A heated exchange between the Chainlink community and the XRP Army erupted recently following comments made by Chainlink community liaison Zach Rynes. Rynes referred to the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as an “obsolete ghost chain” and critiqued its position as a potential primary settlement layer for tokenized assets, arguing that its foundational thesis contains critical flaws. He humorously dismissed those in the XRP community who still harbor hopes for XRPL’s future prospects, pointing out its minuscule market share in real-world asset usage, which he claimed was less than 1%—including under 0.01% of all stablecoins minted on the chain.
In swift retaliation, XRP advocates made their voices heard on social media. Notably, attorney and XRP supporter Bill Morgan accused Rynes of harboring an “unhealthy obsession with XRP.” Additionally, David Schwartz, Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer Emeritus, voiced his disagreement, labeling Rynes’ critique as logically flawed. Schwartz defended Ripple’s strategy of XRP sales as a deliberate and transparent long-term method for distributing the cryptocurrency globally, a characterization that Rynes dismissed as “elite tier gaslighting.”
Tensions continued to escalate between the two factions, particularly regarding the financial strategies of Ripple and Chainlink. As Ripple recently announced a significant $750 million share buyback at a $50 billion valuation, a crypto commentator pointed out this contrasted sharply with Chainlink’s approach of using institutional fees for LINK token repurchases. Rynes emphasized that holding XRP essentially funds a company prioritizing its equity shareholders over retail investors.
The rivalry between these two prominent crypto communities is not new, originating as far back as 2019. Both groups have competing narratives about which project is better positioned for institutional blockchain integration. While the XRP Army showcases its partnerships and undisclosed collaborations with financial institutions, the LINK Marines highlight Chainlink’s partnership announcements as proof of their success.
Market valuations add another layer to this tribalism. XRP commands a substantial market cap of $91 billion, dwarfing LINK’s $7 billion, creating a 13-fold disparity. Furthermore, LINK is currently trading at 81% below its all-time high compared to XRP’s 59%.
Tensions have been exacerbated by recent instances of misinformation. Rynes called out an XRP influencer who appeared to plagiarize a Chainlink infographic, altering it to promote XRP. This behavior was criticized as a classic example of misinformation that perpetuates retail speculation within the XRP community. Meanwhile, some XRP supporters defended XRPL, claiming it offers unique features like built-in order books and automated market makers.
Despite the ongoing animosity between their fanbases, the truth is that Chainlink and Ripple operate in different niches—Chainlink focuses on data and cross-chain infrastructure, while XRPL serves as a payment network. Interestingly, Ripple utilizes Chainlink’s services for its own stablecoin, RLUSD. While the leaders of both projects, Brad Garlinghouse and Sergey Nazarov, have shared moments together in public, the ongoing discord between their respective communities shows no signs of abating.
