In a recent X post, XRP advocates Edo Farina dropped what he calls a “bombshell” revelation: a screenshot dated September 17, 2011, featuring David Schwartz, CTO and Chief Cryptographer of Ripple, saying:
“I’ve been working on a Bitcoin successor myself, after seeing what has worked well and what has not worked well.”
According to Farina, this statement hints at a key truth: XRP was intentionally crafted to succeed Bitcoin. Drawing from archived comments, historical patent records, and previous reporting, Farina posits that XRP is not merely an alternative to Bitcoin, but its direct and improved heir.
Edo Farina, a prominent XRP community figure, resurfaced a nearly decade‑old statement attributed to Schwartz, suggesting that XRP was conceived as a Bitcoin successor, designed to address Bitcoin’s early limitations. While Litecoin, Dogecoin, and countless other tokens sprouted over time, Schwartz’s own words stand out, signaling intent far deeper than mere opportunism.
Beyond the screenshot, the dots could be connected to Schwartz’s 1988 patent—a precursor to decentralized ledger architecture. Schwartz’s filing describes a distributed computing system that resembles modern blockchain validation processes. Farina suggests this foresight, coupled with Schwartz’s later work on Bitcoin and the XRP Ledger, reinforces the idea of XRP as an evolved form of the original.
Schwartz’s journey began in early 2011 when he and fellow developers Jed McCaleb and Arthur Britto examined Bitcoin’s promise, but were increasingly concerned by its flaws: high energy consumption, slow transaction times, and limited scalability. At that time, Schwartz reportedly noted he was “looking for something new”, and by May 2011, development on XRP was underway. The official launch came in June 2012.
This clear progression, from Bitcoin interest to disillusionment with mining inefficiencies to the creation of XRP, exemplifies a conscious, iterative upgrade. Schwartz and his co-creators sought a protocol with near-instant settlement, minimal fees, and no reliance on energy-intensive mining.
Farina and other XRP proponents view XRP as “Bitcoin 2.0”—the practical, enterprise-ready successor. In a report by TimesTabloid, this thesis is reinforced: XRP was explicitly built to “address Bitcoin’s inefficiencies,” boasting rapid transfers and low costs, rendering it well-suited for global financial adoption.
The decentralized yet efficient consensus mechanism of the XRP Ledger (XRPL) operates using validator nodes, enabling transactions every few seconds, unlike Bitcoin’s proof-of-work congestion.
In the 2000s, Schwartz reportedly worked with the NSA on cryptographic infrastructure. This background, paired with XRPL’s focus on secure payments, leads Farina to question whether XRP was part of a larger, strategic initiative.
Bitcoin Founder Speculation – Some XRP community members have speculated that Schwartz might even be—or among—the real Satoshi Nakamoto, noting XRP development began within weeks of Satoshi’s final public communications.
To critics, XRP’s larger supply and different consensus methods undermine its “successor” claim. Schwartz frequently addresses such critiques, emphasizing that unit‑price comparisons are misleading without context; the real metric should be utility and market capitalization.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin maximalists have publicly challenged XRP’s decentralization, prompting Schwartz to underscore the XRP Ledger’s governance model and validator diversity.
The narrative that XRP is the “real Bitcoin successor” rests on a compelling mix of direct quotes, early patents, developer timelines, and community speculation. Edo Farina’s curation of these elements has sharpened the debate, positioning XRP not as just another altcoin but as a purposeful response to Bitcoin’s shortcomings.
Whether one interprets Schwartz’s work as strategic competition, technical evolution, or part of an obscured crypto legacy, XRP’s story is undeniably intertwined with Bitcoin’s foundational ethos. As digital assets evolve, this link validates XRP’s future beyond volatility, rooted in intent, design, and ambition.
Disclaimer: This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are urged to do in-depth research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses.
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