Ripple CTO Claims Bitcoin Founder Stockpiled XRP—What the SEC Transcript Shows

Schwartz casually mentions that Satoshi may have held XRP, igniting debates years after the original statement.
Court transcript revives theory linking Ripple’s Schwartz to Nakamoto, stirring speculation with no proof.

Screenshots from a 2023 SEC-Ripple court session have stirred new speculation about the true identity of Bitcoin’s creator. Ripple CTO David Schwartz, who some have long speculated to be behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, made a comment during that session that now draws renewed attention.

The transcript, posted by X user @XrpHodL_, includes a surprising remark from Schwartz: “Toshi, the original creator, probably held an enormous amount of XRP at that time.” This referred to the year 2017. Though unrelated to the question he was asked, the statement has caught the eye of many cryptocurrency observers.

Schwartz’s remark came in response to a court inquiry on whether Bitcoin offered anything similar to Ripple’s system. While his answer didn’t directly address the question, it introduced a narrative suggesting Satoshi Nakamoto may have held XRP—Ripple’s native token.

Ripple CTO Claims Bitcoin Founder Stockpiled XRP—What the SEC Transcript Shows — Source: X

Schwartz’s Old Quote Resurfaces — Hayden Says “You’re Satoshi”

Shortly after the transcript resurfaced, Tiffany Hayden commented in a separate X thread. “I just wanted everyone to know that you’re definitely Satoshi,” she wrote. The thread came to an end without receiving a reply from Schwartz.

Although many have pointed to Schwartz as a possible candidate for Nakamoto, he has repeatedly denied it. Schwartz did acknowledge contributing to the Bitcoin code in the early 2010s, stating that he made some modifications. Other names linked to the Nakamoto mystery include Blockstream CEO Adam Back and Hal Finney, both of whom have also denied being the founder.

The XRP Ledger, developed by Schwartz along with Arthur Britto and Jed McCaleb, began shortly after Nakamoto’s exit. In 2011, Nakamoto stated he intended to “move on to other things.” The following year, XRP Ledger launched and later became the foundation of Ripple’s platform.

Nakamoto Exit, Schwartz Emergence — 2011 Timeline Fuels Theories

Observers have noted the timing of events. Nakamoto left the Bitcoin project in 2011. In the same year, Schwartz started publicly working on new crypto projects, including what would become XRP. The overlap of events has kept the rumor alive but unproven.

Despite Schwartz’s courtroom statement and the coincidental timeline, no evidence has confirmed that he or any Ripple member is Nakamoto. The comments, while intriguing, add only speculation without factual backing.

At the time of writing, XRP is priced at $2.22, down 0.48% in the last 24 hours. Trading volume has fallen by 48.33%, now at $1.65 billion. The return of these claims has triggered some discussion, though it hasn’t led to a price spike.