[NEWS] XRP Ledger block generation temporarily stopped

On the 5th, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) experienced a temporary halt in block generation. At block height 93,927,173, network activity was suspended for approximately one hour, causing a pause in transaction processing.

David Schwartz, CTO of U.S.-based Ripple, explained that while the consensus mechanism remained operational, the verification results were not properly published, leading to a network partition.

The network is now recovering. We don't know exactly what caused the issue yet.

Super-preliminary observation: It looked like consensus was running but validations were not being published, causing the network to drift apart. Validator operators manually intervened to choose a…

— David "JoelKatz" Schwartz (@JoelKatz) February 4, 2025

The exact cause of the disruption is still under investigation, but initial analysis suggests issues related to consensus. Specifically, it appears that validators did not function correctly, causing the network to "drift" and lose synchronization.

After approximately 64 minutes of downtime, the network automatically recovered. According to Schwartz, a small number of validator operators manually intervened by selecting a trusted starting point from the last fully validated ledger, allowing the verification process to resume. This intervention likely facilitated the network’s realignment and restoration of normal operations. However, it remains unclear whether manual intervention was the direct solution or if the network autonomously recovered.

No losses of assets or transactions have been reported due to this temporary halt, and user funds remain secure. However, the delay of approximately 88,000 transactions is a significant concern, raising questions about the network’s stability.

While the XRP Ledger has maintained robust performance historically, this incident has highlighted areas that require improvement for future operations. It has become evident that if validator verification results are not properly published, there is a risk of network downtime, emphasizing the need for enhanced stability measures.

The company is currently conducting a detailed investigation through its technical team to identify the root cause of the recent disruption. David Schwartz stated, "The analysis of this issue is still preliminary, and further information may emerge as the investigation progresses."

To prevent such incidents in the future, concrete measures such as strengthening the consensus mechanism, enhancing validator monitoring systems, and establishing rapid response protocols are necessary. Additionally, clarifying incident response protocols will ensure that validator operators can act appropriately when issues arise.

During the recent network realignment, manual intervention by validator operators may have played a role in restoring consensus. By selecting a reliable starting point from the last fully verified ledger and resuming validation from there, the network's consensus was reestablished.

However, ensuring the network's long-term stability requires a system that does not rely on manual intervention. Enhancing the network's self-recovery capabilities and developing a mechanism that allows for autonomous restoration without direct validator actions will be a critical factor.

This incident has served as an important test case for the XRP Ledger. While the network was ultimately restored and no asset losses were reported, the issues uncovered in the consensus validation process have raised concerns about the network’s overall reliability.

The XRP Ledger has continued to develop with technical support from Ripple, but to further its role as a critical infrastructure for financial institution settlements and international remittances, it is essential to strengthen its response to incidents like this and ensure robust operational stability.

Reference: X David Schwartz
Image: Shutterstock

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