XRP Ledger Developers Test a Way to Open Wallets Without Holding Any XRP

Engineers working on the XRP Ledger are testing a new transaction, SponsoredAccountCreate, that would let one existing account open another and pay its entry cost. Today every account must lock up a minimum reserve of 1 XRP, a rule meant to stop the network from filling with empty wallets. The code was submitted on October 15. Under the new design, the sponsor carries that reserve, so the fresh wallet can sit at zero XRP while the network’s total reserve requirement stays the same.

Why Companies and AI Agents Could Benefit

A business opening 100,000 accounts would currently need to set aside 100,000 XRP just to get started. Sponsorship would remove that barrier and let apps onboard users who only want to hold stablecoins. Sponsors could also pay transaction fees for users, without gaining control of anyone’s private keys. The idea fits Ripple’s recent work with Stripe-owned Privy on embedded wallets for payments in XRP and RLUSD, including automated payments by AI agents, since those wallets still need XRP before they switch on.

Obstacles Facing the Sponsored Account Feature

The proposal is still early. The code request remains open with two unresolved automated review findings, and it depends on sponsorship changes that have not yet gone live on the main network. As of October 19, that amendment had 11 validator votes out of the 29 it needs to pass, so approval is still some way off.