XRP Ledger Security Questioned After Low Ranking

XRP Ledger Under Scrutiny: Security Ranking Sparks Debate

A recent report by crypto analytics firm Kaiko has placed XRP Ledger (XRPL) at the bottom of its blockchain ecosystem security ranking for Q2 2025. The report, which assessed 15 leading blockchain networks, awarded XRPL a security score of just 41 out of 100, significantly lower than Ethereum's top score of 83. XRPL also received a low governance ranking, scoring 65, while Ethereum led with 85.

XRPL's overall score was 57 out of 100, landing it in 13th place.

Ripple Responds

The XRPL team has strongly refuted the findings. RippleX engineering head Ayo Akinyele described the low score as "misleading," emphasizing the network's 13-year track record of uninterrupted operation without any major security breaches affecting the core network.

Kaiko's Reasoning

Kaiko cited an incident in April 2025 where the network's software development kit was compromised in a supply chain attack. This incident potentially exposed users to a crypto-swiping backdoor. Although the XRP Ledger Foundation acted swiftly to replace the compromised downloads, Kaiko maintains that the incident influenced its ranking.

Furthermore, Kaiko pointed to XRPL's relatively centralized nature as a contributing factor to the lower score.

Decentralization Debate

Akinyele argues that XRPL's security measures extend beyond decentralization. He contends that validators have no incentive to collude or censor, and that the community could quickly identify and remove any malicious validators.

Market Impact

At the time of reporting, XRP was trading at $2.91, down 0.61% on the day.

Key Takeaways:

• Kaiko's report raises concerns about XRP Ledger's security and governance.
• Ripple defends XRPL's security record and argues the report is misleading.
• The debate highlights the ongoing discussion about the trade-offs between decentralization and other security measures.