Ripple
Ripple is a real-time gross settlement system, currency exchange, and remittance network created by Ripple Labs Inc. It uses a distributed open-source protocol and supports tokens representing fiat currency, cryptocurrency, commodities, or other units of value. The platform is designed to enable fast, low-cost international payments and settlements for financial institutions.
Developers should learn Ripple when working on cross-border payment systems, blockchain-based financial applications, or integrations with banking infrastructure. It's particularly useful for projects requiring high transaction throughput (e.g., 1,500 transactions per second), low fees, and compliance with financial regulations, as it's adopted by banks and payment providers like Santander and MoneyGram.