David Schwartz Steps Down as Ripple CTO Mission Accomplished

In one of the most shocking shake-ups the crypto world has seen this year, David Schwartz — the man often called the architect of Ripple — has announced he’s stepping down as Chief Technology Officer after more than 13 years at the helm.

The legendary coder who helped build the XRP Ledger from scratch is walking away from daily operations, leaving many to ask: is Ripple finally ready to fly without him? Or is this just the beginning of a much bigger chapter for XRP?

Schwartz’s exit comes with a symbolic punch. Much like how Bitcoin’s mysterious creator Satoshi Nakamoto vanished once the network could run on its own, Ripple’s CTO now bows out, declaring his “mission accomplished.” The move immediately set crypto Twitter ablaze, with some speculating that XRP is now entering its long-awaited “endgame.”

Schwartz has been an instrumental force at Ripple since its earliest days. From coding the XRP Ledger alongside pioneers like Jed McCaleb and Arthur Britto, to steering Ripple’s technical growth through years of regulatory battles, he helped transform the company into one of the most recognized players in global finance.

Now, he says he’s ready to devote more time to family and personal passions, calling his journey at Ripple “some of the most enriching experiences” of his life.

Even as he steps away from the technical helm, Schwartz isn’t cutting ties completely. Instead, he’s taking a seat on Ripple’s board of directors as Emeritus CTO, ensuring his voice will continue to shape strategy and keep him connected with the XRP community. It’s a role that allows Ripple to preserve his insight while making way for new technical leadership.

The announcement quickly drew reactions from across the industry. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse honored him with humor, tweeting

“Wait… does this mean you’re my boss now!?!”

Meanwhile, Ripple Chairwoman Monica Long praised his vision, ingenuity, and humility, crediting Schwartz as one of the foundational builders of both Ripple and the broader crypto movement.

What’s Next for Ripple?

With Schwartz stepping back, Ripple now faces the critical challenge of appointing its next CTO. This isn’t just about replacing a technical lead — it’s about finding someone capable of carrying forward Schwartz’s legacy while also navigating the company through uncharted waters.

The next CTO will be expected to scale Ripple’s technology to meet rising global demand, accelerate integration with traditional financial systems, and expand Ripple’s footprint in tokenization, CBDCs, and cross-border settlements.

For a company at the heart of both innovation and controversy in crypto, the appointment will signal how Ripple plans to evolve in the post-Schwartz era. Will Ripple double down on XRP’s role as a bridge currency, or push deeper into enterprise blockchain adoption? Whoever steps into Schwartz’s shoes will have enormous influence not just over Ripple’s future, but over the trajectory of the XRP ecosystem itself.

One thing is clear: while David Schwartz may be stepping aside, Ripple’s story — and XRP’s fight for relevance in the next wave of crypto adoption — is far from over.