Ripple’s Schwartz Explains Role and XRP Ledger in Most Unexpected Way

Ripple CTO emeritus David Schwartz delivered a crypto-themed verse in response to an X user who downplayed his role as a “CTO emeritus” on social media.

“I am the very model of a CTO emeritus, creator of a ledger that’s remarkably impervious,” Schwartz responded with a lengthy masterclass on the XRP Ledger wrapped in a poem.

“I’m very well acquainted, too, with payment rails and custody; I understand stablecoins and have mastered their liquidity. About decentralized exchanges I will speak interminably, explaining AMMs to children, friends, and family,” Schwartz continued.

Schwartz expounded on his wealth of blockchain knowledge, being a co-creator of the XRP Ledger, by saying: “I can discuss derivatives and tokenization endlessly, And whether every ‘innovation’ adds any utility. I know precisely why some schemes collapse despite their security, And why a bridge’s security may suffer from impurity. I tell amusing anecdotes at a conference in Singapore, Then answer several questions people have asked me before.”

15-year journey detailed in one poem

“I’ve spent decades explaining crypto’s finer points with vigor,” Schwartz said, alluding to his journey in crypto, which dates back over 15 years.

In 2011, Schwartz, alongside Jed McCaleb and Arthur Britto, set out to develop the XRP Ledger. Fascinated by Bitcoin, they intended to create a better version that improved upon its limitations with the aim of creating a digital asset that was more sustainable and built specifically for payments.

The XRP Ledger first launched in June 2012. Shortly thereafter, the trio of David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb and Arthur Britto was joined by Chris Larsen, and the group started the company ‘NewCoin’ in September 2012. This was shortly renamed OpenCoin and is now Ripple.

Being one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger, David Schwartz remains at the center of XRP’s evolution; he is also a key figure in Ripple, having been in the company since its very start.

Schwartz originally joined Ripple (then known as OpenCoin) as its Chief Cryptographer before becoming its Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in 2018. In late 2025, Schwartz stepped down from the CTO role and transitioned to becoming the CTO emeritus.