Validators
Plain definition. Validators are XRP Ledger servers that relay and process transactions like other servers, and also help advance the ledger history by agreeing which transactions enter each ledger.
Technical definition. Validators are a subset of tracking servers: they provide the same features and also send “validation” messages, which lets them contribute to advancing the ledger history. During consensus, validators agree on a specific subset of candidate transactions to be considered for the next ledger. Each then relays its result as a signed message containing the hash of the ledger version it calculated, and servers treat a ledger as validated when a supermajority of peers have signed and broadcast the same validation hash.
On this site
On this site, Validators comes up in What’s the difference between Ripple, XRP and the XRP Ledger?, Does Ripple control XRP or the XRP Ledger, and can it freeze my coins?, Why do so many crypto people dislike XRP (the “XRP Army” critique)?, What would happen to XRP and the XRP Ledger if Ripple failed? and How is XRP kept secure if it isn’t mined?.
Source
Consensus Structure (xrpl.org), read October 1, 2026.
Pages that cover Validators
- What would happen to XRP and the XRP Ledger if Ripple failed?
- Does Ripple control XRP or the XRP Ledger, and can it freeze my coins?
- What's the difference between Ripple, XRP and the XRP Ledger?
- Why do so many crypto people dislike XRP (the "XRP Army" critique)?
- Who writes and pays for the XRP Ledger's software, and could it continue without Ripple?
- Has the XRP Ledger ever halted, forked or lost funds since 2012, and what happened?
- Does the default validator list make the XRP Ledger centralized?
- How does the XRP Ledger compare with Canton, Hedera and other institution-focused chains?
- How do XRP Ledger upgrades (amendments) get approved, and who decides?
- How is XRP kept secure if it isn't mined?
- Is native lending live on the XRP Ledger yet?