TLDR
- David Schwartz is stepping down as Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer at the end of 2025 after more than 13 years with the company.
- Schwartz was one of the main architects who helped build the XRP Ledger blockchain.
- He will remain connected to Ripple by joining the company’s board of directors as Chief Technology Officer Emeritus.
- Dennis Jarosch, Ripple’s senior vice president of engineering, will lead the technology team going forward.
- XRP price increased about 1.4% to $2.87 following the announcement, with the token previously reaching an all-time high above $3.50 in July 2025.
David Schwartz is stepping down as Chief Technology Officer of Ripple at the end of 2025. He made the announcement on X on Tuesday after spending more than 13 years at the blockchain company.
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 was one of the main architects behind the XRP Ledger. The blockchain is associated with Ripple and the XRP token.
He joined Ripple in 2011 as a cryptographer. He was promoted to Chief Technology Officer in 2018.
Schwartz said he plans to spend more time with his family. He mentioned looking forward to time with his kids and grandkids.
He also wants to return to hobbies he put aside during his time leading Ripple’s technology efforts. Despite leaving his daily role, Schwartz made it clear he won’t disappear from the XRP community.
Schwartz will take on a new title of Chief Technology Officer Emeritus. This is an honorary position that recognizes his past contributions.
He will also join Ripple’s board of directors. This means he will still have a say in the company’s direction.
Dennis Jarosch will take over leadership of Ripple’s engineering team. Jarosch currently serves as senior vice president of engineering at the company.
Market Response
The XRP price rose about 1.4% following Schwartz’s announcement. The token moved from $2.83 to $2.87 in the hours after the news broke.
XRP reached an all-time high above $3.50 in July 2025. The token currently ranks as the fourth largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization at around $172 billion.
Leadership Reaction
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse praised Schwartz in a post on X. He called Schwartz a “true OG in crypto.”
Garlinghouse said he plans to keep their weekly check-ins on the calendar. He expressed happiness that Schwartz would remain close to the company through the board position.
Schwartz was at Ripple during several key moments for the company. He was there when Ripple launched a stablecoin in late 2024.
He also worked at the company during its legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC case started in December 2020 and ended in March 2025 when the regulator dropped a crucial appeal.
Ripple has grown into a major player in the cryptocurrency industry. The company donated about $70 million to the Fairshake political action committee for the 2024 election and 2026 midterms.
