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XRP help · Reserve

Activate an XRP wallet: how much reserve do you need?

A new XRP address only exists on the ledger once at least 1 XRP arrive on it. That amount stays locked as a reserve, plus 0.2 XRP for every object such as a trust line or an open order. The values below come live from the ledger, not from an old article.

Check an addressGo to the guide
Phil · CryptoTuts founderScreenshots from the XRP Ledger of October 27, 2026 · Facts checked October 27, 2026
Base reserve
1 XRP
per address, stays locked
Per object
0.2 XRP
trust line, order, escrow, NFT page
Base fee
0.00001 XRP
per transaction, destroyed
As of
ledger 107,941,773
from server_info, refreshed every 5 minutes

Live from the XRP Ledger, validated ledger 107,941,773, read Oct 27, 2026, 6:10 PM UTC, confirmed by a second node.

Check an address

Paste your XRP address. You see whether it is activated, how much reserve is locked and how much of the balance you can send.

Reads balance and reserve from the public ledger. No wallet connection, and we do not store the address.

Basics

Why an XRP wallet needs a reserve

Every address and every object takes space in a ledger that thousands of servers keep. The reserve makes it expensive to fill it with spam accounts. Validators vote on its size, which is why it has changed several times.

  • No account without a reserve

    A freshly generated address is only a key pair. On the ledger it exists only after a first payment of at least 1 XRP. Until then explorers say "not found" and wallets say "not activated".

  • Once 20, then 10, now 1

    The base reserve was 20 XRP until 2021, then 10 XRP, and was lowered to 1 XRP on December 2, 2024. Many guides and even some exchange help pages still quote the old values.

  • Not a fee

    The reserve still belongs to you; it is only locked. The only thing destroyed is the transaction fee of 0.00001 XRP per transaction.

The math

How much of your balance is locked

Locked is the base reserve plus 0.2 XRP for every object your address owns. You can send only what is above that.

Locked reserve by number of objects, live from the ledger
AccountObjectsLocked
XRP only, nothing else01 XRP
One trust line, for example for RLUSD11.2 XRP
Two trust lines and one open order31.6 XRP

Objects include trust lines, orders on the ledger’s exchange, escrows, checks, tickets and NFT pages of up to 32 NFTs. Special case per xrpl.org: an account funded with exactly the base reserve can open its first two trust lines without the increment.

  1. Step 1 of 1

    Step 1: Read the reserve in the explorer

    Open the address in the explorer and read "Reserve balance".

    Paste the address into the search field of the official explorer livenet.xrpl.org. At the top you see the balance and "Reserve balance", the locked amount. The sample address owns one object, so the base reserve plus one increment is locked.

    DesktopAn account in the explorer: balance on the left, locked reserve on the right (values of October 27, 2026)1 / 1

    An account in the explorer: balance on the left, locked reserve on the right (values of October 27, 2026)

    100%
    1 / 1
    Original size

Activate

Size the first deposit right

At least 1 XRP must arrive on the new address. What counts is what arrives, not what you send from the exchange.

  1. Step 1 of 3

    Step 1: Pick an amount with a buffer

    At least 1 XRP plus the exchange’s withdrawal fee.

    Exchanges deduct their withdrawal fee from the amount and often set a minimum withdrawal. Choose the amount so that at least 1 XRP land on the new address after the fee. If you plan to hold tokens, add 0.2 XRP per trust line.

  2. Step 2 of 3

    Step 2: Send to your own address without a tag

    Your own wallet needs no destination tag.

    The address of your wallet belongs to you alone, so no tag is needed. If the exchange insists on a tag field, Ledger, Trezor and Tangem say you can leave it empty or enter any number.

  3. Step 3 of 3

    Step 3: Confirm the activation

    Check field above or explorer: is the address activated?

    After a few seconds, check the address in the field above or in the explorer. If it shows a balance, the address is activated and accepts smaller amounts from now on.

Delete the account

Get the reserve back: delete the account

If you no longer need an address, an AccountDelete transaction removes it. The whole balance goes to another address, minus a special fee of 0.2 XRP.

  • Requirements

    The address must no longer own blocking objects such as escrows, checks, payment channels or trust lines with a balance. It must also be at least 256 ledgers old, counted from activation; that is about 15 minutes.

  • Cost

    Deleting costs one owner reserve, currently 0.2 XRP. The fee is charged even if the deletion fails, so check the requirements first.

  • Choose the destination carefully

    The destination must exist on the ledger and, if it requires a tag, get one. Kraken says it does not support XRP deposits by AccountDelete. A second address of your own is the safest destination.

Troubleshooting

If it does not work

The cases that most often get stuck with XRP transfers, and what helps in each.

  • Wallet says "not activated"

    Fewer than 1 XRP have arrived on the address. Check it in the field above; if the first payment was too small, the ledger rejected it.

  • You cannot send everything

    The reserve of 1 XRP plus 0.2 XRP per object stays locked. You can send only the amount above it. To move everything, delete the account with AccountDelete.

  • A help page asks for 10 or 20 XRP

    That is outdated. Since December 2, 2024 the base reserve is 1 XRP; the live value above applies. An exchange can still have its own minimum withdrawal above the reserve.

  • Tangem calls the reserve a fee

    Technically it is a locked reserve, not a fee. You get it back, minus 0.2 XRP, if you delete the account.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much XRP do I need to activate a wallet?
At least 1 XRP that actually arrive on the new address. Add the exchange’s withdrawal fee and its minimum withdrawal.
Wasn’t it 10 or 20 XRP?
Yes. The base reserve was 20 XRP until 2021, then 10 XRP. Since December 2, 2024 it is 1 XRP. The value above comes live from the ledger.
Do I get the reserve back?
Yes, minus 0.2 XRP. If you delete the account with AccountDelete, the balance including the reserve goes to another address; the deletion costs one owner reserve.
Why does a trust line cost reserve?
Each trust line is an object on the ledger and raises the reserve by 0.2 XRP. Remove it and the reserve goes down again.
Can the reserve change?
Yes, by validator vote. So far it has only gone down. Your locked reserve always follows the current value.
Do I need a destination tag to activate a wallet?
No. A payment to your own wallet needs no tag. You only need one when you send to an exchange.

Further reading

Related guides

Prefer a card wallet for the reserve? Tangem supports XRP and needs no tag to receive.

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Sources and fact check

Checked October 27, 2026 against the providers’ own help centers and xrpl.org.

Not investment advice. CryptoTuts cannot recover payments; only the support of the receiving exchange can match one.