David Schwartz disclosed he reduced his XRP from 26M to 3M, BTC from 1,500 to 1, and ETH from 40,000 to 6, citing a risk management rule.
David Schwartz, the former CTO of Ripple and one of the creators of the XRP Ledger, currently holds roughly 3 million XRP, 1 BTC and 6 ETH. This is a significant drop from his previous stash of about 26 million XRP, 1,500 Bitcoin and 40,000 Ether.
A viral post on X referred to Schwartz as Ripple's founder and portrayed the disclosure as surprising. In truth, he disposed of the tokens gradually, helped build the XRP Ledger, and remains on Ripple's board since stepping down as CTO in 2025.
For those following XRP, the more significant point is what Schwartz preserved. He still owns a considerable amount of Ripple equity, a company stake rather than the cryptocurrency.
Schwartz wrote that it was no secret, before providing the exact numbers.
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.https://t.co/EnFjk9aXu1
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) November 10, 2026
The decline in his XRP holdings came from a long-standing pact with his wife to sell a portion of his tokens each time the price reached a new record high.
In another reply, Schwartz mentioned that he has not purchased XRP for a long period and has sold off nearly all his digital currencies.
The ex-CTO even said his Ripple equity carries more risk than he desires. Ripple was estimated at about $50 billion during its $750 million share buyback earlier this year.
Several X users saw the selling as a vote against the token.
Schwartz disputed that view, describing his dislike of risk as a personal trait that is not limited to crypto. He said almost every risk he took paid off handsomely, but his caution is why he never became a billionaire. “I’m almost exactly as successful as I was trying to be,” he wrote.
It's the reason I'm not a billionaire. But I was never really trying to be. I'm almost exactly as successful as I was trying to be. There's probably a lesson in there somewhere.
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) November 10, 2026
These statements follow his earlier message to disappointed holders that Ripple has no secret plan for XRP. The cryptocurrency has dropped sharply in the past six months.
Earlier in the year, Schwartz said XRP generated more wealth for him than any other crypto asset. Seen through that lens, his remaining XRP stack shows a reduced commitment rather than a complete abandonment.
Insider wallets remain a key focus for crypto investors. Still, Schwartz insists his XRP sales reflect a personal risk rule, not a negative outlook on the token.
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Disclaimer: this article comes from third-party media and is provided for reference only. It does not constitute investment advice. Crypto and other financial products carry significant price volatility risk, so please make your own decisions carefully.
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