Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz says he has cut his XRP holdings from about 26 million tokens to roughly 3 million. The XRP Ledger co-creator also holds just 1 Bitcoin (BTC) and 6 Ethereum (ETH), down from about 1,500 BTC and 40,000 ETH.
A viral post on X called Schwartz the founder of Ripple and framed the news as a shock. In fact, he sold gradually over the years, co-created the ledger and still sits on Ripple’s board after stepping back as CTO in 2025.
For XRP holders, the more telling detail is what he kept. Schwartz still owns quite a bit of Ripple stock, a stake in the company rather than the token.
Why Schwartz Sold XRP at Every New High
“It’s not a secret,” Schwartz wrote before listing the figures.
His XRP holdings shrank under a long-standing pact with his wife to sell part of his position at every new all-time high.
In a separate reply, David Schwartz said he has not bought XRP in a long time and has sold nearly all his digital assets.
Even the Ripple stake carries more risk than he wants, according to the ex-CTO. Ripple was valued at about $50 billion during its $750 million share buyback earlier this year.
A Personality Quirk, Not a Vote Against the Token
Several users read the sales as a vote against the token.
Schwartz rejected that reading and called his dislike of risk a personality quirk that goes beyond crypto. Almost every risk he took paid off massively, the Ripple veteran added, yet that caution is why he never became a billionaire. “I’m almost exactly as successful as I was trying to be,” he wrote.
The comments follow his recent message to frustrated holders that Ripple has no secret plan for XRP. The token has fallen sharply over the past six months.
Earlier this year, David Schwartz also said XRP generated more wealth for him than any other crypto asset. Seen that way, his remaining XRP holdings reflect a smaller bet rather than a full exit.
Insider wallets remain one of the most closely watched signals in crypto. However, David Schwartz says his XRP sales reflect a personal rule on risk rather than a negative view of the token.
