In a recent post on the X social media network, Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz recalled that he had felt like an “investment genius” after famously selling a total of 40,000 ETH when the leading cryptocurrency was trading at just $1.05
Schwarz was personally invited by Ethereum’s Buterin to take part in the launch of the red-hot altcoin
The architect behind the XRP Ledger wanted to show some support for the project and handed over a total of 20 BTC. This sum allowed Schwartz to buy the entire stash
HOT Stories
Ripple CEO Urges Banks to Act in Good Faith
Crypto Market Review: Bitcoin’s $70,000 Guarded Like Treasure, Will Shiba Inu Have Bullish March? Ethereum Breaks Above 100-Day Threshold
Schwartz initially bought the 40,000 ETH tokens at $0.311 and ended up walking away with a rather impressive return of 321%. The sale netted him a total of $42,000. Shortly after this, the price of the token would end up going parabolic
The proceeds were used by Schwartz to purchase a set of solar panels that he installed at his home in Oakland, California
Notably, Schwartz does not even own that house anymore, according to his latest tweet
Schwartz’s current net worth
Schwartz frequently shares information about his personal crypto holdings, which sets him apart from the rest of the Ripple executives
He has confirmed that he continues to hold both Bitcoin (BTC) and ETH, as well as several altcoins
The Ripple CEO previously claimed tha that he owned roughly 20 million XRPs, which was the biggest sum of the tokens that he has held at any point.
That said, the exact size of his net worth is unknown (it could be anywhere from $90 million to $500 million). It mainly depends on the value of his stake in Ripple. Schwartz famously opted for a 2% stake in the company instead of XRP holdings
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
OTC Whale Sells 23,500 ETH to Repay Loans After Accumulating 163,405 ETH Since January
Gate News bot message, an OTC whale who purchased large amounts of BTC and ETH at the start of the market downturn sold 23,500 ETH ($47.77M) to repay loans 9 hours ago. Between January 8 and February 2, the whale bought 163,405 ETH ($440M) at an average price of $2,691. The whale's activities occurr
GateNews3m ago
Whale "0x172" Borrows $7M USDC to Purchase 3,753 ETH at $1,865
Gate News bot message, a whale identified as "0x172" borrowed $7M USDC from Aave and purchased 3,753 ETH at $1,865 during the market downturn. The whale now holds 15,964 ETH, worth $29.68M. Address: 0x172b0cae07c5e8a7ca267c160e0a988e98762149
GateNews4m ago
【Morning Market Brief】 Cryptocurrency market fluctuates... Bitcoin $68,929, Ethereum $2,041
The cryptocurrency market trend is mixed, with Bitcoin and Ethereum rising by 4.50% and 4.47% respectively. Mainstream competing coins are showing divergence, with a total market value of approximately $2.75 trillion. Both the DeFi and stablecoin markets have experienced growth, and derivatives trading volume remains active.
TechubNews1h ago
ETH Crashes 60%, Yet TradFi Doubles Down Hard
_Ether is down 60% from its 2025 high and 36% in 2026 alone, yet JPMorgan, BlackRock, and Citi keep building on Ethereum. Here’s what they see._
Ether is trading near $1,900. That is a 60% drop from its 2025 high. The $3,000 level feels distant, and retail frustration is building fast.
But
LiveBTCNews2h ago
Data: If ETH falls below $1,931, the total long liquidation strength on mainstream CEXs will reach $1.135 billion.
ChainCatcher reports that, according to Coinglass data, if ETH drops below $1,931, the total long liquidation strength on major CEXs will reach $1.135 billion. Conversely, if ETH breaks above $2,134, the total short liquidation strength on major CEXs will reach $511 million.
GateNews3h ago
ETH 15-minute sharp decline of 1.23%: leveraged long liquidations and on-chain capital outflows resonate, intensifying volatility
From 17:30 to 17:45 on March 2, 2026 (UTC), the price of ETH dropped rapidly from 2058.07 USDT to 2026.2 USDT, with a short-term return of -1.23% and an amplitude of 1.55%. Short-term volatility significantly increased, market attention rose, and liquidity became tight.
The main driver of this abnormal movement was the liquidation of leveraged long positions, with some contract longs triggering stop-loss orders, causing the price on the order book to plummet rapidly. Additionally, the key daily support zone was quickly broken, accelerating the technical decline, leading to
GateNews4h ago