David Schwartz Leaving CTO Position at Ripple, Continuing in Advisory Role
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Ripple’s chief technology officer, David Schwartz, announced on September 30, that he will step down from his executive role at the end of 2025 after more than ten years with the company.
CTO Cites Family and Personal Hobbies as Reasons Behind Step Back
David Schwartz, one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger, said in a post on X, that he wants to spend more time with his family and revisit personal hobbies he had put on hold during his demanding career.
As happens in one’s life, I’ve been taking stock of my last 40 years. It’s been a wild ride. I’ve gone from consulting for the NSA to watching the early stages of Bitcoin. Then, I met Arthur, Jed, and Chris and worked on coding the XRP Ledger. Now, I’ve spent more than 13 years…
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) September 30, 2025
Schwartz joined Ripple in 2011 as a cryptographer and worked on the code that powers the XRP Ledger.
He became chief technology officer in 2018, taking on product development and helping Ripple face regulatory hurdles.
Lately, he has been running his own XRPL node, sharing data, and trying out new uses for XRP beyond payments. He said he looks forward to spending more time coding and working closely with developers.
Though he is leaving daily management, Schwartz will stay on as CTO Emeritus and as a board member, where he will continue to guide Ripple’s direction.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse praised David Schwartz as a pioneer in cryptocurrency, emphasizing his vision and ability to see opportunities others might miss.
What is Next for Ripple?
Ripple, the company behind the XRP Ledger, is still widening its reach in the crypto space.
XRP, its token, is the fourth largest by market value at around $172 billion and has a strong following often called the “XRP Army.”
Schwartz’s choice to step back closes a key chapter in Ripple’s history. He worked closely with CEO Brad Garlinghouse during Ripple’s lengthy legal battle with U.S. regulators.
In 2020, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple, claiming the company raised $1.3 billion through the sale of XRP as an unregistered security.
The lawsuit not only had a major impact on Ripple but also shaped broader discussions across the digital asset sector about how cryptocurrencies should be regulated.
After years of hearings, appeals, and legal debates, the case concluded in August 2025 with a court-approved settlement, which many industry observers saw as a pivotal moment for the crypto market.
NOW: 🇺🇸 "[Ripple was] the first leading U.S. company to be sued by the SEC," @bgarlinghouse says before the Senate.
"Fortunately, after four years of a hard fought legal battle, we prevailed." pic.twitter.com/xGocFmZWNp
— CoinDesk (@CoinDesk) July 9, 2025
As Schwartz prepares to reduce his daily involvement, Ripple is turning its focus toward the future.
The company is positioning itself for a post-litigation era with clearer regulatory guidance under President Trump’s administration.
This could open the door for broader adoption of XRP. The latest SEC listing rules for ETFs create opportunities for new XRP-based funds to enter the market.
The Hashdex Index ETF has already received approval and expanded its holdings beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum to include XRP and Solana.
With David Schwartz remaining involved as CTO Emeritus and a board member, Ripple maintains access to his expertise while pursuing new growth opportunities.
