JoelKatz Reveals Once Held 26 Million XRP Stash

David Schwartz, known online as JoelKatz and Ripple’s CTO Emeritus, shocked crypto fans this week. He admitted on X that he once owned 26 million XRP. At today’s price of $1.42, that stash would top $37 million. Fans wonder why one of XRP’s creators sold so much early.

Schwartz dropped the news in a lively X thread on May 4. A user asked about his XRP bag size. He replied that his view of “not a lot” means over one million tokens. Then came the bombshell. He said he peaked at 26 million XRP.

The post quickly drew hundreds of likes and replies. Many praised his honesty. Others questioned his sales. Schwartz holds more than one million XRP today. But he stressed his love for low risk.

This fits his style. He often shares real talk on crypto ups and downs.

How He Built and Sold the Big Stack

Schwartz traded bitcoin for those 26 million XRP years back. Early prices sat under a penny. Life changed fast when XRP hit 10 cents. That put millions at stake for him.

He felt uneasy with the risk. So he sold most to lock in gains. Crypto swings hit hard back then. No one knew XRP would climb so high.

One reply pushed back. How could gifted tokens feel risky? Schwartz clarified it came from BTC trades. Not freebies.

His path shows early believer grit. Yet caution won out.

XRP Price Journey Puts Holdings in Focus

XRP started tiny. It exploded in 2017-2018. Then settled into growth.

Here’s a quick look at key spots:

Schwartz’s peak haul shows smart timing amid wild rides. XRP now ranks top five by market cap at $87 billion. Up 1% last day.

Daily volume tops $2 billion. Short-term charts mix bull and bear signals.

Risk Views Differ Among XRP Founders

Schwartz recalled co-creator Arthur Britto. Years ago, Britto sold BTC for bills. He kept most XRP.

• Britto stuck with XRP long-term.
• Schwartz de-risked early.
• Both built the ledger in 2012.

This contrast fuels talks. Founders balance vision and personal bets differently. Britto’s hold echoes HODL faith.

Ripple stock now shields Schwartz from full crypto bets. He sees it as enough skin in the game.

Community splits here. Some call sells smart. Others say hold for moon shots.

Fans eye Ripple’s board role for him. It ties to XRP’s bank push.

Schwartz’s words remind us crypto mixes thrill and fear. His story proves even builders face doubts. XRP’s real win lies in fast payments, not just price pops. As adoption grows, holders dream big.