Satoshi-era whale transfers stunned the crypto market yesterday, and now the spotlight has shifted to Satoshi Nakamoto’s possible ties to XRP. A court document has resurfaced online in which Ripple CTO David Schwartz claims that Satoshi held “enormous amounts of XRP.”
This remark was in response to the question, “You also say, ‘we control a lot of XRP’, does that make it different from Bitcoin?” To this, Schwartz replied that back then, it was hard to know how Bitcoin was distributed. So Satoshi, the creator, probably held a lot of XRP at that time.
His unexpected answer has sparked renewed speculation, especially with a mention of the year 2017, which added more confusion and curiosity among crypto enthusiasts.
X user Tiffany Hayden joked about it, asking, “How many XRP did Satoshi hold? Did you really say this and nobody noticed?” Schwartz responded with a simple, “What was the question?” prompting a wave of amusement and intrigue within the community.
However, Satoshi has vanished from the crypto scene between 2010 and 2011, with no signs of wallet activity or XRP involvement since. Also, Schwartz’s claim that Satoshi “probably” held XRP lacks evidence and appears to be a speculation.
David Schwartz has often speculated to be behind the mysterious identity of Bitcoin’s creator. However, he has clarified that he only got involved in Bitcoin around 2011. The Bitcoin whitepaper came out in 2008, and the network officially launched in 2009, but no one knows who truly created it.
XRP: Satoshi’s Real Vision?
Previously, a widely circulated post by John Squire claimed that XRP is the product which comes closes to Satoshi Nakamoto’s main idea. XRP fans argue that it solves many of Bitcoin’s current issues, like high fees, slow speeds, and centralization.
Alex Cobb, a well-known community voice also added by suggesting that Satoshi Nakamoto may have had a hand in creating XRP. He quoted Satoshi’s famous last message from April 23, 2011 “I’ve moved on to other things” hinting that XRP, which launched just a year later, could have been part of those “other things.”
Could Satoshi Have Helped Create XRP?
While there’s no proof, Ripple CTO David Schwartz and others involved in XRP were also early Bitcoin contributors which has sparked more curiosity around the theory.
Also, 2009 emails show that Satoshi had praised the original Ripple project, calling it “unique” for spreading trust rather than centralizing it. However, his remarks referred to RipplePay, created in 2004 and not XRP. But many have mistakenly linked his praise to XRP.
Some analysts have also pointed to the timing of Satoshi’s exit in 2011 and the start of XRP’s development soon after. With Arthur Britto reappearing online and old BTC wallets moving, speculation is rising, could Bitcoin’s creators have helped shape XRP too?
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FAQs
No, there is no credible evidence or on-chain data to support David Schwartz’s speculative claim that Satoshi Nakamoto held XRP. Satoshi vanished from the crypto scene between 2010 and 2011, and XRP was only launched in 2012, well after Satoshi’s disappearance. Schwartz’s use of “probably” indicates it’s a personal belief, not a factual statement.
The “XRP: Satoshi’s Real Vision?” theory, popularized by some XRP fans like John Squire and Alex Cobb, suggests that XRP more closely aligns with Satoshi Nakamoto’s original ideas for digital currency than Bitcoin. They argue XRP solves Bitcoin’s issues like high fees, slow speeds, and centralization, and some even link Satoshi’s last message, “I’ve moved on to other things,” to XRP’s subsequent creation.
While there’s no proof, speculation arises because Ripple CTO David Schwartz and others involved with XRP were also early Bitcoin contributors. Furthermore, Satoshi praised the original “Ripple” project (RipplePay, created in 2004) in 2009 emails for its decentralized trust model, though this was not referring to XRP itself. The timing of Satoshi’s exit in 2011 and XRP’s development soon after also fuels theories.
