XRP Co-Creator Responds to Justin Bons’ Controversial Blockchain Take

As an experienced analyst in the blockchain industry, I have followed the debate between Justin Bons and David Schwartz regarding layer-2 solutions and their impact on blockchain scalability with great interest. Based on my understanding of the technology and the arguments presented by both parties, I believe that while Bons raises valid concerns about the limitations of layer-2 solutions in terms of true scalability, Schwartz’s perspective highlights the benefits of fee competition and innovation that these solutions bring to end users.


Justin Bons caused a stir by asserting that layer-2 solutions don’t truly enhance blockchain scalability and instead redirect traffic from the primary chain, vying for higher transaction fees. According to Bons, reducing the capacity of layer-1 in favor of layer-2 is a misguided strategy rooted in corrupt influences.

Transactions are handled directly on the primary network for layer-1 blockchains like Ethereum. In contrast, layer-2 solutions such as Arbitrum are designed to enhance transaction speed and cut down costs by building upon the main chain.

As an analyst, I would rephrase your statement as follows:

— Justin Bons (@Justin_Bons) June 18, 2024

Additionally, Bons expressed concern over the Ethereum network’s limited capacity, which has remained around one million transactions daily for the past four years. He highlighted how competitors like Solana have surpassed this figure in terms of transactions per second. In his view, Ethereum has reached a deadlock in terms of scalability.

Schwartz weighs in 

As a researcher examining Bons’ comments regarding the XRP Ledger and its transaction fees, I’d like to present an alternative viewpoint from Ripple CTO David Schwartz, one of the original architects of this digital asset’s ledger system. Schwartz believes that fee competition brings advantages for users while posing challenges only for those attempting to excessively tax transactions.

This fee competition aligns with the principles of decentralization and individual control intrinsic to blockchain technology. In contrast, it was highlighted that excessive profits for intermediaries from transaction fees contradict these values.

As a researcher studying the blockchain landscape, I’ve come across Schwartz’s perspective that Bons finds L2 (Layer 2) solutions inadequate for achieving complete scalability in blockchains. However, he also acknowledges that the competition these alternatives bring could potentially spur innovation and result in reduced costs for end-users. This discourse highlights the ongoing struggle within the blockchain community regarding the optimal approach to enhancing scalability and establishing user-friendly fee structures.

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2024-06-19 19:05