Xrp Needs A Solana-style Strategy To Keep Up: Ripple Executive

Luke Judges highlights how XRP Ledger’s tech and developer tools could take cues from Solana to stay competitive among layer-1 networks.

Luke Judges states that technical strength alone cannot guarantee long-term competitiveness, suggesting that XRP could benefit from Solana’s pragmatism and execution speed.

Judges believes Solana’s market traction comes from practical engineering and a fast go-to-market strategy rather than protocol design alone.

David Schwartz takes the opposite position, arguing that XRPL’s reliability and stability are more valuable than pursuing high-throughput chains.

Judges highlights that developer onboarding, tooling and validator incentives are critical for sustaining growth and reducing centralization risks.

Luke Judges, global partner success lead and director of Ripple, shared observations about the evolving XRP Ledger ecosystem and its competitive landscape, highlighting a clear parallel to the operational successes of rival layer-1 network Solana. Drawing on his prior experience in the Solana network managing a substantial validator, Judges suggested that technical superiority alone is not enough to secure a network’s long-term relevance.

This article explores Ripple executives’ insights on operational lessons, focusing on technical advancements within the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and the strategic requirements for layer-1 competitiveness.

Judges’ perspective is unique and rooted in his experience operating two startups and running a Solana validator that managed more than $30 million in staked tokens through a full market cycle. He shared this detail on Nov. 30, 2025, on X, noting that he witnessed the network’s major price peak as well as its subsequent collapse and recovery.

This hands-on exposure led Judges to conclude that the success of layer-1 networks in a competitive cycle is often driven by factors distinct from core technology. He specifically credited Solana with having “pragmatism and speed,” which he views as essential for securing developer mindshare and driving adoption.

The core idea is that execution velocity and a practical approach to engineering and market entry can outweigh theoretical leadership in the race for ecosystem growth.

Source: CoinTelegraph