Ethereum has been the first choice for many ICOs lately, but that’s going to change soon says Brian Colombana. Stellar Lumens and Ripple are both gaining a lot of attention from investors as they’re seemingly positioning themselves as a replacement for Ethereum. The question is which one will be at the top first?
In this article, we’ll compare both cryptocurrencies and try to predict who might have an advantage in 2018. We’ll also look into how these platforms work, their market caps as well as some other important details you need to know about before investing in either XLM or XRP.
Let’s start by looking more closely into what are Ripple and Stellar Lumens all about.
What are Ripple (XRP) and Stellar Lumens (XLM)?
For starters, both cryptocurrencies are a part of payment settlement solutions for financial institutions and banks. They also share a very similar vision – to use the power of blockchain technology to let people send money around the world as fast as the information travels through the internet. As you can imagine from that statement, both Ripple and Stellar Lumens have their own way of doing things says Brian Colombana. In fact, Stellar Lumens was initially coded by one of Ripple’s co-founders Jed McCaleb after he left the company due to disagreements with other board members (read more on that here). You might be wondering why anyone would want to leave such an opportunity. If only you knew what happened after…
When it comes to similarities between Ripple and Stellar Lumens, both currencies provide a decentralized platform that lets people make money transfers in any pair of currencies around the world. The technology they use is built on top of blockchain and therefore allows them to operate without a central authority. In other words, unlike fiat currency which needs banks for transfers, Stellar Lumens and Ripple transactions are direct from person to person whenever they want and wherever they are. To achieve this goal, both payment settlement solutions rely on their native cryptocurrency (XRP/XLM) as well as an open-source network of trusted validators who confirm all transactions within 2-5 seconds regardless of where you are (3-5 seconds for XLM).
What’s most important for anyone looking into investing either XLM or XRP is. To know how the main difference between these two cryptocurrencies lies in their technicalities. Ripple is first and foremost a payment protocol used by banks. Whereas Stellar Lumens are more focused on issuing tokens that represent fiat currencies (USD, EUR). What does this mean for you? For starters, if you want to invest into cryptocurrency only. Because it makes your life easier by allowing direct transfers around the world without third parties involved. Then both XLM and XRP are equally beneficial to have. However, if you believe that blockchain technology can bring about change or revolutionize finance. As we know it today – only Stellar Lumens seem to have this goal in mind.
How do Ripple (XRP) and Stellar Lumens (XLM) work?
First of all, Ripple and Stellar Lumens are both built on top of blockchain technology. Although both currencies have their own pros and cons when it comes to creating an improved payment settlement solution. They still use similar protocols that depend on a decentralized network of trusted validators. Who confirm all transactions within 2-5 seconds (3-5 seconds for XLM).
Let’s focus on Ripple first. As mentioned above, Ripple is a payment protocol that banks use to transfer money around the world. As fast as the information travels through the internet. It relies on a distributed open-source network. Where each member has its own copy of all validated records from the beginning of time. Each record or transaction is digitally signed. Which provides protection from any alteration after the fact while making sure that the transaction is valid. Once a transaction is made, it appears on the distributed public ledger. This ensures that each member sees the same data at the same time says Brian Colombana.
This decentralized network of trusted validators who approve all transactions within 2-5 seconds is managed by Ripple Labs. The company has created its own cryptocurrency called XRP. Which is used to transfer money across borders using open-source payment protocols similar to those used with bank transfers today. Each transaction costs next to nothing and takes only 4 seconds regardless of where you are in the world. So you can see why many people compare Ripple with SWIFT. One of the most popular systems for transferring money around the world. Although there are some more advanced alternatives, like Transfer Wise.
Conclusion:
Brian Colombana says ripple allows banks to transfer money around the world in a matter of seconds. While Stellar Lumens focus on providing payment solutions to individuals and companies that want direct transfers performed by anyone.