Ripple launches permissioned domains on XRPL mainnet

The XRP Ledger activated a new access control framework on its main network on Wednesday, following validators’ approval of the permissioned domains protocol amendment. 

According to an update from the Ripple developers, X account, permissioned Domains have been officially activated on XRPL under the XLS-80 amendment. These domains will launch controlled participation environments directly on the public ledger infrastructure, the developers said.

A strong validator backing for the amendment saw more than 91% of network validators support the proposal, clearing the threshold required by XRPL’s governance rules. The upgrade will allow regulated entities to interact with liquidity pools on the shared blockchain, while the “full permissioning stack” will be available to institutions soon, Ripple confirmed.

Moreover, the permissioned decentralized exchange has already achieved validator consensus and is scheduled to activate in two weeks. XRPL’s standard amendment process requires amendments to undergo a waiting period after a supermajority approval.

90% validator vote leads to permissioned domains activation

As reported by Cryptopolitan, the XLS-80 amendment surpassed the 80% validator support threshold in late January. It then entered the mandatory formal two-week activation window that concluded on February 4. The now-active proposal introduces permissioned domains as managed environments, with activity governed by rule-based credentials. 

The domains would allow institutions to use the blockchain ledger’s shared security and transparency while controlling who may participate. Ripple’s developers noted that the method is the best way for financial firms to adopt decentralized systems while maintaining regulatory compliance.

“This approach aims to bridge the gap between the transparency and security benefits of decentralized blockchain technology and the regulatory requirements of traditional financial institutions,” said Ripple devs.

Permissioned Domains build on the XLS-70 Credentials system, which supports verifiable attestations that confirm compliance status issued by trusted parties. Domain operators set rules by defining which credentials are acceptable. 

Accounts with valid credentials will automatically become domain members once the criteria are met, with no additional enrollment steps required. Compromised credentials or misuse of domains for unlawful purposes must be addressed through governance and operational controls, Ripple said.

A typical permissioned blockchain system uses nodes with verified identities, membership service providers, and structured consensus engines. In the case of XRPL, application logic for the domains will run through smart contract layers.

The system adds technical elements such as the PermissionedDomain ledger object and specialized management transactions. Those transactions include PermissionedDomainSet and PermissionedDomainDelete, which allow domain creation and removal. 

On the other hand, the Permissioned decentralized exchange will operate inside the native XRPL trading engine. Its order books will accept trades only from accounts that meet domain requirements for validators to approve transactions in liquidity pools for regulated participants.

XRP enthusiasts on X reiterate that one reason institutions can’t yet use XRPL-based decentralized exchanges for payments is the lack of permissioned domains. The community believes the changes will now rope in institutions and Ripple itself to use the ledger for transactions, in preparation for the permissioned DEX. 

XRP lending amendment enters governance phase

In other related blockchain news, XRPL’s native lending protocol reached the governance phase on January 28. The proposal, named the XLS-66d amendment, entered validator voting after the release of network software version 3.1.0. All 34 validators began casting votes on enabling lending functionality directly on the ledger. 

The framework introduces structured credit tools for professional market participants, with loans under the system carrying fixed durations of 30 to 180 days. The set repayment terms are defined in advance, and each agreement is recorded directly on-chain. 

XLS-66d will see XRPL lenders issue fixed-term agreements and predictable settlement structures, and each loan will create a signed ledger entry documenting the terms. Furthermore, credit checks and risk assessments will take place off-chain through established underwriting processes. 

The lending protocol records each broker object directly on the ledger, listed in an Owner Directory controlled by the account that submits the LoanBrokerSet transaction.

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