The XRP Ledger Foundation has teamed up with infrastructure provider Ankr to roll out a worldwide network of public nodes on the XRP Ledger. The move comes just ahead of the expected xrpld v3.3.0 mainnet upgrade, giving developers and users a fresh set of entry points to the network.
What the partnership brings
Under the deal, Ankr will operate public nodes across multiple geographic regions. That means anyone building on or interacting with the XRP Ledger can connect through these nodes without running their own infrastructure. The foundation, known as XLRP, says the collaboration is meant to lower barriers for developers and improve network resilience.
Ankr already runs nodes for other blockchains. Adding XRP Ledger to its roster gives the company a foothold in a network that processes payments and decentralized finance transactions. The nodes are expected to be live before the next major software update.
Why the timing matters
The node launch precedes the planned xrpld v3.3.0 mainnet upgrade. That version will introduce new features and protocol changes. Having a fresh set of public nodes in place means the upgrade can be tested and adopted by a wider group of participants before it goes live on the main network.
The foundation has not released a specific date for the v3.3.0 upgrade, but the node rollout signals that the code is nearing readiness. Developers can already connect to the new nodes to experiment with the upcoming changes.
What's in the patch
The xrpld v3.3.0 release includes several technical improvements. Among them are updates to the network's consensus mechanism and changes to how transaction fees are calculated. The upgrade also brings fixes for bugs found in earlier versions.
Validators and node operators will need to update their software once the upgrade is formally activated. The foundation typically gives a two-week notice before a mainnet upgrade, so the window for preparation is likely to open soon after the public nodes are fully operational.
Who benefits from public nodes
Small developers and startups often struggle to run their own XRP Ledger nodes. The hardware and bandwidth costs add up, especially for those just getting started. Public nodes offered through Ankr remove that hurdle. Users get a reliable connection without managing uptime or security patches.
For the XRP Ledger Foundation, the partnership helps decentralize access. Instead of relying on a handful of large operators, the network gains more points of presence. That can reduce latency for users in regions that were previously underserved.
Ankr, for its part, expands its blockchain node marketplace. The company already supports dozens of networks, and adding XRP Ledger gives its customers another chain to build on.
The public node network is expected to go live in the coming weeks. After that, all eyes turn to whether the xrpld v3.3.0 upgrade rolls out smoothly and what impact the new infrastructure has on network activity.
