Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz has dismissed claims that his public statements are constrained by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) he signed with Ripple.
His response comes amid fresh speculation within the $XRP community about how much insiders like Schwartz can truly disclose after stepping away from official roles.
Key Points
- A community member speculated that David Schwartz may be constrained by NDAs limiting full transparency around Ripple and $XRP.
- Schwartz says he never signed any agreement that would require him to mislead $XRP holders.
- His response followed criticism of a widely circulated $10,000 $XRP price prediction, which he argues lacks backing from wealthy investors.
- He emphasized that if markets genuinely expected $XRP to reach even $100 in the near term, substantial institutional accumulation would already be evident.
Schwartz Rejects Claims of NDA-Driven Misinformation
During a recent exchange, a user argued that Schwartz, having left his position as Ripple’s CTO, might still be bound by NDAs that limit what he can say about the company or its product. The user further implied that such agreements could force him to present information that does not fully reflect reality.
However, Schwartz rejected this claim. He stated that he has never signed, and would never sign, any agreement that requires him to lie, including to $XRP holders. Instead, he explained that when he cannot speak freely, he chooses to remain silent or avoid the question altogether rather than provide information he believes is inaccurate.
I would never, and have never, signed any agreement that required me to lie. I would always choose to say nothing or avoid a question than give an answer that I did not believe to be truthful and accurate.
— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) May 3, 2026
Debunking Extreme $XRP Price Predictions
Notably, this discussion followed Schwartz’s attempt to challenge the $10,000 price prediction for $XRP. He argued that if rational, wealthy investors believed there was even a 1% chance $XRP could reach $10,000 within the next decade, the asset would already be trading closer to $20.
In other words, such investors would begin accumulating $XRP in advance, driving the price higher in anticipation of that potential outcome. Since this behavior has not materialized, Schwartz concluded that the $10,000 projection is unrealistic.
Moreover, Schwartz dismissed claims that Ripple has a hidden strategy to artificially boost $XRP’s value. He reasoned that if such a mechanism existed, the company would have already used it rather than withholding it for years.
Continued Influence After Exit as Ripple CTO
Although Schwartz stepped down as CTO in December 2025, he transitioned into the role of CTO Emeritus and remains on Ripple’s board. Consequently, he continues to weigh in on $XRP-related discussions and market narratives.
Earlier this year, for instance, he reiterated that if the market genuinely believed $XRP could reach $100 in the near term, large-scale accumulation would already be occurring behind the scenes.
In addition, Schwartz has actively challenged misconceptions surrounding Ripple’s escrow holdings. While some community members advocate burning escrowed $XRP to prevent monthly unlocks, he maintains that this action would not materially impact price.
Supporting this view, he often compares $XRP’s performance with Bitcoin’s over similar periods. According to Schwartz, if Ripple’s token unlocks were significantly affecting $XRP’s price, the asset would not consistently move in tandem with Bitcoin.
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