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David Schwartz, Ripple’s long-serving Chief Technology Officer, is preparing to step away from his post at the end of 2025, closing out more than a decade at the company he helped shape.
Schwartz reflected on his 40-year career in technology, from early consulting work with the NSA to building the XRP Ledger alongside Ripple’s founders. He described his 13 years at Ripple as “one of the greatest honors and experiences” of his life, second only to his family.
Though leaving day-to-day duties, Schwartz won’t be disappearing from the scene. He will remain involved as “CTO Emeritus” and has accepted a seat on Ripple’s Board of Directors. He also hinted at a return to hands-on development, saying he plans to run his own XRPL node and explore new use cases for the token outside Ripple’s core business.
Market eyes on XRP’s next moves
The announcement comes as XRP trades through a delicate stretch. On September 30, the token closed at $2.84, notching a modest 2% daily gain but still down nearly 4% over the week.
Analysts note that XRP has been holding the $2.80 level as key support. According to market strategist Ali Martinez, if the coin maintains that floor, there are “no major supply walls” preventing a push higher. Technical signals point to a potential breakout toward $3.20, with some traders eyeing $3.80 in the short term.
Meanwhile, on-chain data showed whales accumulating roughly 250 million XRP within a 48-hour window. The bulk purchases have sparked talk of an impending supply squeeze, especially as institutions continue to build positions following Ripple’s EVM sidechain upgrade and rising ETF anticipation.
As Schwartz transitions into a more advisory role, Ripple’s long-term direction will fall increasingly on its next generation of leaders. For XRP, much of its near-term outlook appears tied to whether it can hold its current support levels and capitalize on institutional momentum.
