Recently released Jeffrey Epstein files suggest that the convicted American financier had early informants monitoring Ripple and XRP.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s disclosure of the Epstein files has reignited debate within the XRP community over whether Epstein tracked Ripple and the XRP from their earliest stages.
Key Points
- The document suggested Epstein had informants tracking Ripple from its early stages.
- Historical timelines point to Stellar as the project under close monitoring.
- The Epstein files also exposed emails from Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill criticizing both Ripple and Stellar.
- Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz says Hill views supporters of XRP and XLM as enemies of the broader crypto ecosystem.
‘Epstein Monitored Ripple and XRP From Early Days’
This speculation emerged after the DOJ published roughly 3.5 million pages of Epstein-related documents. In one of the files, an unidentified individual informed Epstein that American programmer and entrepreneur Jed McCaleb was working on a “secret Bitcoin project” before leaving the Mt. Gox crypto exchange.
Following this revelation, some XRP community members interpreted the statement as evidence that Epstein had someone monitoring Ripple and the XRP early on.
In particular, popular XRP commentator Jungle asserted that the email indicated direct surveillance of Ripple and XRP from the project’s formative days.
Historical Timeline Points to Stellar, Not Ripple or XRP
However, a counter-view rooted in historical timelines challenges this interpretation. According to this perspective, the “secret Bitcoin project” likely refers to another blockchain initiative, most plausibly Stellar, rather than Ripple or XRP. Crypto analyst Leonidas Hadjiloizou advanced this argument by examining both the timing of the email and the launch history of the relevant projects.
Specifically, the document shows that the message about McCaleb’s alleged secret Bitcoin project was sent to Epstein on July 1, 2014. By contrast, McCaleb co-founded Ripple with Chris Larsen in 2012 under the name OpenCoin and also helped launch the XRP that same year.
Notably, Leonidas noted that McCaleb exited Ripple in 2013 and went on to co-found Stellar the following year, positioning it as a fintech platform he believed would better serve Bitcoin and its users.
Given these timelines, Leonidas concluded that the “secret Bitcoin project” mentioned in the email is Stellar — rather than Ripple or XRP.
Blockstream Founder Considers XRP Supporters Enemy
Meanwhile, the Epstein files have fueled fresh controversy involving Ripple and Stellar. In a viral excerpt, Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill urged Jeffrey Epstein and Joichi Ito to reduce or halt financial support for McCaleb–founded projects, specifically Ripple and Stellar.
In the email, Hill argued that both companies harm the broader crypto ecosystem and claimed that investors backing them damage the industry’s image. He also proposed a call to discuss possible next steps to “deal” with the issue.
In response, Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz said Hill appeared to view supporters of XRP or XLM as enemies of the ecosystem. He added that this hostility may reflect a much deeper rift and warned that such attitudes ultimately harm the entire crypto industry.
The sad part is, we really are all in this together and this kind of attitude hurts everyone in the space.
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) January 31, 2026
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
