Stefan Thomas: Understanding Ripple

In a long-overdue episode, we finally had the chance to dive into one of the most known but poorly understood cryptocurrency/blockchain project: Ripple. Reviled by many in the Bitcoin space, we put aside any prejudices and sat down for a fascinating conversation with Ripple Labs CTO Stefan Thomas.

We talked about his early days in the Bitcoin space, how Ripple came about, what the Ripple network looks like today and how its consensus protocol works.

Topics covered in this episode:

• ‘ early experiences in the Bitcoin space
• How Ripple was created
• The problem Ripple is trying to solve
• How the Ripple consensus algorithm works
• Whether Ripple is decentralized or not
• What the correspondent banking system is and how Ripple wants to disrupt it
• The recent FinCen fine and what it means for Ripple

Episode links:

• Ripple
• Ripple Labs
• Ripple Labs Fined $700,000 by FinCen
• Richard Gendal Brown: The Deep Insight at Ripple's Cores
• Peter Todd Ripple Protocol Consensus Algorithm Review
• Ripple Consensus Protocol Whitepaper

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Sébastien Couture. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/092