ZachXBT Criticizes Ripple for $250K Bug Bounty on Critical XRP Ledger Flaw
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has slammed Ripple for a $250,000 reward deemed insufficient for a critical XRP Ledger vulnerability.
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has slammed Ripple for a $250,000 reward deemed insufficient for a critical XRP Ledger vulnerability. XRP (XRP) is trading at $1.35, up 1.5% since this brief published. This is an original TLT brief synthesising 2 outlets (Crypto Adventure, Protos), with their figures cross-checked, plus live market data, as of Tue, 13 Oct 2026 02:00:04 UTC.
The controversy highlights the debate over bug bounty valuations in the crypto industry and raises questions about whether current reward structures adequately reflect the potential risks of exploits.
- ZachXBT criticizes $250K reward for critical XRP Ledger bug.
- Vulnerability could have enabled XRP supply manipulation.
- Concerns raised about Ripple's valuation of security risks.
Crypto Adventure and Protos both report that ZachXBT criticized Ripple for a $250,000 bug bounty, arguing it was inadequate given the severity of the XRP Ledger vulnerability. Protos further emphasizes ZachXBT's warning that undervaluing such discoveries could lead to future exploits costing $100 million. However, Crypto Adventure focuses more on the potential for XRP supply manipulation, while Protos highlights the broader implications for crypto security practices.
- XRP Ledger Patches Critical Vulnerability That Could Mint Unlimited XRP
- XRP Ledger Foundation Addresses Critical Billion-Dollar Bug
- XRP Ledger Bug Sparks Centralization Debate Amid Ripple Foundation's Response
- ZachXBT Criticizes Ripple for $250K Bug Bounty on Critical XRP Ledger Flaw — this brief
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has publicly criticized Ripple for awarding a $250,000 bug bounty for a critical vulnerability in the 
XRP Ledger. In a post on X, ZachXBT argued that the reward was disproportionately low considering the potential damage the flaw could have caused.
The vulnerability, which was responsibly disclosed by a whitehat hacker, could have been exploited to manipulate XRP token supply. ZachXBT expressed concern that such a critical flaw warranted a much larger reward to reflect the potential risks involved.
Protos reports that ZachXBT went further, suggesting that Ripple's approach could result in future exploits costing up to $100 million. This criticism underscores the ongoing debate about how crypto companies value and incentivize security research.
The XRP Ledger vulnerability was discovered and reported through Ripple's bug bounty program. While the $250,000 reward is significant, ZachXBT's comments suggest that the crypto community expects more substantial compensation for critical security issues.
In the current market context, with XRP trading at $1.33 (-5.79% 24h), this controversy adds to the scrutiny on Ripple's security practices. The broader crypto market remains in a state of cautious optimism, with a Fear & Greed index of 57 indicating 'Greed.'
Since this brief published about 15 hours ago, XRP (XRP) has moved from $1.33 to $1.35 — +1.50%.
The chart plots XRP's price: grey is the move before this brief published, the vertical dashed line marks the moment it published, the horizontal dashed line is the price then, and the coloured area is the move since — from TLT's market data (daily resolution). It shows what happened after the news, not that the news caused it; many factors move prices. Not financial advice.
At today's peer-to-peer rate, 1 XRP ≈ ₦1,843.74 (about $1.35), down 3.6% over 24 hours. The naira itself trades about 2.6% above the official rate on the P2P market, so a Nigerian buyer's effective cost differs from the headline dollar price.
Live market data
Current prices for the assets in this story — live, source-stamped, updated every 15 minutes.
1 key figure independently matched across 2 outlets reporting this story.
TLT extracts the figures each outlet reports and flags the ones that agree. Numbers cited by only one outlet are attributed in the brief, not shown as corroborated.
ZachXBT Criticizes Ripple for $250K Bug Bounty on Critical X — questions & answers
What was the exact amount of the bug bounty?
Ripple paid a $250,000 bug bounty for the critical XRP Ledger vulnerability.
Why is ZachXBT criticizing the reward?
ZachXBT believes the $250,000 reward is too low for a flaw that could have compromised XRP's supply integrity.
What could have happened if the vulnerability was exploited?
The vulnerability could have been exploited to manipulate XRP token supply, potentially causing significant market disruption.
How much is 1 XRP worth in naira today?
About ₦1,843.74 at the live peer-to-peer (P2P) USDT rate, which is what Nigerians typically trade at — equivalent to roughly $1.35. The naira price moves with both XRP's US-dollar price and the USDT/NGN rate; use our XRP in naira page for any amount.
Has XRP's price moved since this brief was published?
XRP is up 1.50% since this brief first published — trading at $1.35 now versus $1.33 at publication. TLT re-checks this figure against CoinGecko and Binance every 15 minutes.
Which outlets reported this story?
This is an original TLT brief that synthesises reporting from Crypto Adventure, Protos, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.
Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original TLT brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.