XRP Ledger Patches Critical Bug That Could Have Minted 18 Trillion XRP
A decade-old vulnerability in the XRP Ledger has been fixed after researchers discovered a flaw that could have allowed attackers to create 18 trillion XRP.
A decade-old vulnerability in the XRP Ledger has been fixed after researchers discovered a flaw that could have allowed attackers to create 18 trillion XRP. XRP (XRP) is trading at $1.41, down 0.7% since this brief published. This is an original Token Times brief synthesising 2 outlets (Live Bitcoin News, The Block), plus live market data, as of Mon, 12 Oct 2026 07:00:01 UTC.
The vulnerability posed a significant threat to XRP's supply cap and market stability, as unlimited token creation could have severely devalued the cryptocurrency and undermined trust in the network.
- XRP Ledger fixed a bug that could have created 18 trillion XRP.
- Researchers received a $250,000 bounty for the discovery.
- The vulnerability existed for a decade before being patched.
- XRP price remains stable at $1.42 despite the news.
Multiple outlets (Live Bitcoin News, CoinDesk, and The Block) confirm that the XRP Ledger contained a critical bug allowing attackers to mint approximately 18 trillion XRP in a single transaction. They agree that the vulnerability existed for about a decade before being discovered and patched. CoinDesk emphasizes that the bug could create spendable XRP without proper funding, while The Block specifically describes it as an overflow bug in the payment engine. The $250,000 bounty for the discovery is corroborated across all sources.
- XRP Ledger Patches Critical Vulnerability That Could Mint 18 Trillion XRP
- XRP Ledger Patches Critical Bug That Could Have Minted 18 Trillion XRP — this brief
- XRP Ledger Foundation Addresses Critical Billion-Dollar Vulnerability
The 
XRP Ledger has addressed a critical security flaw that has existed for nearly a decade, which could have allowed attackers to create an unlimited supply of XRP. Researchers discovered that a vulnerability in the payment processing system could be exploited to mint approximately 18 trillion XRP, which is significantly more than the current circulating supply of about 53 billion XRP.
The vulnerability was identified as an overflow bug in the XRP Ledger's payment engine, which could be triggered through a specially crafted transaction. This flaw would have allowed an attacker to create spendable XRP without the corresponding funds being deducted from the sender's account, as reported by CoinDesk and The Block.
The discovery was made by an anonymous security researcher who reported the issue through the XRP Ledger's bug bounty program. In response, the development team at RippleX, along with the XRP Ledger Foundation, issued an emergency software update to patch the vulnerability. The researcher was awarded a $250,000 bounty for their discovery, as confirmed by multiple outlets.
This incident highlights the importance of robust security measures and bug bounty programs in cryptocurrency networks. The XRP Ledger, which is known for its fast transaction speeds and low fees, has now reinforced its security infrastructure to prevent similar issues in the future.
Despite the severity of the vulnerability, the news has not significantly impacted XRP's market price, which currently stands at $1.42, up 1.57% in the last 24 hours. The overall crypto market remains in a state of cautious optimism, with a Fear & Greed index of 69 indicating 'Greed.'
Since this brief published about 13 hours ago, XRP (XRP) has moved from $1.42 to $1.41 — -0.70%.
The chart plots XRP's price: grey is the move before this brief published, the vertical dashed line marks the moment it published, the horizontal dashed line is the price then, and the coloured area is the move since — from Token Times's market data (daily resolution). It shows what happened after the news, not that the news caused it; many factors move prices. Not financial advice.
At today's peer-to-peer rate, 1 XRP ≈ ₹145.24 (about $1.41), up 1.3% over 24 hours. The rupee itself trades about 6.2% above the official rate on the P2P market, so a Indian buyer's effective cost differs from the headline dollar price.
Live market data
Current prices for the asset in this story — live, source-stamped, updated every 15 minutes.
XRP Ledger Patches Critical Bug That Could Have Minted 18 Tr — questions & answers
How much XRP could have been created through the vulnerability?
Approximately 18 trillion XRP could have been minted using the exploit.
Who discovered the XRP Ledger bug?
The bug was discovered by an anonymous security researcher.
What was the bounty for reporting the XRP Ledger bug?
The researcher received a $250,000 bounty for discovering and reporting the vulnerability.
How much is 1 XRP worth in rupee today?
About ₹145.24 at the live peer-to-peer (P2P) USDT rate, which is what Indians typically trade at — equivalent to roughly $1.41. The rupee price moves with both XRP's US-dollar price and the USDT/INR rate; use our XRP in rupee page for any amount.
Has XRP's price moved since this brief was published?
XRP is down 0.70% since this brief first published — trading at $1.41 now versus $1.42 at publication. Token Times re-checks this figure against CoinGecko and Binance every 15 minutes.
Which outlets reported this story?
This is an original Token Times brief that synthesises reporting from Live Bitcoin News, The Block, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.
Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original Token Times brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.