Ripple moves to scrap XChainBridge amendment from XRP Ledger

Mayukha Vadari, a senior software engineer at RippleX, announced the shift on August 27. The amendment, which remains in the validator voting process without mainnet activation, was originally designed to link the XRP Ledger with various external networks using independent witness servers. Ripple now argues that Axelar’s June 2025 launch provides a more robust solution for the EVM sidechain, rendering the native bridge redundant.

Beyond the strategic pivot, the decision centers on technical efficiency. Ripple estimates that purging the XChainBridge implementation would strip over 10,000 lines of code from xrpld, the network's server software. Currently, this dormant code creates a persistent maintenance burden, requiring ongoing testing and compatibility checks during routine software updates.

Because Ripple controls only one validator vote, it cannot unilaterally terminate the amendment. Activation or withdrawal requires a consensus of at least 80% of the network’s 35 trusted validators. The company plans to initiate a staged withdrawal by marking the amendment as obsolete in upcoming pull requests, effectively signaling validators to vote against its inclusion. While this marks a significant shift in infrastructure planning, Ripple has invited developers currently utilizing XLS-38 to present evidence of active projects, leaving a narrow window for the proposal to be reconsidered if legitimate demand is proven.