Ripple vs Bitcoin – What’s the Real Difference?

By now, one thing is pretty clear: cryptocurrencies are here to stay and are the legit thing. However, the number of currencies keeps on increasing, further adding confusion and speculation for the newbies and pros alike. In this Ripple vs. Bitcoin article, we’ll talk at length about the difference between the two popular cryptocurrencies. 

This comparison is very important as often serves as the benchmark of crypto performance. It is also the currency that sparked the crypto and blockchain revolution. However, other cryptocurrencies have caught up with Bitcoin to some extent. 

Even though Ripple is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it’s still a strong competitor in the markets. But for investors, understanding these currencies is more important. 

Disclosure: No content in this article should be taken as financial advice. Investing can be risky, so it is recommended that you consult with your accounting, legal, and tax advisors before engaging in any kind of transaction. 

Ripple vs. Bitcoin – A Quick Comparison

What is Ripple?

Ripple is a digital payment system for remittances, currency exchange, and payment settlements anywhere in the world. The currency of the Ripple system is XRP.

The purpose behind creating Ripple was to provide faster and cheaper global transactions. Historically, payment settlements through banks take several days to process and are subject to higher exchange rates on top of the transaction fee. Ripple solved this problem by keeping a flat transaction fee that is almost a fraction of the actual transaction. 

However, it wasn’t always like this or used for this purpose. Initially, Ripple relied on a peer-to-peer network for transactions. The idea was to allow credit lines between individuals, eliminating the need to go to a bank. But that business plan didn’t work out. 

So in 2012, when it was officially launched, it was created as an intermediary between different currencies and networks. The company was initially named OpenCoin, but the name changed to Ripple Labs in 2013. 

Although the currency is often referred to as Ripple, that’s the name of the system the currency uses. The actual name of the currency in the markets and the transactions is XRP. 

While Ripple is mainly seen as a cryptocurrency for payment settlements or currency exchange, it can be used for buying goods and services. After all, buying stuff is a transaction as well. 

In 2013, when XRP tokens were released, Ripple Labs launched 100 billion tokens. Twenty billion tokens went to the founders of Ripple, while the rest went to the company. As of the third quarter of 2021, the market cap of Ripple is $51.6 billion.

The Ripple system is most popular for the quick conversion of different currencies. Several central banks and financial services companies now use Ripple, which has further helped the digital currency cement its position in the crypto world and the finance sector. 

How Does Ripple Work?

Although Ripple came on the scene as a direct result of Bitcoin and its blockchain technology, it doesn’t rely on the same blockchain concepts. The Ripple network uses a consensus protocol for validating transactions, which is basically a poll between the different nodes on the network. 

It does not use the very comprehensive proof-of-work (PoW) or proof-of-sake (PoS) systems. However, the core idea is that of decentralization by not relying on a single party. 

The Ripple system keeps track of all the IOUs for every currency. While the IOU transactions validated are available on the consensus ledger for public view (through a blockchain), the transaction is not linked to any user or account. 

Since anyone can set up a node and they are distributed, the system is, in fact, decentralized. 

Ripple is essentially useful for banks and financial institutions, but it has garnered the attention of investors as well. 

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin hardly needs an introduction as it’s the pioneer of the modern cryptocurrency and blockchain. It’s hailed for bringing the revolution of cryptocurrency and disrupting the traditional finance system. 

At its core, Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that is used for the exchange of goods and services. It’s based on the blockchain concept, a public ledger that records all the transactions in blocks of data. 

As these transactions are confirmed by different computers distributed over the network through a process called mining, the transactions are transparent and publicly available. No central institute or party is authorizing the transactions. 

While the system is ubiquitously known as Bitcoin, the currency name is actually Bitcoin, represented by the abbreviation BTC on exchanges. 

Bitcoin is the most valuable cryptocurrency on the market, leaps ahead of altcoins. As the currency creator, the anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto kept the source code of the blockchain system open; it helped create many other cryptocurrencies like Litecoin and Ethereum. 

How Does Bitcoin Work?

The transaction process behind Bitcoin is a complex one. The gist of it is that it uses blockchain to record the transactions, which records three things basically in blocks (blocks of data): input, output, and amount.

The input is the address (for example, your ) where the Bitcoin is coming from; the output is where it’s going (for example, your friend’s wallet or a vendor’s wallet), and the amount is the number of Bitcoins. 

