David Schwartz, former chief technology officer of Ripple, took to X to slam the door on the $10,000 XRP fantasy. His logic is blunt: if markets truly bought that narrative, big money would have already piled in and prices would be far higher than current levels.
Schwartz challenges the $10,000 scenario
In a post, Schwartz argued that widespread speculation about XRP hitting five figures within a decade simply doesn't square with observable market activity. Sophisticated investors with serious capital haven't accumulated XRP at scale—otherwise, prices would already be approaching double digits, he said. The anticipation itself, if credible, would have been priced in by now.
“If the market seriously expected XRP to hit $10,000, that anticipation would already be influencing prices, and large-scale buying would be underway,” Schwartz wrote.
Investor sentiment vs. market reality
Recent analysis shows that retail investors and institutions alike have been caught up in rosy projections. Schwartz's remarks cut through the noise, reminding the community to anchor expectations in hard data. He stressed that no concrete evidence supports the optimistic forecasts and made clear his views are personal, free from external or legal constraints.
Regulation debates and sector outlook
As XRP valuation arguments heat up, another issue has emerged: Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson publicly criticized the proposed CLARITY Act. Schwartz emphasized the need for open dialogue between crypto and regulators, warning that overregulation could stall progress.
Within the market, some still bet on XRP achieving broad adoption and tapping global liquidity. Others cite supply dynamics and market-cap limits as hard ceilings. The clash highlights a deep split between bold price predictions and grounded market assessment. Schwartz's honest take has already pushed many investors to recalibrate. Without significant institutional buying, the hype may stay just that—hype.