David Schwartz Reveals Selling 23 Million XRP and Most BTC

A Major Reduction in Crypto Holdings

Former RippleXRP-2.57% Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz has shared details about a massive reduction in his cryptocurrency holdings over the years. On the social media platform X, Schwartz confirmed that he has sold off the vast majority of his digital assets.

His personal XRP balance dropped from a peak high of around 26 million XRP down to approximately 3 million XRP. This change represents a decrease of more than 88% from his highest holding level.

It's not a secret. I think I'm down from a high of around 26 million XRP to around 3 million XRP,

Cutting Down Bitcoin and EthereumETH-1.62% Exposure

The portfolio changes were not limited to XRP. Schwartz also disclosed that he sold almost all of his Bitcoin (BTCBTC-0.29%) and Ethereum (ETH) holdings over time.

• Bitcoin (BTC): Reduced from roughly 1,500 BTC down to just 1 BTC.
• Ethereum (ETH): Reduced from about 40,000 ETH down to only 6 ETH.

These significant sales mean Schwartz has exited almost all of his previous major positions in liquid cryptocurrency assets.

Why Did David Schwartz Dump So Much Crypto?

Community members often ask why an executive deep inside the industry would trim such large positions. Schwartz has consistently pointed to his extremely low personal risk tolerance as the primary reason.

In disclosures made in July, Schwartz explained that he and his wife established a strategic plan to sell portions of their crypto holdings whenever prices reached new all-time highs. Past performance of digital assets is not an indicator of future results. You can view current market metrics at Bitkub XRP Market.

To execute these transactions responsibly, Schwartz works with a lawyer to establish a formal written sales plan at least 30 days before selling any XRP. He also noted that he has not been actively buying XRP for a long time.

Tax Obligations and Stock Risk

While exact total profits across all historical sales remain unconfirmed, recent numbers show significant activity. In 2025 alone, Schwartz sold about 2.5 million XRP, consisting mostly of tokens he received as compensation in 2020 and 2023.

Those 2025 sales resulted in a capital gains tax bill of roughly $1.7 million.

Despite reducing his token holdings, Schwartz still retains substantial equity stock in Ripple. However, he admitted that holding concentrated private equity stock still leaves him exposed to more financial risk than he would ideally prefer.

Community Reactions and Broader Market Context

The news comes during a period of community discussion regarding XRP's price movements. In early November 2026, an XRP holder publicly questioned whether Schwartz's sales contributed to price downturns. Schwartz clarified that his individual sales likely had very little overall impact on market movements.

This reveal sits alongside broader industry news in November 2026, including critical fear sentiment across general markets affecting coins like Chainlink (LINK), CardanoADA-1.03%, Dogecoin (DOGEDOGE-1.75%), and Ethereum (ETH). At the same time, institutional interest remains visible, such as Rothschild Investment revealing a stake in an XRP ETF, while Schwartz continues setting clear boundaries with online spammers.