XRP is a digital currency created by Ripple Labs in 2012. Unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, XRP is designed to help banks and financial institutions make faster, cheaper international money transfers.
What makes XRP special?

Extremely fast transactions (3-5 seconds)
Very low transaction fees
Built for financial institutions and cross-border payments
Uses a unique consensus mechanism different from Bitcoin/Ethereum
More centralized than other cryptocurrencies

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is the blockchain that powers XRP. It doesn't use mining like Bitcoin - instead, it uses a network of validators to confirm transactions, making it more energy efficient.
Uses:

International money transfers
Bank-to-bank transactions
Currency exchange
Payment settlement

Ripple, the company behind XRP, partners with banks worldwide to use their technology for faster payments. XRP faced an SEC lawsuit in 2020, which was largely resolved in Ripple's favor in 2023.