Schwartz Reveals Over 1M XRP Holdings, Says Ripple and XRP Remain Only Crypto Exposure

David Schwartz, CTO Emeritus at Ripple, has provided a rare, direct look into his crypto portfolio, specifically his XRP holdings. 

Key Points

• Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz revealed he once held 26 million XRP.
• Although he described his current holdings as “not a lot,” he clarified they still exceed one million XRP.
• He also disclosed major reductions in other assets, cutting his Bitcoin holdings from over 1,000 BTC to less than 1, and his Ethereum holdings from about 40,000 ETH to under 2.
• Schwartz emphasized that his remaining crypto exposure is now almost entirely concentrated in XRP and Ripple. 

Ex-Ripple CTO Says He Owns Over 1M XRP 

David Schwartz has once again captured the attention of the crypto community, this time with a personal disclosure about his digital asset holdings. During a recent exchange on X, he confirmed that he currently holds more than one million XRP, even though he still considers that amount “not a lot.” However, he also clarified that his holdings were once far larger, totaling 26 million XRP.

This disclosure follows growing curiosity among XRP community members trying to estimate his actual holdings. While some speculated figures as low as 10,000 XRP, others pointed to activity from one of his public wallets, previously used to add liquidity to the XRP/FUZZY AMM pool, as evidence of a smaller balance. 

At press time, that specific wallet holds roughly 4,800 XRP. However, this relatively small balance does not reflect his total exposure. Instead, it suggests that Schwartz distribute his XRP across multiple wallets rather than keeping it in a single address.

Schwartz Reduces Bitcoin and Ethereum Exposure

In a follow-up commentary, Schwartz outlined a dramatic reduction in his holdings of Bitcoin and Ethereum. He revealed that he once held more than 1,000 BTC and around 40,000 ETH. Today, however, he holds less than 1 Bitcoin and less than 2 Ethereum.

He attributed these decisions partly to his earlier skepticism about their long-term price potential. For instance, he admitted that he did not expect Bitcoin to surpass $100 or Ethereum to reach $2,000. Consequently, he sold most of his ETH at approximately $1.05 per token, well before its major price surge. 

Only XRP and Ripple Exposure Remains

Meanwhile, Schwartz emphasized that his current crypto exposure now centers almost entirely on XRP and Ripple. Notably, he suggested that this positioning did not result from a carefully planned strategy. Instead, it reflects a series of decisions shaped by experience, uncertainty, and evolving market perspectives. 

Explaining further, Schwartz highlighted the mindset behind his choices. He described himself as consistently skeptical of his own judgment. As a result, he continuously reassesses and refines his decisions. 

Community Reactions and Comparisons

Following the disclosure, reactions quickly spread across the XRP community. Some users questioned why Schwartz received a comparatively smaller allocation than other creators of the token, despite being one of XRP’s original creators. 

For example, one of XRPL’s creators, Arthur Britto, is widely reported to have received around 2% of XRP’s total supply, with estimates ranging from 1.3 billion to 2 billion tokens. This disparity has fueled speculation within the community, with some suggesting that Schwartz may never fully disclose the extent of his XRP holdings.