Retired Ripple CTO David Schwartz clarified a long-standing point of confusion in the XRP community: XRP did not exist before Bitcoin. The debate often resurfaces as RipplePay, an early trust-based payment concept created by Ryan Fugger, dates back to 2004. However, Schwartz drew a clear line between this earlier idea and the XRP Ledger, which was created years after Bitcoin.
TL;DR
- David Schwartz explained that XRP was not created before Bitcoin.
- Bitcoin launched in 2009, while XRP Ledger and the XRP token were developed from 2011 and launched in 2012.
- The confusion stems from RipplePay, a 2004 credit trust network concept that did not exploit blockchain technology or native assets.
- Schwartz also dismissed claims linking the ancient distributed computing patent to XRP or the blockchain project.
RipplePay Ledger vs. XRP Ledger
At the heart of the confusion is the word “Ripple.” Ryan Fugger’s RipplePay was created in 2004 as a way of thinking about payments through fiduciary relationships and lines of credit. It was not a blockchain and did not include XRP as a native digital asset. This distinction matters because some social media narratives have blurred the early concept of RipplePay with the later XRP ledger.
According to the approved writing package, Schwartz explained that development of the XRP ledger and the XRP token began in 2011, with the ledger being launched in 2012. By comparison, Bitcoin was launched in 2009. In this respect, XRP clearly does not precede Bitcoin.
Why the claim keeps coming back
The claim is unclear because the XRP ecosystem has a complicated history. RipplePay predates Bitcoin, the company that became Ripple was later associated with XRP, and several early cryptocurrency developers explored ideas for payment networks before blockchains became mainstream. This creates enough information overlap for misleading claims to spread quickly across the Internet.
But the technical distinction is plain. A credit trust payment network is not the same as a blockchain ledger with a native token. RipplePay was an early payments concept. XRP Ledger was a later crypto network built in the post-Bitcoin era.
Schwartz also addresses patent rumors
The supporting memos also state that Schwartz refuted rumors linking his 1988 distributed computing patent to blockchain or XRP. These types of claims have circulated within parts of the XRP community for years, often as part of broader theories about XRP’s origins or alleged pre-Bitcoin design.
Schwartz’s explanation narrows the historical record. His previous work in distributed computing may form part of his broader technical knowledge, but should not be taken as evidence that XRP existed before Bitcoin or that the XRP Ledger was secretly developed before 2009.
A cleaner timeline
The spotless version is plain: RipplePay was a payment network concept from early 2004, without blockchain technology or native digital assets. Bitcoin launched in 2009. The XRP ledger and XRP token have been in development since 2011 and launched in 2012. These dates do not diminish the role of XRP in the history of cryptocurrencies, but they correct the view that XRP was first.
For traders and long-term XRP holders, the explanation is less about price and more about narrative discipline. Crypto communities often build identities around origin stories, but when these stories become incorrect, they can cause unnecessary confusion. Schwartz’s comments aid separate the real history of XRP from the mythology of social media.
This report is based on information from Crypto.news response from Schwartz.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Rae.
