Fresh discussion in the XRP community has reignited questions about whether Coinbase once demanded millions of dollars from Ripple to list XRP.
XRP community figure Diana pointed to a series of posts by Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz. The posts suggest there may have been more going on behind the scenes during XRP’s listing process on Coinbase.
Key Points
- Questions emerge over whether Coinbase once demanded millions from Ripple to list XRP.
- David Schwartz cited a hypothetical case to show how complex listing talks can be misread as pay-for-listing deals.
- He stressed that legal disputes can twist narratives, with claims repeated publicly even when not proven.
- Coinbase delisted XRP after the 2020 lawsuit but relisted it in 2023 following Ripple’s court victory.
Hidden Truth?
Back in May 2023, Schwartz hinted that the full story behind XRP’s listing on Coinbase was something he wished he could openly share but couldn’t. That statement alone left room for speculation.
The story of Coinbase listing XRP is the only story I most wish I could tell that I can't.
— David 'JoelKatz' Schwartz (@JoelKatz) May 17, 2023
Weeks later, during a heated exchange with a user known as ScamDetector, Schwartz addressed allegations that Ripple had paid millions to multiple exchanges, including U.S.-based platforms, to list XRP. He pushed back on the claim, stressing that such narratives often oversimplify complex situations.
To explain, Schwartz introduced a “completely made-up hypothetical,” emphasizing that it was not based on actual facts but intended to illustrate how events could be misinterpreted.
“Millions to List XRP”
In that hypothetical scenario, Schwartz described a situation in which an exchange refuses to list XRP despite clear business incentives. According to the example, the exchange allegedly demands a large payment in the millions, which Ripple declines.
A prolonged standoff follows, with neither side willing to budge. Eventually, a deal is reached, XRP gets listed, and it quickly becomes a major revenue driver for the exchange.
The key point in Schwartz’s explanation was that such a situation could later be framed as Ripple “paying for listings,” even if the reality was far from that. In his words:
“Had we not existed, the exchange would have listed XRP months ago. We paid money to not let our existence hurt the XRP ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, Schwartz highlighted how legal disputes, particularly in the now-concluded U.S. SEC case, can shape narratives. He noted that litigation adversaries often present facts in the most unfavorable light possible, as long as those interpretations do not directly contradict the evidence.
He stressed that this can lead to public misunderstandings, where allegations are repeated as if they were proven facts.
Clarifications
The resurfacing of these comments has fueled fresh speculation that Coinbase demanded millions of dollars to list XRP. However, it is important to note that Schwartz never confirmed that such a scenario actually occurred. His framing was meant to explain how complex negotiations could be mischaracterized, especially during lawsuits.
Even so, the idea suggests that XRP listings may have involved tough negotiations or financial demands.
Notably, following the Ripple lawsuit filing in December 2020, Coinbase delisted XRP. However, after the court victory in July 2023, the exchange relisted XRP, and it continues to trade there today.
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