Ripple XRP Veteran Brands Bitcoin A “Technological Dead End” —  The Bombshell Reason Why ⋆ ZyCrypto

David Schwartz, Ripple’s newly named CTO Emeritus and co-creator of the XRP Ledger, has provocatively labeled Bitcoin “a technological dead end.” His comments have sparked intense debate throughout the cryptocurrency community.

Ripple’s Schwartz Challenges Bitcoin’s Technological Relevance

It all started when an XRP community member, Khaled Elawadi, asked Schwartz if he had ever contemplated returning to Bitcoin development after co-creating the XRP Ledger.

The former Ripple CTO flatly dismissed the idea. “Not really. I think Bitcoin is largely a technological dead end for the same reason the dollar is,” Schwartz wrote. “The technology just doesn’t seem to matter all that much to its success, at least not at the blockchain layer.”

Schwartz’s remarks suggest that Bitcoin has essentially solidified into a monetary standard, where maintaining stability takes precedence over technological upgrades.

“For 99% of what makes Bitcoin interesting, all the blockchain needs to be able to do is allow people to rely on being able to hold and transfer Bitcoin in the future,” he added. That doesn’t require any technology that isn’t available in every public blockchain out there.”

XRP vs Bitcoin: Which One Is Truly Decentralized?

Schwartz’s comments have emerged amid a continuing debate with Bitcoin advocate Bram Kanstein, centered on whether the XRP Ledger is truly decentralized.

Kanstein argues that the XRP Ledger’s meaningful history begins at Ledger 32,570, citing an early software bug that resulted in the loss of the first 32,569 ledgers. He contends that this adjusted starting point indicates a degree of centralized control.

Schwartz, however, rejected that interpretation, calling it a technical glitch from the network’s formative period. He explained that participants opted not to enforce coordinated changes after the issue arose, instead continuing operations from the existing ledger state.

According to the exec, Bitcoin has had at least two incidents that showed much more centralization than the XRPL genesis glitch.

The exchange has reignited long-standing tensions between XRP and Bitcoin advocates, while highlighting the ongoing debate over what true decentralization actually entails.