Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz has revealed that he lowered his cryptocurrency holdings from roughly 26 million XRP, 1,500 Bitcoin and 40,000 Ethereum to a fraction of these quantities, drawing criticism from XRP holders already pissed off with the token’s falling worth.
Abstract
- Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz says his XRP holdings fell from roughly 26 million to three million.
- Schwartz disclosed promoting 2.5 million XRP in 2025 and paying round $1.7 million in capital positive factors tax.
- His Bitcoin holdings reportedly fell from 1,500 BTC to at least one BTC, whereas Ethereum holdings reached six ETH.
- Schwartz says he arranges XRP gross sales by means of written plans agreed with an lawyer at the very least 30 days beforehand.
- Some XRP traders criticized his gross sales because the cryptocurrency traded close to $1.06 amid continued promoting stress.
In a collection of posts on November 9 and 10, Schwartz defined that his gross sales had been pushed by his discomfort with monetary threat. He disclosed promoting 2.5 million XRP in 2025 and mentioned his remaining cryptocurrency holdings had been significantly smaller than they’d been in earlier years.
In the meantime, XRP traded close to $1.06 at press time, down over 3% over 24 hours, with some neighborhood members questioning why Ripple executives have lowered their publicity whereas traders proceed holding the token.
David Schwartz reveals how a lot XRP, Bitcoin and Ethereum he sold
The dialogue started on November 9 when cryptocurrency tax specialist Clinton Donnelly posted about IRS Letter 6174 notices being despatched to cryptocurrency traders.
David Schwartz joined the dialog, saying he had acquired an identical discover and regarded it a routine reminder about tax compliance. A person subsequently questioned how a lot tax he owed after promoting XRP.
Responding to the query, Schwartz disclosed that he had sold roughly 2.5 million XRP throughout 2025, most of which he acquired in 2020 and 2023.
He mentioned these transactions resulted in roughly $1.7 million in capital positive factors tax.
The dialogue later turned to his remaining cryptocurrency holdings, prompting Schwartz to supply figures displaying how a lot his portfolio had modified.
“It’s not a secret. I believe I’m down from a excessive of round 26 million XRP to round 3 million XRP,” he wrote.
He added that his Bitcoin holdings had fallen from roughly 1,500 BTC to at least one BTC, whereas Ethereum holdings declined from round 40,000 ETH to 6 ETH.
Ripple govt explains why he lowered his cryptocurrency holdings
Schwartz has repeatedly attributed his promoting selections to a private choice for avoiding monetary threat, regardless of acknowledging that some of his earlier gross sales meant lacking substantial positive factors.
“I haven’t purchased XRP in a very long time. I’m very uncomfortable with threat and have sold practically all of the digital property I’ve ever held,” he wrote.
He defined that he nonetheless owns a substantial quantity of Ripple inventory, including that the funding alone represents extra monetary threat than he would like.
His remarks comply with a July discussion about earlier sales, when he acknowledged regretting promoting XRP round $0.10 and Ethereum close to $1.
On the time, Schwartz defined that he had reached an settlement with his spouse to promote cryptocurrency at any time when costs reached new all-time highs.
“Clearly, I want I hadn’t performed these issues,” he mentioned in July, whereas sustaining that his discomfort with threat had influenced the choices.
Extra not too long ago, Schwartz defined that he follows a written buying and selling process at any time when he sells XRP.
In a November 9 response, he mentioned every sale is organized by means of an lawyer at the very least 30 days earlier than execution.
The process, he defined, is meant to forestall accusations that he trades utilizing nonpublic info, together with information of potential XRP Ledger bugs.
Schwartz didn’t point out whether or not Ripple requires different executives to comply with comparable procedures.
XRP neighborhood questions Schwartz’s gross sales as token falls
The disclosures have renewed criticism amongst XRP supporters, notably those that imagine Ripple’s management ought to show confidence within the cryptocurrency by means of private holdings.
An X account named LinkTOAD Basic circulated Schwartz’s feedback whereas describing him as Ripple’s founder and claiming he had sold practically all his XRP.
Nevertheless, Schwartz is a co-architect of the XRP Ledger and a former Ripple CTO, and his disclosed holdings present that he nonetheless owns roughly 3 million XRP.
The account subsequently criticized XRP Ledger adoption, arguing that traders ought to think about whether or not the community’s business exercise helps its valuation.
The response follows criticism Schwartz faced on November 7, when traders questioned his accountability for XRP’s extended worth decline.
Requested whether or not he had any affect over XRP costs, Schwartz acknowledged that his involvement might need some impact however described it as restricted.
In the meantime, XRP has continued fighting promoting stress. The token’s newest decline toward $1.06 coincided with withdrawals from US spot XRP exchange-traded funds.
These funds recorded roughly $10.42 million in web outflows on November 9, with Bitwise accounting for most of the withdrawals.
Notably, Schwartz stepped away from his day-to-day CTO tasks on the finish of 2025 and have become CTO Emeritus, though he stays linked to Ripple and the XRP Ledger neighborhood.
In Could, he described his remaining exposure as concentrated in XRP and Ripple fairness, explaining that the place had not been completely deliberate.
