XRP Ledger Proposal Would Let Sponsors Fund New Wallets
An XRP Ledger developer proposal would let businesses create customer wallets without requiring users to buy XRP. The proposed SponsoredAccountCreate transaction would allow a sponsoring account to cover the existing 1 XRP reserve for each new wallet, while users could begin with zero XRP. This could simplify onboarding for stablecoin payments, including RLUSD, and applications serving large numbers of customers. The change would shift the reserve cost to businesses; it would not remove XRP’s role in supporting the ledger. The proposal depends on the broader Sponsored Fees and Reserves framework, which has not been approved for the XRPL mainnet. As of October 19, 11 of 35 validators supported the amendment, below the 29 votes required. A separate October 28 report cited 10 votes, a tally that needs confirmation. Validator approval requires more than 80% support for two consecutive weeks, so zero-XRP wallets are not yet available.
Neutral
The proposal is potentially positive for XRP Ledger adoption, but its immediate market impact is likely neutral. Sponsored wallet creation could reduce friction for new users and help businesses onboard customers to XRPL-based payments, including RLUSD. That may support network activity over the longer term if the feature is approved and adopted. However, the transaction remains under review, and the underlying amendment has far less validator support than required. There is no confirmed activation date or evidence that businesses are ready to use it at scale. As with other blockchain upgrades and adoption announcements, traders may initially react to the prospect of easier onboarding, but unapproved proposals often have limited lasting price impact. In the short term, XRP price action is more likely to be driven by broader crypto-market conditions and other catalysts. Longer term, approval and measurable growth in wallets, transactions or RLUSD usage could improve sentiment; delays or weak adoption would reduce that potential. The article provides no direct indication of changes to market stability.