- David Schwartz and Caitlin Long’s public dispute over Ripple and XRP.
- Schwartz invites Long for a fact-based clarification.
- Reactions indicate market sentiment fluctuations, but no regulatory changes.
Ripple’s CTO David Schwartz engaged in a public dispute with Custodia Bank CEO Caitlin Long over criticisms of XRP’s decentralization and the issuance of Ripple’s new stablecoin RLUSD during Long’s podcast appearance in August 2025.
The confrontation highlights ongoing debates over blockchain decentralization and Ripple’s strategic direction, with market sentiment around XRP experiencing volatility but no immediate regulatory consequences observed.
In a public confrontation, Ripple CTO David Schwartz addressed criticisms by Custodia Bank CEO Caitlin Long concerning XRP and Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. Long suggested Ripple’s ICO-like origins hindered institutional trust in XRP.
Schwartz rejected Long’s remarks, inviting her to a fact-based discussion on XRP’s decentralization and its ICO history. He emphasized the independent and global nature of XRP’s validator network.
The dispute has sparked major reactions within the crypto community. Notable validator Vet refuted Long’s claims, citing XRP’s genesis ledger creation and extensive network of independent validators.
Although XRP remained unaffected in trading volumes, Long’s statements could influence institutional preference for assets like Ethereum in the future. Ripple’s RLUSD issuance underlines a pivot in its regulatory strategy.
Community and Influencer Reactions
Crypto influencers like Crypto Eri have criticized Long’s stance, emphasizing the need to separate company actions from protocol attributes. “Caitlin Long’s statements represent ugly tribalism,” remarked Crypto Eri. No immediate government or regulatory responses have been observed.
Past regulatory trends indicate similar disputes rarely influence market regulations unless tagged with enforcement measures. Ripple’s centralization and token launch debates echo earlier crypto financial discussions.
Additional Insights and Context
Further comments from the crypto community, such as by Ashley Prosper noted, “Sounds like Caitlin Long is mad that Ripple will get their Fed master account before Custodia Bank.” [source]
The comments underscore ongoing tensions within the industry over regulatory positioning and technological foundations. Ripple’s movements suggest a significant shift aimed at addressing institutional trust issues.