Computers in the Bitcoin network validate these transactions through complex computations and, in return, receive some Bitcoins (mining). As the work is distributed between different machines that communicate with each other to confirm the transaction, there’s little risk of faults. Also, no one party has authority as its distributed all over the network. 

For this reason, Bitcoin transactions can take time, depending on the transaction size and the total number of transactions made. 

Ripple vs. Bitcoin: How Are They Different?

Whether you’re just a crypto enthusiast or an investor, knowing the difference between Bitcoin vs. Ripple can be helpful:

Coin Supply and Mechanisms

The glaring difference between the two is the actual supply of the currency in the market. While neither is infinite, Bitcoin has a lower supply than XRP. 

The total Bitcoin supply is capped at 21 million, whereas Ripple has issued 100 billion tokens of XRP. As of 2021, over 45 billion tokens are in circulation already. 

How these currencies circulate also differs significantly. Bitcoins are typically added to circulation when miners find them. This is largely dependent on network speed and algorithms. 

On the other hand, Ripple releases XRPs periodically. Also, any of the unused XRPs then go into an escrow account. This is to prevent oversupply, but it’s markedly different from how Bitcoin controls oversupply. 

Different Methods of Validation

Ripple works differently from Bitcoin. It relies on a consensus ledger along with servers that validate the transactions. Interestingly, Ripple chooses the validator servers. The way all of this works with different nodes on the network is different from the blockchain technology used by Bitcoin. 

It uses the process of mining which is quite complex and consumes a lot of computing power, and subsequently, more energy. 

Transaction Speed

Ripple transactions are quite faster than those of Bitcoin. Due to the complexities of validation, recording, and Bitcoin quantity calculation, the transactions can take anywhere from a few minutes to even a couple of days. XRP, on the other hand, takes seconds. 

The reason for the quicker transaction speed of Ripple is the very technology it uses. The polling or consensus system of nodes allows transactions to occur swiftly. Consequently, the transactions also use less energy as compared with the Bitcoin blockchain. 

Bitcoin was always more focused on decentralization and security, and speed was not that big a concern. XRP improved on that, which is why it’s favored by the banking system for transactions. 

Control

While Ripple is essentially a decentralized currency, the control of coin issuance belongs to the Ripple Lab, as they currently hold nearly 55 percent of the supply. This is not the case for Bitcoin as they aren’t really released into the market by any company or party. Although the supply is limited, there’s no control over the movement of currency and supply. 

Transaction Fee

Bitcoin transaction fees can vary, but in comparison with Ripple, it’s higher. XRP manages to keep the transaction fees minimal. Mainly, the Bitcoin transaction fee is calculated based on data consumed by the transaction. Also, considering the computing power used for transactions, the fee can be comparatively high. 

Then there’s the priority fee, which basically ensures that the transaction is prioritized by the miners and is carried out faster. 

Ripple vs. Bitcoin: How Are They Similar?

Ripple and Bitcoin seem to have more differences than similarities, but the few similarities that are there are important. 

Ripple, like many other altcoins, was inspired and based on blockchain technology pioneered by Bitcoin. While it doesn’t use the same blockchain concept as used by Bitcoin, it does use the same idea of decentralization, so no single party or authority controls the system. 

In terms of applications, Ripple is mostly used for financial transactions like sending money abroad or exchanging currency. Bitcoin has wider applications as it has become just like a government-backed fiat currency, which can be used to buy anything from a cup of coffee to a car or vacation. That said, both currencies are traded on exchanges as well. 

Another similarity between the two is that they have a limited supply. Yes, Ripple has a lot of tokens, but they are still limited, unlike, say, Ethers. 

The Bottomline

When it comes to Ripple vs. Bitcoin, the differences are pretty evident. However, both cryptocurrencies are among the popular ones. 

Bitcoin is, of course, more valuable in terms of market capitalization and monetary value. But for new investors, it may also be a far cry, in which case, currencies like XRP can be more approachable. 

Ripple is more suitable for currency exchange and remittances, even more so than Bitcoin because of the low fees and quick transaction. However, investing in XRP has become more complicated because now it’s not widely available, and many investors are wary of the ongoing lawsuit. Some investors have opted to store their XRP in a wallet outside of an exchange.

Frequently Asked Questions