Ripple is entering a new chapter as its longtime Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, prepares to step down. Schwartz will retire from his executive role at the end of this year, marking the close of a 13-year tenure with the company.
However, he will not be quitting Ripple completely. Instead, he will assume the advisory position of CTO Emeritus and become a member of the Board of Directors at Ripple.
David Schwartz to Remain Involved Through Board and Advisory Roles
David Schwartz wrote a post on X, saying, “I want to spend more time with the family and pick up again on hobbies I had long set aside. However, beware, I am not abandoning the XRP community. You have not seen the last of me (this time, or any other).”
He also stressed that he is not leaving the technology and the community. In the announcement, Schwartz said he accepted an offer from Ripple Chairman Chris Larsen to become a member of the company’s board of directors.
In recent months, Schwartz revealed that he has been running his own XRPL node and exploring alternative use cases for XRP beyond Ripple’s core focus. He expressed excitement about dedicating more time to development and engaging directly with the developer community.
Ripple Leadership Reacts and Prepares for Transition
Ripple executives were pleased to see Schwartz remain involved as they reflected on his legacy. CEO Brad Garlinghouse termed him a “true OG in crypto,” and complimented his belief and vision. Garlinghouse confirmed that they would continue with their weekly check-ins and thanked Schwartz that he is keeping Ripple close by joining its board.
President Monica Long pointed out his innovations, such as smart escrow, the XRPL DEX, and Proof of Association. She attributed his support and leadership to the reasons behind the success of the XRP community.
Schwartz has worked in various technical and management roles at Ripple, first as chief cryptographer and then CTO. He played the central role in the key milestones, including the release of Ripple’s stablecoin in 2024 and the expansion of the XRP Ledger.
He also praised Brad Garlinghouse, Monica Long, Chris Larsen, and Arthur Britto for their leadership and partnership, while extending his gratitude to the RippleX team and XRPL contributors for their creativity and dedication.
Evans Kelvin
