Ex-Ripple CTO: Crypto ‘once-in-a-generation’; sold most

David Schwartz, former chief technology officer of Ripple, wrote on X on May 4, 2026, that he still sees crypto as a ‘once-in-a-generation’ chance but has sold most of his personal holdings.

He wrote that he sold Ethereum at $1.05 long before it later traded near $2,368 and that he did not see a clear path for such gains. ‘If I had thought there was a 1% chance of it hitting $2,368, I would not have sold it for $1.05,’ he wrote.

Schwartz described his investment approach as favoring steady, predictable outcomes over speculative upside. He has cut holdings in XRP and other digital assets while keeping exposure through his Ripple equity. His XRP balance is now just over one million tokens, down from a prior peak of about 26 million.

He acknowledged the personal cost of that caution, writing that he could ‘easily’ have become a billionaire if he had held larger crypto positions longer but accepted the tradeoff. ‘I’m not the diamond hands guy,’ he added, calling himself ‘a smart, sensible investment guy’ who ‘sleeps better at night’ holding Ripple stock.

Schwartz remains a prominent voice in the XRP community. He noted his reduced holdings still represent several million dollars depending on market conditions. His remarks arrived as investors watch statements from Ripple leadership for signals on token risk and company strategy.