In Brief:
- Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz reduced XRP holdings by 23 million tokens, representing an 88.5% decline from peak ownership levels.
- Schwartz also reduced Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings significantly, linking cryptocurrency sales to personal risk tolerance and a structured investment strategy.
- Despite substantial cryptocurrency sales, Schwartz retains Ripple stock exposure as XRP community members question potential connections to token performance.
Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz has reduced XRP holdings by approximately 23 million tokens, revealing substantial changes to personal cryptocurrency investments.
According to Schwartz’s latest disclosure on X, XRP holdings declined from approximately 26 million to just 3 million tokens, representing an 88.5% reduction. The disclosure also revealed significant reductions in Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings, indicating that Schwartz reduced exposure across multiple cryptocurrencies.
Schwartz confirmed these figures while discussing personal investment decisions and previous cryptocurrency sales with members of the XRP community.
“It’s not a secret. I think I’m down from a high of around 26 million XRP to around 3 million XRP,” Schwartz wrote.
The former Ripple executive did not disclose when most transactions occurred or reveal the total proceeds generated from these sales.
Also Read:Â Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Falls Below $74,000, XRP Drops as Zcash Crashes 11.4%
David Schwartz Details XRP Sales Strategy and Major Bitcoin, Ethereum Reductions
We're back on X.
— 36Crypto (@36Crypto1) August 21, 2026
Our previous account (36crypto2) is currently unavailable while we continue working through the appeal process. In the meantime, this is our new official account. While you are on this page, please support us by sharing and following.
Beyond XRP, Schwartz disclosed that Bitcoin holdings declined from approximately 1,500 BTC to just one BTC over an unspecified period. Ethereum holdings experienced an even greater percentage reduction, falling from approximately 40,000 ETH to only six ETH.
These figures indicate that Schwartz reduced cryptocurrency exposure across three major assets rather than concentrating sales exclusively on XRP. Meanwhile, previous disclosures provide additional details about the former Ripple executive’s approach to managing cryptocurrency investments.
Schwartz previously confirmed selling approximately 2.5 million XRP during 2025, including tokens originally received in 2020 and 2023. Those transactions generated approximately $1.7 million in capital gains tax obligations, according to the former Ripple executive.
Additionally, Schwartz explained that personal risk tolerance played an important role in decisions involving cryptocurrency sales. In July, Schwartz disclosed an agreement with his wife to sell portions of their cryptocurrency holdings whenever prices reached record highs.
More recently, Schwartz revealed a written XRP sales plan arranged with legal counsel at least 30 days before transactions. The former Ripple CTO also confirmed that no XRP purchases had occurred for an extended period.
David Schwartz’s XRP Sales Draw Community Reactions Amid Price Concerns
Despite reducing cryptocurrency holdings, Schwartz retains substantial Ripple stock exposure, maintaining financial ties to the company. Schwartz previously acknowledged that this investment creates more financial risk than personally preferred.
The disclosures emerged amid criticism from XRP holders concerned about the cryptocurrency’s price performance and Schwartz’s potential market influence. Earlier in November, one community member questioned whether Schwartz bore responsibility for XRP’s declining market value.
Schwartz has previously maintained that personal influence over XRP’s market price remains limited. Overall, the latest disclosure establishes the scale of Schwartz’s cryptocurrency reductions, while leaving the precise timing and proceeds undisclosed.
