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- A court transcript reveals David Schwartz hinted Satoshi Nakamoto may have owned XRP in 2017.
- XRP community members are revisiting Schwartz’s past involvement with Bitcoin’s early development.
- Speculation rises as Schwartz’s courtroom remark connects Ripple to the identity of Bitcoin’s creator.
A resurfaced transcript from a 2023 court hearing in the SEC vs. Ripple case has attracted attention. The content includes a statement by Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, that has reignited discussions about Satoshi Nakamoto.
As the screenshots posted by X user @XrpHodL_ show, Schwartz was questioned about the similarities between the Bitcoin and the Ripple blockchains. In his reply, he stated that the original creator, Toshi, must have had an astronomical number of XRP back in that period. Pointing to 2017, along with this comment, has posed many questions among the community.
The response was not actually a reply to the question posed by the court, but it was prominent in the court record nonetheless. The unexpected reference to Satoshi as the owner of XRP created a response in both the Bitcoin and XRP communities on the internet. Lots of users asked whether the comment was speculative or based on previous knowledge.
This is a follow-up thread with active X user and XRP supporter Tiffany Hayden responding to the statement. She observed that people had not paid attention to the comment and advised that Satoshi could be Schwartz himself. The remark has elicited mass attention but has not been confirmed.
David Schwartz has already admitted that he worked on Bitcoin’s code in its early years of development. Nonetheless, he has continually refused to claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto when the point has been queried directly. His crypto involvement in the early 2010s has long made him the object of speculation.
Courtroom Statement Sparks Fresh Interest in Early XRP Ownership
The possibility of Satoshi having XRP in 2017 introduces another twist in the long-running discussion. Some community members believe it may imply that XRP was seen as a promising asset even by early crypto figures.
However, the court documents do not indicate how Schwartz was making a factual claim. Ripple has not responded by trying to explain the context or intent of the statement. The condition has elicited both curiosity and suspicion from spectators.
Though the debate has re-emerged, it has not changed the broad legal scope of the case. The ongoing case between the SEC and Ripple revolves around whether XRP is a security and whether it is in compliance. This new fact, nevertheless, has become a part of the developing history of those who participated in creating cryptocurrencies in the early times.
Schwartz’s statement has created a different path in the debate regarding Satoshi Nakamoto. Either speculative or revealing, it has captured attention without conclusively deciding on the initial owners of XRP.
Also Read: Ripple CTO Accuses U.S. Authorities of Prolonged Targeting of Roger Ver
