XRP Enters New Era as David Schwartz Transitions to Advisory Role

Ripple's technological landscape is undergoing a significant transformation as David Schwartz, the visionary Chief Technology Officer who has been instrumental in shaping the XRP Ledger for over a decade, announces his transition to CTO Emeritus effective end of 2025. This strategic move marks a pivotal moment in XRP's evolution, signaling both continuity and change in leadership dynamics. Schwartz's 13-year tenure has been foundational to Ripple's technological architecture and the broader XRP ecosystem development. His deep involvement in creating and nurturing the XRP Ledger positions him uniquely to provide ongoing strategic guidance from his new advisory role and board position. The timing of this transition, coming at a period of accelerated cryptocurrency adoption and regulatory clarity, suggests Ripple is positioning XRP for its next growth phase. Schwartz's continued involvement ensures institutional knowledge retention while allowing fresh leadership perspectives to drive innovation. This carefully managed succession plan demonstrates Ripple's maturity as an organization and its commitment to long-term stability. The crypto community views this transition as a natural evolution rather than a disruptive change, given Schwartz's maintained involvement in strategic decisions. His ongoing presence on the board provides reassurance about technical direction consistency while potentially opening doors to new technological advancements under incoming leadership. This leadership reshuffle occurs as XRP continues to demonstrate resilience in market fluctuations and shows promising adoption metrics across financial institutions. Schwartz's legacy includes not just the technical foundation of XRP but also its positioning within the broader digital asset ecosystem. As he moves to his emeritus role, the focus shifts to how his technological vision will be carried forward while adapting to emerging market demands and opportunities in the rapidly evolving blockchain space.

David Schwartz Steps Down as Ripple CTO Marking a New XRP Era

Ripple is entering a pivotal transition as David Schwartz, its long-serving Chief Technology Officer, prepares to step down at the end of 2025. After 13 years shaping the company's vision and laying the groundwork for the XRP Ledger, Schwartz will transition to an advisory role as CTO Emeritus. His departure signals a leadership shift but not an exit—he’ll remain on Ripple’s board to guide long-term strategy.

Schwartz’s tenure transformed Ripple from a crypto niche player into a global fintech force. His technical leadership cemented the XRP Ledger’s role in cross-border payments. The search for a successor now looms large—the next CTO must balance innovation with community trust, a legacy Schwartz leaves intact.

Ripple CTO David Schwartz to Step Down After 13 Years, Joins Board

David Schwartz, Ripple's Chief Technology Officer and a foundational figure in the development of the XRP Ledger, will transition from day-to-day operations by year-end. His departure marks the end of a 13-year tenure that shaped Core blockchain infrastructure and positioned XRP as a key player in cross-border payments.

Schwartz's career arc—from NSA consultant to Bitcoin observer to XRP Ledger co-creator—reflects crypto's evolution from niche experiment to institutional asset class. "It's been a wild ride," he noted, emphasizing pride in Ripple's growth while reaffirming commitment to the XRP community through ongoing technical contributions.

The MOVE signals strategic succession planning at Ripple as regulatory clarity emerges. Schwartz retains influence as CTO Emeritus, focusing on novel XRPL use cases beyond Ripple's commercial applications—a nod to decentralization purists within the XRP ecosystem.

XRP Recovery Builds Momentum as Price Targets $2.95 Level

XRP is staging a recovery, finding solid support near the $2.72–$2.77 range before pushing above $2.80 and $2.85. The token mirrors broader market trends, with Bitcoin and ethereum also retracing higher. Kraken data shows XRP/USD holding above the 100-hourly simple moving average, while a bullish trend line near $2.8320 offers additional support.

Resistance at $2.92—aligned with the 76.4% Fibonacci retracement level—poses a critical test. A breakout above $2.95 could propel XRP toward $3.00, with further hurdles at $3.05 and $3.12. Failure to breach resistance may trigger renewed selling pressure, testing lower supports at $2.85.

Ripple CTO David Schwartz Transitions to Emeritus Role, Remains Committed to XRP Ecosystem

David Schwartz, Ripple's Chief Technology Officer, will step down from daily operations at year-end after 13 years leading the company's technical strategy. The blockchain pioneer will transition to a board role as CTO Emeritus, maintaining influence over Ripple's long-term vision while dedicating more time to hands-on XRP Ledger development.

Schwartz's legacy includes co-creating the XRP Ledger in 2011 alongside Arthur Britto, Jed McCaleb, and Chris Larsen. His forthcoming technical explorations include operating an XRPL node and investigating novel use cases for XRP. Stablecoins, tokenization, and decentralized finance remain central to his roadmap for the protocol's evolution.

The executive framed the transition as a natural progression after four decades in technology, including prior work with the NSA. While reducing corporate responsibilities, Schwartz emphatically stated: "You haven't seen the last of me—now or ever" regarding his ongoing commitment to the XRP community.

SEC No-Action Letter Paves Way for Expanded Crypto Custodial Services

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has signaled a regulatory shift by issuing a no-action letter allowing registered investment advisors and crypto funds to utilize state-chartered trusts as custodians for digital assets. This decision effectively lowers barriers for firms like Coinbase and Ripple affiliates to expand their custodial services.

The move aligns with Chair Paul Adkins' Project Crypto initiative announced in July, which aims to reduce regulatory burdens in the digital asset space. Financial institutions can now leverage state-chartered trust companies as qualified custodians provided they meet specific SEC criteria, marking a significant step toward mainstream institutional adoption of cryptocurrency.

SEC Greenlights Ripple and Coinbase as Qualified Crypto Custodians

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a no-action letter clarifying that state-chartered trust companies can serve as qualified custodians for digital assets. The move effectively opens the door for firms like Ripple and Coinbase to custody crypto for registered investment funds.

The guidance, released September 30, resolves longstanding uncertainty about whether such companies meet the definition of "bank" under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. SEC Division of Investment Management director Brian Daly noted the clarification was necessary as state trust companies weren't universally recognized as eligible crypto custodians.

Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart praised the development as "a textbook example of more clarity for the digital asset space"—precisely what industry participants had been requesting. The decision marks a significant step toward institutional adoption, providing a clearer regulatory framework for crypto custody solutions.