden price drops, which often leads to panic-driven selling. To successfully HODL, it is critically important to reduce the temptation to sell and the risk of loss due to external factors.

For this reason, securing your coins is paramount. Storing your XRP securely via a certified secure Ledger hardware wallet signer is considered the best practice for HODLing. By using a Ledger hardware wallet signer, you keep your crypto assets safe from exchange hacks and failures, letting you focus on the long-term potential of your investment without worrying about the security of your funds.

Trade your XRP Short-term

Alternatively, some investors engage in short-term trade, buying and selling XRP over shorter time periods—sometimes minutes, days, or weeks—in the hope of making quick profits. This strategy is highly dependent on an investor’s ability to quickly react to XRP price movements and market shifts.

Due to this reliance on price movement, many short-term traders rely on tools like limit orders on trading platforms to automate their buys and sells, helping them manage risk and execute trades even when they aren’t actively monitoring the market.

However, the entire crypto market, including XRP, is notoriously hard to predict, making short-term trading a high-risk activity, even if it can be profitable. If you choose to trade on exchanges, remember that one of the safest ways to buy XRP and protect your cryptocurrencies from platform failures or hacks is through immediate self-custody with a Ledger hardware wallet signer.

Use XRP for payments and DeFi

Beyond investment, XRP has real-world utility. It is specifically designed for high-speed remittances and cross-currency swaps. The XRPL has a built-in Decentralized Exchange (DEX) that facilitates immediate trading, and a growing ecosystem of NFTs and XNFTs is developing on the XRPL, expanding its use into Decentralized Finance (DeFi).

Why buy XRP via the Ledger Wallet app

You can buy XRP directly through the Ledger Wallet^TM app with popular service providers. This streamlined process allows you to purchase your crypto using familiar methods, such as credit/debit card, bank account transfer, or PayPal, depending on the provider in your region.

^{Disclaimer: Crypto transaction services are provided by third-party service providers. Ledger provides no advice or recommendations to use any of these third-party services.}

Learn more about the Ledger Wallet app

Immediate Self-Custody and Security

The key advantage of buying through Ledger Wallet^TM is security and ownership. Once the payment is processed, the XRP you bought is automatically sent to the address created by your Ledger hardware wallet.

This process ensures:

Immediate Control: Your freshly bought XRP is secured and in your control from the moment you complete the purchase.
Offline Private Keys: Your private keys never leave your Ledger signer, remaining offline and protected by the hardware’s battle-tested Secure Element chip.

The combination of the easy buy XRP process in Ledger Wallet^TM and the unmatched security of Ledger hardware devices is the smartest path to owning and managing your XRP.

How to safely buy XRP

Why choose Ledger

When buying any crypto asset, two things matter most: security and true ownership of your coins. If you purchase XRP on a centralized exchange without immediately withdrawing it, the platform owns your private key, not you. This is where the security of Ledger becomes paramount.

Self-Custody vs. Custodial Exchanges
Centralized exchanges like Kraken, Robinhood, Coinbase, and Uphold are convenient, but they remain custodial platforms. This means:

You are not the true owner: The exchange controls your private key, leaving your funds vulnerable to exchange-level hacks.
Reliance on a Third Party: Your security relies entirely on the platform, which acts as a central hot wallet and represents a tempting target for malicious attacks.

Ledger created a solution that enables you to secure, own and control your keys at all times. Ledger’s industry-leading hardware wallets, combined with the all in one Ledger WalletTM crypto app, are one of the best ways to securely manage your crypto assets.

Ledger’s Unmatched Security and Value
Ledger offers superior security and value compared to custodial platforms:

Offline Private Keys: Your private key always remains offline and protected by the certified Secure Element inside your Ledger device, powered by the constantly updated Ledger OSTM. This bolsters the security of the XRPL’s consensus mechanism.
Immediate Ownership: When you buy XRP via Ledger Wallet, the XRP is sent directly to an address created by your Ledger device, ensuring you own your coins instantly.
Reduced Fees: Once you purchase your Ledger device, there are no ongoing platform fees for buying via the third-party service providers integrated in Ledger WalletTM. In contrast, platforms that allow users to trade often charge high fees.
- Robinhood charges a 0.85% fee per crypto trade.
- Coinbase charges variable deposit, withdrawal, and trading fees.
- Uphold and Kraken require you to deposit funds and may charge high trading and deposit fees, eating into your returns.

By combining your Ledger hardware wallet signer with the Ledger WalletTM app, you can buy, sell, and swap XRP all in one convenient place, without ever compromising the security of your keys or relying on a third-party custodian.