David Fuelling, a well-known engineer at RippleX, has shaken up the XRP community by presenting a comprehensive proposal for the overhaul of the governance structure of the XRP Ledger Foundation (XRPLF). Fuelling took to X to announce his proposal, stating, “Yesterday, I published a proposal for updating the governance structure of the XRPL Foundation.”
Fuelling acknowledges the skepticism surrounding his motivations, responding humorously to questions like “why now?” and even addressing the rather unconventional query of “why are you so handsome?” He emphasizes that his proposal is not a criticism of the current XRPLF but rather a vision for its improvement, building upon the foundation’s existing structure.
The core motivation behind Fuelling’s proposal is to address the perceived dissatisfaction within the XRPL community. Over the years, he observed a sentiment among community members that their voices were not being heard, hindering their ability to impact XRPL affairs. Fuelling sees the XRPLF as an ideal platform to experiment with solving these issues, given its role as a neutral and fair representative within the community.
Personal Proposal, Not Ripple’s Stand
Fuelling clarifies that his proposal is a personal contribution and not an official statement from Ripple. He emphasizes the need for a clear membership and sustainable donation models for the XRPLF, proposing solutions to both in his vision.
Despite the public nature of his proposal, Fuelling reveals that he did share it with multiple leaders at the XRPL Foundation and other long-time XRPL developers before publishing. He defends his decision to conduct the bulk of the work publicly, seeking open and diverse input.
David “JoelKatz” Schwartz, CTO at Ripple, expressed appreciation for Fuelling’s public clarity, affirming that the XRPLF was receptive to the proposal. Schwartz highlights the proposal as a “straw man” designed to stimulate open dialogue and gather diverse suggestions. He emphasizes that there is no pressure to adopt the proposal as-is, presenting it as a starting point for collaborative refinement and exploration.
However, with the endorsement from key figures like David Schwartz, it appears that Fuelling’s initiative is gaining traction and could lead to positive changes in the governance structure of the XRP Ledger Foundation.
