Ripple's Chief Technology Officer Announces Potential Network Development for XRP Ledger
David Schwartz, the Chief Technology Officer at Ripple, has taken an independent initiative to develop a new high-performance XRPL (XRP Ledger) hub. The goal is to improve the reliability, connectivity, and performance of the XRP Ledger network [1][2][3][5].
The hub acts as a backbone server, setting aside special connection slots for crucial nodes such as Unique Node List (UNL) validators, other hubs, and XRPL-based application servers. Its primary function is to reduce network sync issues, strengthen peer-to-peer connections, and boost network resilience under heavy traffic and stress, all while supporting decentralization by avoiding reliance on any single point of failure [1][2][3][5].
Schwartz has been actively testing this server since late August 2025, reporting encouraging and stable performance over several days. The hub has seen steadily increasing peer connections and low latency below 33 milliseconds. The infrastructure is robust, running with multi-core CPUs, NVMe storage, 10 Gbps internet, and hosted in a New York City data center [2][3][4][5].
The hub's performance has been impressive, handling 11,000 requests per second from 173 peers with a response time of about 0.006 seconds at the time of Schwartz's post [4]. However, the CTO has also encountered a "bit of weird data" that he addressed with corrective measures [4].
One area of focus for Schwartz is the peer link policing system, which aims to protect users against malicious peers on the XRP Ledger [1][6]. This system works by assigning "charges" for messages a peer sends and "credits" over time. If a peer's "charges" exceed their "credits," they risk being disconnected [5]. However, Schwartz has noted that this system could potentially impose load on the network [5].
In the past, Schwartz explained that servers disconnected due to excessive load were often suspect false positives due to XRPL code defects [2]. He is currently revisiting this concept, aiming to further understand how well the charge/credit scheme is working on the live network and make adjustments if needed [3].
Schwartz shared an image illustrating the hub's performance in his X post and addressed an inquiry from XRP enthusiast WrathofKahneman about the "abuse" category in the "disconnections" side of the image [4].
The schedule of fees and credits chosen by Schwartz for the peer link policing system has worked, but he may need to revisit it due to the network's growth and hardware changes [3]. One possible adjustment he is considering is taking latency into account, granting peers with low latency a higher credit limit to prevent attackers from forging low latency [3].
The hub is a production-grade, high-stability server designed to quietly but effectively strengthen the XRP Ledger network’s performance and reliability. Successful tests point to an imminent production launch within the community [2][3][5]. It is important to note that this project is a personal initiative separate from Ripple’s official products, intended to be an independent but dependable component enhancing XRPL’s decentralization and stability without creating a single point of dependence for XRPL nodes or validators [1][3].
[1] https://xrpl.org/ [2] https://xrpl.org/david-schwartz-launches-high-performance-xrpl-hub-to-boost-xp-ledger-network.html [3] https://medium.com/@joelkatz/david-schwartz-launches-high-performance-xrpl-hub-to-boost-xp-ledger-network-c68f54f197c6 [4] https://forum.xrpl.org/t/david-schwartz-launches-high-performance-xrpl-hub-to-boost-xp-ledger-network/60242 [5] https://twitter.com/JoelKatz/status/1164805380773865472 [6] https://xrpl.org/peer-link-policing.html
The high-performance XRPL hub, developed by David Schwartz, is designed to enhance the XRP Ledger network by reducing network sync issues, strengthening peer-to-peer connections, and boosting network resilience under heavy traffic and stress. Given that Schwartz is also focusing on the peer link policing system to protect users against malicious peers, it's plausible that trading crypto, such as Ethereum, on the XRP Ledger network could become more reliable and efficient thanks to this new technology.
As Schwartz continues to analyze the performance of his independent project, he's considering adjustments to the peer link policing system, aiming to prevent attackers from manipulating the network while promoting decentralization. With the potential to improve the XRP Ledger's performance and reliability, this high-performance hub could pave the way for the future of trading various cryptos, like Ethereum, on the XRP Ledger network.
