Side-by-side comparison

Stellar vs XRP

Compare published capacity, block cadence, transaction fees, staking, and execution compatibility to see where Stellar and XRP differ.

Stellar · XLM
XRP · XRP
Updated July 2026

Key metrics

Published network metrics

Use these reference values to identify trade-offs; they do not measure live network performance.

Metric	Stellar	XRP
Layer	L1 (official developer source)	L1 (official developer source)
Native token	XLM (official developer source)	XRP (official developer source)
Published max TPS	200 (official developer source)	1,500 (official developer source)
Block time	5s (official developer source)	4s (official developer source)
Average transaction fee	$0.00 (official developer source)	$0.0002 (official developer source)
Consensus	SCP (official developer source)	RPCA (official developer source)
Execution	Other VM (official developer source)	Limited (official developer source)
Smart contracts	Yes (official developer source)	No (official developer source)
Staking rewards	— (official developer source)	— (official developer source)

Architecture and execution

Stellar is a Layer 1 network and uses a non-EVM execution environment. (official developer source) XRP is a Layer 1 network and does not support smart contracts. (official developer source)

Their consensus mechanisms also differ: Stellar uses SCP (official developer source), while XRP uses RPCA (official developer source). That distinction describes how each network is designed; it is not a standalone quality score.

Capacity and confirmation cadence

XRP has the higher transaction capacity: 1,500 TPS. (official developer source)

XRP has the shorter block time: 4s. (official developer source)

Transaction capacity and block time do not predict observed throughput, finality, or application-specific performance. Evaluate the workload, settlement requirements, and tooling before drawing a conclusion.

Costs and participation

Stellar has the lower average transaction fee: $0.00. (official developer source)

Stellar has no staking rate available. (official developer source) XRP has no staking rate available. (official developer source)

Fees and reward rates can change with network conditions and policy. They are not live pricing or a return forecast.

Practical differences

Execution compatibility. Both networks share the same EVM compatibility status. (official developer source) Existing EVM applications and tools may narrow the practical choice before capacity figures do.
Capacity, cadence, and fees. Compare published capacity, block time, and transaction fee against the requirements of the application or transfer flow.
Current market and network conditions. Published values are a snapshot. Compare current liquidity, ecosystem activity, security conditions, and market data before drawing a conclusion.

FAQ