A resurfaced court document from 2017 has reignited one of the crypto community’s most intriguing conspiracy theories—did Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, hold large amounts of XRP? The source of this theory is none other than Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, who reportedly stated during a legal exchange that Satoshi “probably held enormous amounts of XRP.”

This quote has been widely recirculated on social media platforms, catching the attention of both long-time XRP supporters and Bitcoin maximalists. According to the document, Schwartz’s comment was a response to a comparison between Bitcoin’s and XRP’s distribution models. At the time, he noted that it was difficult to determine Bitcoin’s exact distribution, but speculated that if Satoshi had been active in the early XRP days, he likely accumulated a large stash.

Although Schwartz’s remark appeared to be more speculative than factual, it was enough to rekindle a firestorm of theories about Satoshi’s role in XRP’s origin and early adoption. XRP community member Tiffany Hayden even jokingly asked, “Did you really say this and nobody noticed?”—a sentiment echoed by others on X (formerly Twitter).

Adding to the mystery is the timing of Satoshi Nakamoto’s disappearance. After stepping away from Bitcoin development in 2010 and making his last known public comment in April 2011, Nakamoto vanished without any confirmed involvement in other crypto projects. However, XRP was introduced just a year later, in 2012, by Ripple Labs, and some crypto sleuths argue this timeline raises questions.

Satoshi’s Final Message Fuels Speculation

In fact, Satoshi’s final public message—“I’ve moved on to other things”—has become a foundation for those who believe he may have played a behind-the-scenes role in XRP’s creation. Popular XRP commentator Alex Cobb recently cited this line, suggesting that XRP may have been one of those “other things.”

Fueling this speculation further is the presence of Bitcoin veterans like David Schwartz, Arthur Britto, and Jed McCaleb among XRP’s early architects. These individuals were either active in the Bitcoin space or worked on similar technologies at the time. Given the overlap in ideology and the technological innovations brought by XRP—like faster settlements and lower fees—some claim XRP could be a refined vision of what Bitcoin set out to be.

Did Satoshi Really Endorse Ripple?

Some of the hype also draws from a 2009 email in which Satoshi praised RipplePay—the predecessor to XRP—for offering a novel method of distributed trust. However, it’s important to clarify that Satoshi’s comment referred to the original RipplePay project, developed in 2004 by Ryan Fugger, and not the XRP Ledger, which was created years later. Still, this historical connection is often misinterpreted and used to link Satoshi to XRP.

Interestingly, the theory gained new fuel as Satoshi-era Bitcoin wallets recently moved funds after being dormant for over 14 years. Combined with Arthur Britto’s sudden online activity, some community members are wondering whether the creators of Bitcoin might be subtly signaling something.

Schwartz Denies Being Satoshi But Curiosity Grows

Over the years, David Schwartz himself has been a subject of speculation as a potential identity behind Satoshi Nakamoto. Despite this, Schwartz has repeatedly denied being Satoshi, stating he only became involved in Bitcoin around 2011—after the Bitcoin network had already introduced in 2009. Still, his deep technical knowledge and involvement in both projects have kept the rumors alive.

Conclusion: Facts or Fascination?

Despite the revived excitement, there is no concrete evidence linking Satoshi Nakamoto directly to XRP. Schwartz’s remark appears to be speculative, and while intriguing, should not be treated as fact. Nonetheless, the mystery continues to fascinate the crypto world, especially during times of whale movement and unusual on-chain activity.

In the end, whether or not Satoshi held XRP may never be known. But in a space filled with anonymity, code, and cryptography, the legend lives on—and with it, the theories.