What Is the XRPL Reserve Requirement?
The XRPL reserve requirement is separate from the standard transaction fee. It is the minimum amount of XRP that any account on the XRP Ledger must hold at all times. This reserve cannot be spent on transactions - it acts as a deposit that locks a small amount of XRP to prevent the ledger from being flooded with unnecessary accounts.
Base Reserve and Owner Reserve
The reserve has two components: the base reserve (the minimum to activate an account) and the owner reserve (an additional amount locked for each object owned in the ledger, such as trust lines, offers, and escrows). As of late 2024, following the validator fee vote, these amounts were significantly reduced.
The December 2024 Reserve Reduction
In December 2024, a governance vote by XRPL validators slashed the account activation reserve by 90%. This was a major milestone for accessibility, as the old reserve was seen as a barrier for new users - particularly those in emerging markets trying to access XRP for small-value transfers.
Why Reserves Exist
Reserves protect the network RAM and disk storage. Every account and ledger object must be stored by all validator nodes worldwide. Without a reserve incentive, malicious users could create millions of empty accounts, degrading network performance for everyone.
Raising the reserve requirements is more disruptive than lowering them. It is recommended to be conservative about adjustments. XRP Ledger Fee Voting Documentation
