Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz addressed renewed claims linking Jeffrey Epstein to early crypto projects like Ripple, XRP, and Stellar.
His comments followed the resurfacing of a 2014 email involving Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill, which has recently circulated on X after the release of Epstein-related documents by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Key Points
- Ripple ex-CTO David Schwartz says Epstein-linked claims around XRP and Stellar harm crypto unity.
- His comments follow a resurfaced 2014 email from Blockstream’s Austin Hill now spreading on X.
- Schwartz says there’s no evidence Epstein had direct links to Ripple, XRP, or Stellar projects.
- Analysts say timelines point to Stellar, not XRP, based on Jed McCaleb’s 2013 Ripple exit.
David Schwartz: “This Kind of Attitude Hurts Everyone”
Reacting to the discussion, Schwartz said he would not be surprised if the controversy was “just the tip of a giant iceberg”. Meanwhile, he argued the bigger problem is the mindset behind such claims.
He stressed that framing parts of crypto as enemies only deepens divisions in an industry where projects are interconnected, ultimately hurting everyone regardless of which network they support. “This kind of attitude hurts everyone in the space,” Schwartz noted.
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
The 2014 Email Fueling the Debate
The controversy centers on a July 2014 email sent by Austin Hill to Joichi Ito, Jeffrey Epstein, and Reid Hoffman. In the message, Hill argued that Ripple and Jed McCaleb’s Stellar were “bad for the ecosystem”.
Accordingly, he stressed that investors backing rival chains were “backing two horses in the same race”. He suggested cutting or removing such investors, saying the overlap was hurting Blockstream and its broader vision.
Screenshots of the email have since spread widely on X. Some users are taking Epstein’s inclusion as proof of early financial influence over Ripple, XRP, or Stellar.
Schwartz Rejects Claims of Direct Epstein Links
In a separate response, Schwartz directly addressed the speculation, stating that he is unaware of any links between Epstein and XRP, Ripple, or Stellar. He said there is no evidence that anyone at Stellar or Ripple ever met Epstein or worked with individuals closely tied to him.
Schwartz added that while Epstein had indirect connections to figures linked to Bitcoin, this is common among ultra-wealthy individuals and does not suggest control over, or involvement in, specific crypto projects.
Timeline Suggests Stellar, Not XRP
Some analysts have also pushed back on claims that Epstein was monitoring Ripple or XRP in their earliest days. While one leaked document referenced Jed McCaleb working on a “secret Bitcoin project” in mid-2014, the timeline tells a different story.
Ripple and XRP were launched in 2012, and McCaleb exited Ripple in 2013. He went on to co-found Stellar in 2014, positioning it as a separate project aligned more closely with Bitcoin’s philosophy. Based on this timeline, analysts argue the reference likely points to Stellar rather than Ripple or XRP.
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