XRP Ledger developers test zero-balance account creation for apps

A new SponsoredAccountCreate proposal would let sponsors cover the 1 XRP reserve so apps and AI agents can spin up wallets without pre-funding them Opening a wallet on the XRP Ledger has always come with a cover charge. Every account must hold at least 1 XRP in reserve, and someone has to put it there before the account can exist. Developers are now testing a way around that. A proposal called SponsoredAccountCreate would let new accounts launch with a zero XRP balance, while a separate sponsor covers the mandatory reserve. What the proposal actually does The code proposal was submitted on October 15, 2026. Its pitch is simple: apps, payment platforms and AI agents should be able to create wallets for users without pre-funding each one. The reserve rule itself does not go away. Every account still needs that 1 XRP backing it. The change is about who pays. Under the proposal, a sponsor takes on the reserve obligation. The new account holder starts at zero and owes nothing upfront. One detail matters a lot for users. Sponsors would not control the keys of the accounts they fund. Ownership stays with the person or agent holding the wallet, so a sponsor covering the reserve does not tu...