Nearly 45% of XRP Ledger Nodes Face Temporary Disconnection as Upgrade Deadline Nears

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is heading into a key technical moment, with a large portion of the network set to be amendment-blocked due to outdated software versions. 

Data from the XRPL node distribution shows that while newer versions dominate, a significant share of nodes are still running older releases that no longer meet network requirements.

Old XRP Ledger Versions Set to Be Blocked

According to XRPL validator Vet, around 45% of XRP Ledger nodes are running older versions of rippled and are about to be amendment-blocked. Once this happens, those nodes will disconnect from the network until they upgrade.

Vet described the situation as a “last call,” urging operators to update to rippled 2.6.2 or higher to continue normal operations. Importantly, he stressed that this process does not affect XRPL liveness, meaning the network itself remains stable and functional.

Node Distribution Highlights the Issue

The current node breakdown shows that while newer versions like rippled 3.0.0 (35%) and rippled 2.6.2 (20%) are widely adopted, a sizable portion of nodes are still on older builds such as 2.6.1, 2.5.1, 2.6.0, and 2.5.0. These older versions account for roughly 45% of those now at risk of being blocked.

This explains why the upcoming amendment enforcement is drawing attention across the XRP community.

Community Reactions

XRP community figure Crypto Eri called the event long overdue and a necessary cleanup of outdated infrastructure. Vet agreed with this view, adding that any affected node can rejoin the network with a simple update that takes just a few minutes.

💯!! Right way of seeing this.

and if any of these nodes want to continue participating (again) – just a simple 2min update and they are online!

— Vet (@Vet_X0) December 18, 2025

However, not everyone sees it as routine. Handy Andy, founder of Xspence LTD, pointed out that 45% is a large number and questioned whether some services might temporarily go offline as a result.

In response, Vet noted that he has been monitoring services with large node counts and suggested that Top Node, a major operator in the past, appears to be among those exiting due to failure to update its validators.