The XRP Ledger activated PermissionDelegationV1_1 on October 8, introducing a new capability that lets account owners authorize other accounts to perform specific tasks without sharing their primary cryptographic keys.
The feature addresses a key security challenge for businesses that need signing keys available during regular operations. By delegating authority by job function, institutions can keep broad-access keys offline while enabling helpers to sign transactions for limited purposes using their own keys.
Operational Structure
Each delegated helper account can receive up to 10 permissions that restrict the types of actions it can perform. Rather than imposing spending limits, permissions are restricted by action type. Account owners can modify or withdraw delegated permissions at any time.
The architecture mirrors existing institutional practices. Banks already separate payment and compliance duties among staff; the upgrade makes those divisions enforceable directly on the ledger.
Current Network Activity
The XRP Ledger held an average of $3.72 billion in tokenized assets and $539 million in Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin during the second quarter, according to data from Evernorth, an XRP treasury company. Combined, these balances totaled approximately $4.26 billion.
Implementation Considerations
Users have been advised not to delegate the PaymentBurn permission until a separate fix activates. Under certain conditions, this permission—intended to allow helpers to destroy tokens—can also permit creation of new tokens issued on the ledger.
The feature required approval from more than 80% of trusted validators over two consecutive weeks. With 35 validators currently trusted, at least 29 needed to support activation.
Developers are also addressing a voting measurement bug affecting some XRP Ledger servers, which can incorrectly drop validators from their counts after routine security key changes, potentially misrepresenting support levels for proposals.
