Key Takeaways
Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer Emeritus, David Schwartz, disclosed on May 5 that he holds over 1 million XRP, making it his primary cryptocurrency investment after significantly reducing his once-larger position.
“My idea of not a lot is still more than a million,” Schwartz said in a post on X. “I once had 26 million XRP.”
The disclosure arrived as XRP traded near $1.4000, up approximately 0.4 percent over the prior 24 hours. The token is consolidating with support near $1.38 and resistance clustered at $1.45. Schwartz’s admission comes from a broader discussion about his risk-averse investment strategy, where he noted he had sold ETH at $1.05, long before its multi-thousand-dollar valuation.
The revelation provides a complex signal for investors, balancing the long-term conviction of a key Ripple figure against his stated preference to de-risk. For active traders, the operative question is whether this insider confidence can help XRP break its current range and re-test the $1.50 resistance level.
Despite calling crypto a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to build wealth, Schwartz has been open about his conservative approach. He has shifted most of his personal assets outside of digital tokens, with the exception of his Ripple equity and his remaining XRP. “I don’t have that much left anymore,” he stated, adding, “I really don’t like risk even though pretty much every risk I’ve taken has worked out amazingly well for me.”
He contrasted his own strategy with that of Ripple co-founder Arthur Britto, who Schwartz recalled had been selling Bitcoin to cover expenses while retaining his XRP holdings. The comments highlight the different paths taken by the project's founding-era figures.
XRP’s price action reflects a broader market pause, even as Bitcoin pushed above $81,000. Daily trading volume for XRP was up 23 percent, suggesting seller activity is present at the $1.40 resistance.
While the conviction of a key insider is a strong narrative, the market structure has changed since XRP’s early days. The asymmetric returns captured by early holders are different from what new entrants face. This has pushed some investors toward early-stage infrastructure projects like LiquidChain, a Layer 3 protocol in its presale phase, which seeks to unify liquidity across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.
For XRP, technical signals remain mixed. The Fear & Greed Index has moved to a neutral 50/100 reading. A bullish break above $1.45 could open a path to $1.55, while a failure to hold the $1.38 support may trigger a retest of lower levels near $1.30, according to market data.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
