Ripple CTO Explains Why XRP Has a Supply of 100B Tokens

Responding to questions from a curious mind, the Ripple CTO, David Schwartz, has mentioned three reasons XRP launched with a supply of 100 billion tokens.

Notably, when David Schwartz, Arthur Britto, and Jed McCaleb built the XRP Ledger in 2012, they launched XRP as the network’s gas token, with its total supply set at 100 billion coins. 

Unlike Bitcoin, which depends on constant mining, XRP’s full supply already existed at launch, with all 100 billion tokens pre-mined. However, the developers could have chosen any number, leading to questions about why they settled for 100 billion.

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The decision recently came up again in the XRP community, as Diep Sanh, a well-known XRP enthusiast, asked on X why the ledger’s creators chose a 100 billion supply. He questioned why they didn’t choose something smaller or larger.

Ripple CTO Explains Why XRP Has a 100B Supply 

In response, the Ripple CTO and one of XRP’s original creators, David Schwartz, said they set the supply at 100 billion to meet three goals: to make XRP divisible enough, to fit the numbers within a 64-bit integer, and to keep the total easy for people to remember.

To meet three criteria:
1) Adequate divisibility.
2) Fits in 64-bit integer.
3) Easy for humans to remember.

— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) October 29, 2025

First, on the divisibility front, XRP’s large supply allows the token to support smaller transactions across the network. For context, each XRP divides into one million smaller units known as “drops,” making it possible to send or receive tiny amounts. 

This divisibility helps XRP function well for microtransactions. In a post he shared in March 2024, Schwartz also mentioned that XRP, like most digital assets, has a limit to how much it can divide. However, this limit still allows it to handle everyday transactions properly.

Secondly, Schwartz’s latest response confirms that the total 100 billion tokens fit inside a 64-bit unsigned integer, which can store numbers up to more than 18 quintillion. This makes it easier for the XRP Ledger to process transactions quickly, as the network avoids rounding errors.

According to Schwartz, the third reason behind the 100 billion cap is simplicity. This indicates that they wanted a round number that people could easily understand and remember. 

Is 100B Too Much or Too Little

Interestingly, several other XRP community figures have shared their opinions about the supply choice. Last December, Versan Aljarrah, co-founder of The Black Swan Capitalist, said demand for tokenized assets, stablecoins like RLUSD, and liquidity solutions keeps increasing. 

The surging demand for #tokenized assets, stablecoins like #RLUSD, and cross-border liquidity has placed #XRP at the very heart of the digital #economy.

At these prices, 100 billion $XRP won’t be enough to meet global demand, supply shock is inevitable. https://t.co/f5Kzuh8IGl

— Black Swan Capitalist (@VersanAljarrah) December 2, 2024

He believes this growing demand puts XRP at the center of the digital economy and that the current 100 billion supply may not be enough to meet future needs, which could lead to a supply crunch.

Meanwhile, in June, game developer Chad Steingraber pointed out that most XRP is in the hands of large holders and locked away from the market. He noted that, despite the 100 billion supply, the amount available for trading is far smaller than many realize, and as more coins move into storage, scarcity could drive up prices.

Notably, community member Dave Lui presented a similar opinion back in December 2020. He said that while 100 billion XRP might seem like a huge number, it makes sense when considering XRP’s expanding role, new projects such as Flare, and the likelihood that institutions will buy and store large amounts over time.

In March 2024, another XRP proponent known as Jack the Rippler noted that although 100 billion tokens might look excessive, it is necessary for solving a global payments problem worth trillions of dollars.