Exciting news for XRP Ledger (XRPL) users! RippleX, the development arm behind Ripple Labs, has provided an update on the highly anticipated XLS-40 amendment. This amendment aims to integrate native support for Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) based on the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards.

Here's a breakdown of the update

1. A minor technical issue was discovered in the initial XLS-40 proposal. This issue could potentially lead to the creation of empty DID objects, which wouldn't serve any purpose.

2. To address this, RippleX has proposed a fix through a new amendment named AddthefixEmptyDID This fix is likely to be included in the upcoming rippled version 2.2.0 software release.

3. Discussions around XLS-40 began in March 2023, and the initial amendment was introduced in January 2024. However, Ripple's validator will hold off on voting for DID functionality until the AddthefixEmptyDID amendment is available. Prioritizing a secure implementation seems to be the driving force behind this decision.

What are DIDs and why are they important?

DIDs are a revolutionary technology that empowers users with complete control over their online identities. With XLS-40, the XRP Ledger will leverage W3C standards to provide verifiable, self-sovereign digital identities. These identities will be interoperable across different distributed ledgers and networks, offering a standardized solution for secure online interactions.

While this minor delay might seem like a setback, the blockchain community remains enthusiastic about XLS-40. Once implemented, it has the potential to usher in a new era of secure and user-controlled digital identities on the XRP Ledger.

Looking ahead, the XRP Ledger community is also buzzing with anticipation for the launch of the XRP Ledger Automated Market Maker (AMM) on March 22nd. This positive development is expected to further enhance the functionality and usability of the XRP Ledger ecosystem.