Ripple has released rippled version 2.4.0, an update to the reference server implementation of the XRP Ledger protocol. The upgrade introduces amendments, security enhancements, and bug fixes aimed at improving the ledger’s efficiency and stability. The changes are part of an ongoing effort to refine the decentralized network that supports XRP transactions.
The latest version introduces several amendments, which require at least 80% approval from trusted validators for two consecutive weeks before taking effect.
Among them is DynamicNFT, which allows for the creation of mutable NFToken objects that can have their URIs changed after minting. Another amendment, PermissionedDomains, is designed to implement domain restrictions for compliance purposes.
The DeepFreeze amendment enables token issuers to freeze assets and block transfers for accounts flagged under compliance measures. Additionally, fixFrozenLPTokenTransfer prevents the transfer of liquidity pool tokens when a frozen asset is present, while fixInvalidTxFlags introduces stricter transaction flag validation for CredentialCreate, CredentialAccept, and CredentialDelete transactions.
If approved, these amendments could significantly alter asset management and compliance structures within the XRP Ledger.
UNL Transition and Network Security Enhancements
A key aspect of this release is the transition of the Unique Node List (UNL), overseen by the XRPL Foundation. A new subdomain, unl.xrplf.org, has been introduced as part of a staged migration to prevent service disruptions. The previous UNL subdomain, vl.xrplf.org, will be deprecated once the transition is complete.
To maintain validator integrity, the foundation has also introduced an updated public key. The organization has indicated that further details on the transition will be provided in the coming weeks.
Security and functionality have also been a focal point of the update. A new simulate API method now allows developers to execute dry runs of transactions before committing them. Logging mechanisms have been improved to provide greater transparency in validation and proposal activities.
Ledger entry filtering has been expanded to give developers more flexibility in working with the ledger, ledger_data, and account_objects API methods. Validator security has also been reinforced by enabling operators to require consensus from multiple UNL publishers before confirming validator status.
Bug Fixes and Performance Adjustments
The update also addresses multiple bugs and performance issues. One of the most notable fixes resolves a longstanding issue that prevented rippled from compiling properly on Windows with Visual Studio 2022.
Adjustments have also been made to transaction fee calculations to prevent double charging. Additionally, inaccuracies in amendment voting by validators have been corrected, along with improvements in debugging logs for amendment-related decisions.
A bug that previously prevented failed inbound ledgers from being reacquired has also been resolved. Other changes include updates to the secp256k1 cryptographic library and optimizations in build flags to address prior performance regressions.
Node operators are urged to update to version 2.4.0 to ensure service continuity. The release is available for Red Hat, CentOS, Ubuntu, and Debian, while users on other platforms will need to build the update from source.
The amendments introduced in this release could have a lasting impact on the XRP Ledger’s governance and transaction framework. The extent of that impact depends on whether validators approve the proposed changes, a decision that will shape the future functionality of the network.
