David Schwartz, the former CTO of Ripple and widely known online as JoelKatz, revealed this week that he owned 26 million XRP, an amount worth about $36.6 million at current market prices. XRP was trading near $1.40 at the time of writing, up ~0.4% over the previous 24 hours, with technicals on shorter time frames sending mixed signals.
In response to a question on X about the size of his personal position in XRP, Schwartz offered an unexpected benchmark. “My idea of not having much is still more than a million,” he wrote. “I once had 26 million XRP.”
Schwartz reveals more than a million $XRP Holding says #ripple and XRP remain only exposed to cryptocurrencies.
Ripple’s CTO Emeritus, David Schwartz, revealed that he previously owned 26 million XRP.
Although he described his current holdings as “not much,” he explained that they still exceed 1 million XRP.
He also… pic.twitter.com/nu3OKd9gjQ
– Thecryptobasic (@thecryptobasic) May 5, 2026
The comment came in the context of a broader conversation about risk tolerance among Ripple’s founding figures. Schwartz also touched on co-founder Arthur Brito, saying that his vague recollection from years ago was that Brito was selling Bitcoin to cover living expenses while keeping most or all of his XRP. “I vaguely remember him saying he was selling Bitcoin to cover expenses and none or very little XRP,” Schwartz wrote.
Ripple’s leadership and acquisition position It has drawn constant attention Throughout 2025 as the company expands its presence. This revelation comes against the backdrop of fragmented but controlled momentum in the XRP market, and the broader question of what internal behavior in founding-era holdings actually indicates long-term conviction.
Can XRP Price Reclaim $1.50 This Week Following Insider Holdings Revealed?
XRP price action has been choppy. The token has been measured near $1.40 in recent sessions, with a 24-hour range between $1.39 and $1.42, representing an upside of ~3% from current levels. Support appears to be consolidating around the $1.38 level, while resistance is gathering near $1.43-$1.45.
Technical signals are not uniform. The Fear and Greed Index has finally emerged from the fear zone and is now in a neutral position, reaching 50/100 for the first time in 2026.
There are three scenarios that seem plausible in the near term. The bullish case sees XRP break above $1.45 in volume, with a path towards the $1.55 weekly target if institutional interest around Ripple’s regulatory narrative materializes. The base case holds XRP in the $1.35-$1.44 range over the week, with consolidation preceding any catalyst-driven breakout.
The bearish case, worth watching given the recent volume patterns, includes a drop below the $1.38 support, which could open up a retest of lower levels that some models are indicating near $1.30. Position sizing around this floor seems to be the practical question for active traders at the moment.
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LiquidChain targets early upside as Ripple consolidates at key support
XRP’s consolidation near support reflects a familiar pattern to longer cycle holders: assets with strong fundamentals and internal conviction often compress before making a move. But at a price point of $1.40 and with a market cap already in the tens of billions, the asymmetry experienced by early Ripple (XRP) holders is structurally different from what new entrants face today. The dynamics of the show continue to evolveBut easy multiples belong to a different era.
This structural gap is precisely where early-stage infrastructure is attracting attention. LiquidChain ($liquid) It is a layer 3 infrastructure project that positions itself as a cross-chain liquidity layer, integrating Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana liquidity into a single execution environment.
The aforementioned architecture allows developers to deploy once and access all three ecosystems, addressing a persistent point of friction in multi-threaded development. The pre-sale price is currently $0.01456, and over $718,000 has been raised so far. Key features include a unified liquidity layer, single-step execution, and verifiable settlement.
Visit the LiquidChain pre-sale site here.
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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to provide accurate and timely information but should not be considered financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify the information yourself and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Daniel Francis is a technical writer and Web3 educator specializing in macroeconomics and DeFi mechanics. A crypto native since 2017, Daniel brings his background in cross-chain analytics to author evidence-based reports and detailed guides. It is certified by the Blockchain Council and is dedicated to providing “information gain” that cuts through the market noise to find blockchain’s real-world utility.
