AML check on XRP Ledger
How to check an XRP Ledger address for AML risk, what destination tags are, and which services support XRP.
Exchanges often require a destination tag. The tag is not part of the address check.
Services that check XRP Ledger
For companies: screening tools that list XRP Ledger
Enterprise KYT and wallet-screening platforms for exchanges, payment firms and other businesses. Prices are on request and they are not part of our score. “Screening” means the provider’s own page lists XRP Ledger for screening or monitoring; “Not verified” means it is listed only for investigations or without detail. Compare business tools →
How to check an XRP Ledger address
- Get the public addressAsk your counterparty for the address they will send from — or copy it from the incoming transaction.
- Pick a service that covers XRP LedgerChoose one marked “Supported” in the list above. Check the classic r… address. If you were given an X-address, the service may need it converted.
- Run the check and read itLook at the score and at which categories make it up. One high-risk category matters more than many low ones.
XRP Ledger specifics
- Classic XRP Ledger addresses start with r, are 25–35 characters long and are case-sensitive. A built-in checksum makes it very unlikely that a typo produces another valid address.[2]
- X-addresses pack a destination tag into the address and start with X on mainnet, but the ledger itself only supports classic r… addresses natively.[2]
Who can freeze funds on XRP Ledger
- No one can freeze XRP on the XRP Ledger. Freezes apply only to issued tokens, and issuers can freeze the tokens they issue. Custodial exchanges can still freeze funds they hold for customers.[3]
- A token issuer can freeze one holder's trust line, which stops that holder from spending the token. The holder can still receive the token from others and can still pay the issuer directly.[3]
- An issuer can also set a Global Freeze. It applies to every token that address has issued, for all holders at once.[3]
- An issuer can turn on No Freeze. It then gives up for good the power to freeze single holders and the power to end a global freeze.[3]
- Deep Freeze is a stricter freeze on one trust line. The holder can neither send nor receive the token from others. It needs the DeepFreeze amendment.[4]
- Issuers can turn on Clawback to take trust-line tokens back from holders. They must turn it on before they have any trust lines or other ledger objects. XRP cannot be clawed back.[5]
- Ripple USD (RLUSD) is issued by Standard Custody and Trust Company and other regulated Ripple subsidiaries. It is live on the XRP Ledger and other networks. Ripple says direct customers must meet KYC and AML requirements, with regular sanctions screening of both customers and wallets.[6]
- Exchanges use destination tags to know which customer to credit. A payment without the tag may need manual handling before it is credited. Accounts can turn on RequireDest so the ledger rejects untagged payments.[7]
Scams seen on XRP Ledger
- On the XRP Ledger, tokens are tracked in trust lines. Trust lines enforce the rule that no one can make you hold a token you don't want.[8]
- Ripple says it will never ask you to send it XRP. It also warns that its CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, is increasingly used in deepfakes and other scams promising free XRP giveaways.[9]
- Ripple says it cannot stop or change transactions on the XRP Ledger. A payment sent to a scammer cannot be reversed by Ripple.[9]
- In April 2025, an attacker published malicious versions of the xrpl.js developer library to npm. The code was built to steal private keys. The XRP Ledger network itself was not affected. Anyone who installed an infected version should treat their wallets as compromised.[10]
Check the history yourself
- xrpl.org lists three public explorers. Bithomp shows an account's transaction history and known names. XRPScan shows account information and ledger activity. The XRPL Explorer at livenet.xrpl.org shows new ledger validations in real time.[11]
- To check who runs an issuer address, look for a two-way link. The account's Domain field must match the domain that hosts its xrp-ledger.toml file. The xrpl.org reference says neither side alone should be trusted.[12]
Sanctions and enforcement cases
- On 5 May 2015, FinCEN fined Ripple Labs and its subsidiary XRP II $700,000. They had sold XRP without registering as a money services business and without an adequate anti-money laundering program. This was FinCEN's first civil enforcement action against a virtual currency exchanger.[13]
Common risks on XRP Ledger
FAQ
Should I include the destination tag?
Not for the AML check — tags identify a customer inside an exchange account, not a separate address.
Can XRP in my account be frozen or clawed back?
Not on the ledger. No one can freeze XRP, and XRP cannot be clawed back. Freeze and clawback apply only to tokens, such as stablecoins issued on the XRP Ledger. An exchange can still restrict XRP held in an account on its platform.
Can a stablecoin issuer take tokens back from my XRP Ledger address?
For trust-line tokens, only if the issuer turned on Clawback before it had any trust lines. Issuers that already have tokens out cannot add it later. Multi-purpose tokens use a separate clawback flag set when the token is created. Check the issuer's settings before you hold its token.
What happens if I send XRP to an exchange without the destination tag?
The exchange may not know which customer to credit. It may need to handle the payment by hand, which can involve working out with the sender who should be credited. An address can turn on RequireDest so the ledger rejects payments without a tag.
How do I check a XRP Ledger address for AML risk?
Copy the public address, open one of the services listed above that supports XRP Ledger, and run the check. You never need a seed phrase or private key.
What does “Not verified” mean?
The service claims support somewhere — in marketing copy or a third-party page — but its own docs, pricing or FAQ do not list the network. Treat it as unknown.
Sources
- Global Ledger — Global Ledger — XRP Ledger coverage. Checked 4 Oct 2026.
- XRP Ledger docs — Addresses. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Freezing Tokens. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Deep Freeze. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Clawing Back Tokens. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- Ripple — What is RLUSD?. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Source and Destination Tags. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Trust Line Tokens. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- Ripple — Crypto Scams: How to Identify, Avoid and Report. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Vulnerability Disclosure Report: xrpl.js (April 2025) (28 Apr 2025). Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — Dev Tools. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- XRP Ledger Foundation (xrpl.org) — xrp-ledger.toml File. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
- Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) — FinCEN Fines Ripple Labs Inc. in First Civil Enforcement Action Against a Virtual Currency Exchanger (5 May 2015). Checked 4 Nov 2026.