• Conflict between Schwartz and Cardano’s Hoskinson centers on Ethereum’s regulatory impact.

  • Ripple’s CTO, David Schwartz, invested in Ethereum to support co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

  • Schwartz sold 40,000 ETH for $1 each, missing out on a potential $100 million windfall.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Ripple David Schwartz recently revealed a little-known part of his financial background by talking about his early Ethereum (ETH) purchases. Schwartz said he started his Ethereum adventure because of a personal relationship with co-founder of ETH Vitalik Buterin. 

I knew Vitalik. He invited me to participate. I wanted to support him, so went in for 20 BTC. I didn't really ask any questions. It got me 40,000 ETH. I thought of it as helping an acquaintance.

— David "JoelKatz" Schwartz (@JoelKatz) May 10, 2024

The discovery coincides with increased hostilities between Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson and Schwartz over Ethereum’s purported sway over regulatory agencies, especially the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

After David Schwartz disclosed a painful sell-off occurrence, his Ethereum investment story took an unexpected turn. Confessions by the Ripple CTO included selling all of his 40,000 Ethereum tokens at a price of just $1 per token. According to him, the sell-off money was meant to be used to install solar panels on a house that he no longer owns. 

But Schwartz regretted this choice since, soon after the sale, the value of his Ethereum holdings increased by more than 250,000%, reaching $100 million.

An argument between Schwartz and Hoskinson ends with the disclosure of his Ethereum investments and his subsequent remorse. The main argument in their disagreement is over opposing theories on Ethereum’s alleged influence on regulatory decisions, especially with reference to competing cryptocurrencies like XRP from Ripple. 

Claims that Ethereum is involved in regulatory issues were shrugged off by Hoskinson as simple conspiracy theories, underscoring the need of separating fact from conjecture.

Schwartz reacted by bringing up the connection between Ethereum and former SEC official William Hinman, therefore raising concerns about possible conflicts of interest and regulatory objectivity. He cited as reason for investigating Hinman’s relationship with Ethereum-affiliated Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. 

Schwartz also highlighted Hinman’s dealings with Simpson Thacher employees when he was a SEC employee, implying possible ramifications for the regulatory environment.

The continuous conversation between Schwartz and Hoskinson highlights more general discussions about regulatory justice and openness inside the bitcoin movement. As Ethereum keeps taking center stage in conversations, interested parties should be aware of any prejudices and conflicts of interest in regulatory agencies. 

With his disclosures, Schwartz provides insight into the complex dynamics forming the cryptocurrency ecosystem and emphasizes the necessity of more responsibility and openness in regulatory structures. 

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