Ripple’s XRPL Attackathon Offers $200K for Vulnerability Discoveries in Lending Protocol

• Ripple and Immunefi launched a $200,000 Attackathon to secure the new XRPL Lending Protocol.
• The event runs from October 27 to November 29, with an educational phase already underway.
• The goal is to strengthen XRPL’s institutional DeFi roadmap and test its uncollateralized lending system.

Ripple has announced a major collaboration with Immunefi to host a $200,000 “Attackathon” aimed at fortifying the proposed XRP Ledger (XRPL) Lending Protocol.

Running from October 27 to November 29, the competition invites global security researchers to explore over 35,000 lines of C++ code in search of potential vulnerabilities. Participants will earn rewards in Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, based on the bugs they uncover.

An education phase is already active through the XRPL Attackathon Academy, providing hands-on guidance and resources for participants. Ripple’s team explained that this initiative is part of its institutional DeFi roadmap, ensuring that financial institutions can confidently use the XRPL Lending Protocol when it goes live.

Strengthening Institutional DeFi with XRPL Lending

The XRPL Lending Protocol introduces a fixed-term, uncollateralized loan system directly on the XRP Ledger. Unlike typical decentralized lending platforms, it avoids smart contracts and wrapped assets.

Instead, credit assessments occur off-chain, letting institutions apply their own risk models. The funds, however, are pooled and managed on-chain, maintaining transparency and security through predefined terms.

Governed by the new XLS-66 standard, this protocol represents Ripple’s effort to bring real-world credit markets into the blockchain space.

The design also accommodates traditional finance models, allowing institutions that prefer collateralized loans to structure them through regulated custodians. This blend of blockchain efficiency and institutional trust could redefine how digital assets are used in lending.

Key Targets Set for Ripple’s Security Challenge

The Attackathon carries a total reward pool of $200,000. If even one valid bug is reported, the full amount is distributed among participants. In case no major vulnerabilities are found, a fallback pool of $30,000 will be shared with researchers who provided valuable insights.

Both have identified several priority targets, including liquidation logic, interest accrual, and access control systems. The most impactful discoveries will involve vulnerabilities that could affect vault solvency or asset safety.

To help participants succeed, the XRPL Attackathon Academy offers live sessions with Ripple engineers, developer guides, and test environments. This open-access learning model reflects Ripple’s goal to not only secure its protocol but also educate a new wave of blockchain security experts.

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