XRPL v3.2.0 Hits Identity Crisis — Validators Show Two Faces 🪞

The XRP Ledger v3.2.0 upgrade is drawing fresh scrutiny after a node operator reported a public key mismatch following validator migration. The issue, logged on GitHub as report #7581 under the title "Service log file shows validator pubkey other than what is used," details a case in which a validator was migrated to an existing RPC node running v3.2.0, after which the service log reflected the new validator pubkey while the server itself continued operating with the old key stored in wallet.db. The operator stated, "the service log shows the correct new validator pubkey, however the actual server is running with the old pubkey stored in wallet.db," and noted that simply adding an existing validator token to an active RPC node and restarting the server was sufficient to reproduce the behavior. Under expected XRP Ledger performance, the operator wrote, "both service logs and server_info should return the same validator pubkey," a condition the upgrade has failed to meet in the reported case.

The disclosure follows a series of bug reports from other operators who flagged additional defects in the XRPL mainnet upgrade last week. The v3.2.0 release, intended to advance network functionality, has coincided with a stalled adoption rate, with roughly 30% of nodes updated to the latest version. The remaining nodes continue to operate on prior releases, leaving the network in a mixed-version state as developers assess the reported issues. The public key discrepancy specifically affects validator identity tracking, a critical function for consensus and network security on the XRP Ledger.

Node operators have used the GitHub thread to outline expected behavior versus observed behavior, emphasizing that the service log and on-chain validator data should remain synchronized. As filed, the report indicates that the migrated validator token's public key appeared in the service log, while the locally stored, older validator key persisted in operational use. This contradiction has prompted concerns about the reliability of node migration procedures under the current release.

The XRP Ledger development community is now evaluating the report alongside the previously flagged bugs to determine remediation steps. The 30% upgrade rate underscores the challenge of advancing protocol changes when validators must weigh new features against reported stability issues. Further updates are expected as maintainers review the GitHub report and coordinate any necessary patches or guidance for operators managing v3.2.0 migrations.