Wietse Wind, the developer behind Xumm and the founder of XRPL Labs, has made it abundantly clear that his team remains unwavering in their commitment to advancing the XRP Ledger (XRPL). This assurance comes in response to discussions within the XRP community regarding the impact of Xahau, a connected sidechain, on the future of XRPL.
Continued XRPL Development
Wind emphasized that his team has been diligently contributing to the development of XRPL for the past two and a half years. During this time, they have actively worked on the Hooks feature and played a role in introducing the Xahau network. Importantly, he affirmed that this commitment will persist and will not waver.
The XRPL vs. Xahau Debate
The ongoing debate in the XRP community revolves around the potential implications of Xahau’s success on XRPL’s future. One key point of contention is the predefined monetization structure for the eight Governance Game validator seats allocated for Xahau at its launch. These initial validators are set to receive 12 million XAH, and some argue that using the Burn2Mint feature to convert XRP to the native token XRP+ might not be the best approach.
Critics have raised concerns about whether Xahau developers, once they gain prominence, would continue prioritizing the development of XRPL. Wind addressed these concerns by explaining that Xahau’s development stemmed from the need for a platform to facilitate Hooks, a smart contract proposal for XRPL, before it could go live on the mainnet. While Xahau currently powers Hooks, Wind expressed hope that it would eventually transition to the mainnet.
Despite debates suggesting that his team might abandon XRPL in favor of Xahau, Wietse Wind firmly stated that their infrastructure work would encompass both XRPL and Xahau without showing preference. He clarified that their plans for the next five years include ensuring that Xahau aligns with their primary objectives.
Positive Impact on XRPL
Experts believe that Xahau’s innovative features, as a sidechain, could have a beneficial influence on XRPL. Ripple CTO David Schwartz shares this belief, asserting that Xahau’s emergence will not diminish the significance of XRPL and XRP. Wind echoed this sentiment, highlighting that innovations emerging from Xahau could eventually integrate with the mainnet if deemed relevant by the community.
Wietse Wind’s affirmation of XRPL Labs‘ unwavering commitment to the development of the XRP Ledger reassures the XRP community amid discussions about the future coexistence of XRPL and the successful Xahau sidechain. While debates continue, the prospect of Xahau’s innovative contributions enhancing XRPL remains promising, further solidifying the significance of this blockchain ecosystem.