David Schwartz: “Being Ripple’s CTO is a Rollercoaster of Suits and Tweets!”

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Ah, yes, the life of a CTO. And no, dear reader, this is not the tale of some humble office clerk, but the profound journey of David Schwartz, Ripple‘s very own Chief Technology Officer, whose life, as he himself confesses, could not be more “wild.” Indeed, in his most recent tweet-a medium where brilliance and banality mix in equal measure-Schwartz revealed something so mundane yet so profound about his role at Ripple that one might think the world had been waiting for such an epiphany for centuries.

Let us begin, though, not at the beginning (for beginnings are overrated), but at a moment in time in 2011 when Schwartz, alongside the ever-elusive Jed McCaleb and the cryptic Arthur Britto, embarked upon the grand task of creating XRP Ledger (or as it is affectionately known in some circles, XRPL). Fueled by an obsession with Bitcoin, a passion for what was (at the time) an emerging technology, and a hearty dose of ambition, they set out to build something-yes, something!-that would transcend the limitations of Bitcoin, and in doing so, create a new digital asset, crafted specifically for payments. And so, in mid-2012, XRP Ledger was born-an innovation of the highest order.

In the years that followed, Schwartz, as a primary architect of this digital marvel, became a figure who might very well be said to have overseen some of the most fundamental innovations in payment networks. But, dear reader, like all great men of his time, Schwartz would not remain static. He took up the mantle of Ripple’s CTO in 2018, and thus began his reign-a reign now nearing its end as he prepares to step back, for reasons not fully understood by anyone, not even himself.

Yes, Schwartz has made it known-through the medium of a tweet, of all things-that by the end of this year, he shall step away from his daily duties at Ripple. But fear not, dear reader, for he shall not disappear entirely. No, as CTO Emeritus, he shall continue to appear sporadically in Ripple’s halls, like a ghost-sometimes seen, sometimes not-like the flickering flame of a candle that never quite goes out.

And now, to the crux of the matter-the tweet that has sent the XRP community into a frenzy. Schwartz, ever the provocateur, wrote: “Being a CTO is pretty wild because half the time I look like this and half the time I look like my pinned tweet.” A simple phrase, yes, but one that raises profound questions. What does it mean to be a CTO? A suit-wearing professional, or a casual rebel with a cause? It is this duality that Schwartz so humorously reveals to us: the businessman and the dreamer, the suited figure and the casual techie.

Being a CTO is pretty wild because half the time I look like this and half the time I look like my pinned tweet.

– David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) November 29, 2025

The image accompanying this tweet-of Schwartz dressed in a suit, looking every bit the part of a corporate leader-stands in stark contrast to the casual, laid-back look of his pinned tweet. Yes, a moment of levity amidst the chaos of tech, where Schwartz, with all the grace of a seasoned strategist, suggests that perhaps being a CTO is about balance-between the formal and the informal, between the businesslike and the casual.

The XRP community, in its infinite wisdom, did not fail to notice this. One eagle-eyed user dared to speculate that Schwartz’s tweet might hold a deeper, more existential message-perhaps a cry for help, or a longing for something greater. But Schwartz, ever the pragmatic soul, quickly dismissed such notions, assuring all who would listen that he was simply being “himself.” Of course, this only raises more questions. Is being “yourself” the greatest act of rebellion in a world obsessed with titles and roles?

And so, while Schwartz prepares to step away from his day-to-day duties at Ripple, he assures us that he is not abandoning the XRP community. Far from it. He joins Ripple’s Board of Directors, where he will continue to offer his strategic wisdom, and has also taken up the role of a strategic advisor at Evernorth. The man cannot escape his destiny-nor, it seems, does he wish to.

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2025-11-29 15:08