Ripple CTO David Schwartz has publicly denied being a billionaire. The statement comes despite the significant wealth accumulated by other Ripple executives during XRP’s 2018 rally. Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen’s fortune soared to $54 billion, while CEO Brad Garlinghouse was estimated to be worth around $10 billion at XRP’s peak. However, Schwartz opted for a 2% stake in Ripple and a salary over XRP tokens, resulting in a more modest net worth. In 2019, Forbes estimated Schwartz’s net worth at $90 million, and in 2021 it was reported to be less than $170 million. Schwartz has acknowledged that the volatility of his assets, including XRP and Bitcoin, contributes to his financial unease. Earlier this year, XRP’s market cap surged, briefly making it the third-largest cryptocurrency. Chris Larsen's fortune increased by $6 billion in a month due to this increase.