A new debate over Bitcoin scalability and decentralization intensifies on X, $XRP Ledger (XRPL) is back in the spotlight.
It began after Metallicus CEO and early Bitcoin developer Marshall Hayner stated that Bitcoin still had not fulfilled its original technical vision.
Important points
The debate over Bitcoin scalability has reignited, $XRP Ledger is back in the spotlight.
XRPL aims to solve Bitcoin's speed, fees, and transaction limitations.
Critics take issue with XRPL’s decentralization despite its independent validators.
As institutional interest grows $XRP Gain credibility and prominent investors.
Bitcoin’s scaling issues are back in the spotlight
In a tweet, Haner said that a fully decentralized and scalable version of Bitcoin does not yet exist, and that the timing would be perfect for one to arrive now.
His comments carried weight as he is an early Bitcoin developer who built one of the first Bitcoin wallets for Facebook in 2009. He described Bitcoin's scaling challenges as an open challenge, not a solved problem.
Former Ripple Director: Bitcoin developers are already building an alternative
Former Ripple director Matt Hamilton also joined the conversation, claiming that Bitcoin's scaling problem was solved years ago with the creation of Bitcoin. $XRP ledger.
He suggests that early Bitcoin developers intentionally designed XRPL to address Bitcoin's limitations in speed, fees, and transaction capacity, and that it is a direct response to Bitcoin's architecture rather than an accidental competitor.
Bitcoin developers literally $XRP Leisure 15 years ago is for this very reason.
— Matt Hamilton (@HammerToe) February 4, 2026
Remarkably, history supports that claim. Jed McCaleb, one of the early developers of Bitcoin and the founder of Mt. $XRP Ledger co-starred with Arthur Britt and David Schwartz in 2011. Makaleb later co-founded Ripple (then known as OpenCoin) and eventually left to found Stellar..
Debate on decentralization resurfaces
Critics, on the other hand, disputed this narrative, arguing that: $XRP Not decentralized. Hamilton countered, questioning why decentralization is still being discussed when XRPL is run by independent validators and there is no central mining authority.
Why pretend it's not decentralized when you know it's decentralized?
— Matt Hamilton (@HammerToe) February 4, 2026
Other critics argue that XRPL is not a real solution to Bitcoin's problems, but just another base-layer blockchain with its own tradeoffs and corporate influence.
Some commentators accept that XRPL exists because Bitcoin was unable to scale, but wonder why Bitcoin did not adopt a similar model for 15 years.
$XRP and bitcoin rivalry
Whether or not XRPL exists to complement Bitcoin, there remains a strong rivalry between the two communities. Bitcoin experts often warn against investing in Bitcoin. $XRPargue that it is centralized and doomed to failure. Similarly, $XRP Proponents often argue that $XRP It will replace Bitcoin as the “world standard.”
But more and more commentators are thinking: $XRP And Bitcoin plays a complementary role in finance. For example, in January, The Crypto Basic reported that Franklin Templeton said: $XRP Through ETF activity, real-world practicality, and global adoption, it is steadily gaining the credibility of institutions like Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Bitcoin trader James Wynn makes a phone call $XRP A game changer for the banking industry
Back in October 2025, prominent Bitcoin trader James Wynn $XRP Investing $25 million in the community $XRP. Wynn, who is known for making and losing more than $100 million on leveraged trades, called the move a gamble but said he believes in it. $XRP It has the potential to “revolutionize banking.”
His posts highlight the growing interest in the systematic and high-profile field. $XRPshowing new momentum beyond Bitcoin-focused investors.
