Support Grows for XRP Ledger Upgrade, Though Not All Validators Are Convinced

Here’s a tighter and more fluid rewrite:

The new software version is now widely adopted by validators, but it still trails the older v3.1.3 when measured by total node count. At the same time, the bundled security amendment is advancing more slowly, as it requires a separate vote. Activation of the upgrade depends on support from at least 80% of trusted validators.

The XRP Ledger’s latest server release, v3.2.0, is designed to reduce operating costs, improve stability, and make the network more appealing to institutional users. While adoption is growing, it has yet to surpass version 3.1.3 across the broader network, and its accompanying security fixes are still under review.

Out of roughly 833 active nodes—systems that maintain and relay ledger data—about 43% are running v3.2.0, while 51% remain on v3.1.3, according to XRPSCAN.

The upgrade was introduced on June 15.

Despite slower uptake at the node level, validators—the most influential participants in the network—have largely already transitioned to the new version.

The XRP Ledger operates using a trusted validator group called the Unique Node List (UNL). For any upgrade or amendment to go live, it must receive consistent backing from more than 80% of these validators over a two-week period.

On the default UNL of 35 validators, 31 are already using v3.2.0, representing about 89%. This exceeds the required threshold and is the key metric in determining whether the upgrade is effectively complete, rather than overall node adoption.

Security Amendment Still Trails

Alongside the software rollout, a separate amendment remains behind in progress.

The proposal, known as fixCleanup3_2_0, is currently undergoing an on-ledger vote. It introduces several security enhancements and improvements to newer features such as single-asset vaults, permissioned decentralized exchanges, multi-purpose tokens (MPTs), and the lending protocol, which allows users to borrow against pooled funds.

It also adds internal safeguards to prevent deleted accounts from leaving behind residual data. However, support for this amendment remains significantly lower than for the software upgrade, underscoring that upgrading nodes and approving amendments are two distinct processes.

Ripple, the company behind the XRP Ledger, has voted in favor of the fixCleanup3_2_0 amendment. Validators that fail to upgrade before it is activated risk being cut off from the network, entering what is known as an “amendment-blocked” state.