TLDR
- David Schwartz said his crypto exposure is now mostly limited to XRP and Ripple.
- Schwartz said NDAs do not require him to lie or mislead XRP holders.
- He said Ripple stock gives him exposure while reducing direct crypto risk.
- Schwartz said stablecoins only threaten XRP if one stablecoin dominates globally.
- He rejected $10,000 XRP claims, saying markets would already price stronger odds.
Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz said he has “virtually no crypto exposure left except XRP and Ripple,” adding that the position was not necessarily planned that way.
The comment came during a wider discussion on X about XRP, Ripple, non-disclosure agreements, investment risk, stablecoins, and crypto price predictions. Schwartz said he remains exposed mainly through XRP and Ripple equity, while reducing exposure to other digital assets.
He also said he is not highly confident in every decision he makes and tends to remain skeptical of his own views. Schwartz framed that approach as part of how he evaluates risk, including in crypto markets.
Schwartz Addresses XRP and Personal Exposure
Schwartz said his current crypto exposure is largely limited to XRP and Ripple. He previously stated that he does not hold as much XRP as some community members assume.
He has also said he prefers reducing personal risk, even though many risks he took in the past worked out well. In earlier remarks, he said he had sold Ethereum at $1.05 and sold part of his XRP at prices that later appeared low.
Schwartz said he understands crypto may represent a rare wealth-building opportunity, but he is comfortable missing part of that upside if it helps him manage risk. He said Ripple stock gives him enough exposure while allowing him to sleep better at night.
NDA Questions and Ripple Transparency
Schwartz also responded to claims that NDAs may prevent him from being fully transparent with XRP holders. He said he is under many non-disclosure agreements, but none require him to lie.
He said that when a question cannot be answered because of an NDA, he would either say so or avoid answering directly. He added that the information he cannot share is mostly routine and not “earth shattering.”
Unfortunately, all of the information I have on Ripple shares trading in the secondary market is protected by non-disclosure agreements. But you can find some data from sites like https://t.co/50mOGK04vW or https://t.co/NzYQ1smOos and similar sites.
I'm personally not a fan of…
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) May 4, 2026
In a separate comment, Schwartz said information he has about Ripple shares trading in secondary markets is protected by NDAs. He pointed users toward secondary market data platforms, while saying Ripple going public remains speculative.
Schwartz also said he is not a fan of making XRP more tied to Ripple’s gains and losses than necessary. He said investors seeking exposure to Ripple should buy Ripple stock in secondary markets, where available.
Stablecoins, XRP Maximalism and Price Claims
The discussion also covered whether stablecoins could reduce XRP’s role as a bridge asset. One user argued that on-chain national stablecoins from large companies and governments could weaken demand for volatile bridge tokens.
Schwartz replied that this would only be true if one stablecoin became so dominant that other stablecoins, including those for other currencies, stopped mattering.
He also commented on diversification and maximalism. Schwartz said it can be rational to spread investments across a sector when an investor believes the sector may succeed but cannot yet identify clear winners and losers.
The comments followed renewed debate around XRP price forecasts. Schwartz has pushed back against extreme targets such as $10,000 per XRP, arguing that if wealthy investors believed even a small probability of such prices, market behavior would already show stronger accumulation.
He also noted that if investors expected XRP to reach much higher levels in the near term, current prices would likely reflect that expectation more clearly.
