David Schwartz Steps Back from Ripple
David Schwartz is stepping away from his day-to-day responsibilities as Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer. He will assume the honorary title of CTO Emeritus and join the company’s board of directors.
David Schwartz is stepping away from his day-to-day responsibilities as Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer. He will assume the honorary title of CTO Emeritus and join the company’s board of directors.
The news was confirmed this week, with Schwartz updating his title on both X and LinkedIn.
He first announced his decision to step back from daily operational duties in October 2025. At the time, Schwartz explained that he wanted to devote more time to his family—his children and grandchildren—and return to personal passions that had taken a back seat over the years. He described the move as a deliberate and meaningful conclusion to a very intense chapter of his professional career.
The CTO Emeritus title is honorary in nature. It means that while the individual no longer manages teams or leads technology projects on a daily basis, they remain connected to the company and may serve in an advisory or representative role. It is a form of recognition for long-standing contributions without requiring ongoing operational involvement.
For more than a decade, Schwartz was responsible for Ripple’s technical direction. He oversaw the company’s global engineering organization and the development of cross-border payment systems. He was also one of the principal architects of the XRP Ledger and a key figure behind the company’s technological foundations.
In his statement, Schwartz expressed gratitude to Ripple’s leadership, including CEO Brad Garlinghouse and President Monica Long, whom he described as the true heart of the company. He also announced that, at the invitation of Chris Larsen, he will join Ripple’s board of directors to continue supporting the company’s long-term vision.
Following his transition away from daily technology leadership, responsibility for this area will be taken over by Dennis Jarosch, Ripple’s current Vice President of Engineering.
Schwartz also emphasized that he does not plan to disappear from the XRP community and will remain active despite the change in his role.
