Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz disclosed that he has reduced his XRP holdings from a peak of approximately 26 million tokens to roughly 3 million, according to BeInCrypto. The XRP Ledger co-creator also reported holding just 1 Bitcoin (BTC) and 6 Ethereum (ETH), down from previous peaks of about 1,500 BTC and 40,000 ETH.
Personal Risk Rules
Schwartz explained that his sales were driven by a long-standing pact with his wife to sell part of his position at every new all-time high. He described his dislike of risk as a personality quirk that extends beyond cryptocurrency. In a post on X on November 10, 2026, Schwartz stated, “It’s not a secret. I think I’m down from a high of around 26 million XRP to around 3 million XRP. Down from around 1,500 BTC to 1 BTC. Down from around 40,000 ETH to 6 ETH.”
He added that this caution is the reason he is not a billionaire, though he noted he was never actively trying to become one. “I’m almost exactly as successful as I was trying to be,” Schwartz wrote. He clarified that he has not bought XRP in a long time and has sold nearly all of his digital assets.
Stake in Ripple Stock
Despite the reduction in token holdings, Schwartz still owns Ripple stock, which he described as a stake in the company rather than the token. He noted that even this equity position carries more risk than he prefers. Ripple was valued at approximately $50 billion during its $750 million share buyback earlier this year.
Schwartz stepped back as CTO in 2025 but remains on Ripple’s board. A viral post on X incorrectly identified him as the founder of Ripple, framing the news as a shock. In reality, Schwartz co-created the ledger and has sold his assets gradually over the years rather than in a single event.
Response to Market Sentiment
Several users interpreted Schwartz’s sales as a vote against the token. He rejected that interpretation, emphasizing that his actions reflect a personal rule on risk rather than a negative view of XRP. Schwartz recently told frustrated holders that Ripple has no secret plan for XRP. The token has fallen sharply over the past six months.
Earlier this year, Schwartz stated that XRP generated more wealth for him than any other crypto asset. His remaining holdings of 3 million XRP reflect a smaller bet rather than a full exit from the asset.
