David Schwartz, chief architect of the XRP Ledger and CTO Emeritus at Ripple, openly acknowledged his limited influence on the XRP token’s price after community members confronted him over its prolonged decline.
Schwartz responds to criticism
Facing comments from XRP holders on X, Schwartz discussed allegations that he bears responsibility for the token’s negative price performance. Responding directly to users, he clarified his role by stating that his influence on the market is minimal but not completely absent.
Can I honestly say that I have nothing to do with the price of XRP? I guess probably not nothing. But very little.
XRP has lost approximately 50% of its value over the past year according to CoinMarketCap, with several short rallies failing to reverse the overall downward trend. Stellar (XLM), a cryptocurrency platform with a similar cross-border payments focus, reflected a comparable price movement during the same timeframe.
| Token | One-year change | Key focus |
|---|---|---|
| XRP | -50% | Payments, remittances |
| Stellar (XLM) | Similar decline | Payments, cross-border |
Mini dictionary: XRP Ledger — A decentralized public blockchain supporting the XRP cryptocurrency and developed by Ripple’s engineering team to facilitate fast and low-cost international money transfers.
Limits on engagement and blocking policy
Schwartz addressed another recurring issue: persistent replies from users who bring XRP price concerns into unrelated social media discussions. He noted an uptick in X replies that insert accusations or praise regarding XRP under posts unrelated to cryptocurrency, describing this as disruptive.
Stalking me around X to find places where I’m talking on other people’s threads to say ‘scammer’ or even ‘XRP is great!’ angers the people I’m replying to, and that I will not tolerate.
He emphasized that he blocks users who disrupt unrelated conversations, regardless of whether their intent is positive or negative. However, he made it clear that critical feedback is welcomed as long as it appears in relevant threads.
Schwartz invited those who have already been blocked to reach out for reinstatement if they agree to avoid this behavior, saying that even those who strongly disagree with him would be considered.
Schwartz’s ongoing connection to Ripple
Schwartz stepped back from day-to-day responsibilities at Ripple, a San Francisco-based payments technology company, in late 2025 after more than a decade. He continues to serve as CTO Emeritus and holds a seat on Ripple’s board of directors.
His statements come as segments of the XRP community express growing frustration about the project’s performance and future outlook. Despite his diminished operational role, Schwartz remains closely associated with Ripple’s strategy and the ongoing trajectory of XRP.
