The XRP Ledger fixCleanup3_4_0 amendment reached 29 validator votes on October 9, 2026, and held 29 on October 19, 2026, tracking activation around 09:34 UTC on October 23, 2026, with a single validator withdrawal restarting its 14-day countdown.

How blockchain protocols make collective decisions about upgrades, funding, and rules, whether through on-chain voting, off-chain social consensus, or foundation stewardship.

Rules by which distributed networks agree on a shared ledger, from proof of work mining to proof of stake validation, trading off security, energy use, and decentralization.