A renewed debate about blockchain throughput surfaced after an X user, Minus Wells, argued that transaction speeds of 1,500 or even 5,000 transactions per second (TPS) are insufficient for the future of finance, calling these numbers comparable to Visa’s daily average and not indicative of modernization.
Visa’s Network and Industry Benchmarks
VisaNet, the payment system operated by Visa, has a technical maximum capacity of between 65,000 to over 83,000 TPS. Despite this, actual daily averages fall between approximately 8,100 and 8,500 TPS, according to publicly available operational figures.
Minus Wells stated that current blockchain platforms typically publish throughput numbers below 5,000 TPS, putting them on par with — but not surpassing — the established legacy payment rail.
“1,500 TPS is not the future of finance, not even 5,000. Sorry, they lied to you for engagement. That’s roughly Visa’s average throughput on a normal day. Congrats on matching the legacy system,” wrote Minus Wells.
The conversation resonated strongly among the XRP community because the XRP Ledger (XRPL) offers around 1,500 TPS throughput when running on standard hardware, positioning itself as a major blockchain for real-time settlement.
Comparisons Across Blockchains
Minus Wells clarified that his comments were not directed specifically at XRP but extend to other prominent networks including Avalanche, Stellar, Tezos L1, Cardano’s Leios experiments, and OP Mainnet swaps. He noted that available figures for these blockchains also sit below 5,000 TPS based on recent results and reports.
He added that while these figures may not always represent hard limits due to differing test setups, the recurring question for blockchain operators is whether current infrastructure can meet future demand as the finance sector evolves.
Mini dictionary: XRP Ledger (XRPL) is a decentralized blockchain designed for high-speed asset transfers and was developed by Ripple Labs. It is widely used for cross-border payments and features built-in decentralized exchange capabilities.
| Network | Reported Average TPS | Technical Peak TPS |
|---|---|---|
| VisaNet | 8,100–8,500 | 65,000–83,000 |
| XRP Ledger | 1,500 | Varies with upgrades |
| Avalanche | Below 5,000 | Depends on subnet configuration |
| Stellar | Below 5,000 | Variable |
XRP Ledger Foundation and Technological Advancements
Hussein Zangana, also known as Vet, who serves as director of community at the XRP Ledger Foundation, responded to discussions about scalability across blockchain networks. He emphasized that achieving higher throughput remains a process that requires ongoing technical progression.
Vet argued that decentralized blockchains have different priorities compared to legacy payment networks, highlighting that not every transaction needs to settle instantly. He introduced the idea that payment channels and higher-layer innovations, such as Dassie (Interledger), are more suitable for handling mass micro-payments efficiently than traditional L1 blockchain settlement.
Mini dictionary: Dassie (Interledger) is a protocol for connecting different payment networks, enabling fast and secure cross-network transactions through linked payment channels.
Vet stressed that Mastercard is exploring increased collaboration with the XRP Ledger through more hackathons, building on previous successful events such as Swell. He noted that the use of AI could further support the network’s technological advancement and development efforts.
Batch processing is another development on XRPL, allowing multiple transactions to be bundled together and processed as a group. This feature, which went live on the mainnet in October 2026, is positioned to enhance the efficiency and scalability of XRP Ledger transactions.
Vet remarked that batched settlement solutions are already providing significant benefits for institutional users compared to traditional finance systems.
He also expressed optimism about the scaling potential of L1 blockchains, particularly XRPL, and pointed to AI integration as a pathway to increasing TPS in the future. Vet stated there is substantial untapped capacity for boosting transaction throughput as research and network upgrades continue.
