Validators are network participants that propose and attest to updates. On XRPL, validators run rippled servers and publish signed validations; wallets choose a trusted validator list influencing which fork they follow.
Trust and decentralization
Decentralization is not only node count—it includes operator diversity, geographic distribution, and transparency of validator policies. Review public validator registries and UNL (Unique Node List) practices described in XRPL documentation.
Comparison with mining
Unlike proof-of-work miners competing on hash power, XRPL validators coordinate via consensus rounds. Misbehavior or prolonged outages can reduce a validator's usefulness to the network.
Summary
Validators secure history. Users should understand who they trust indirectly through wallet default settings.