Ripple executives urgently refute rumors: There is no "secret XRP contract," social media misinformation stirs up waves again.

Gate News message: in 2026, rumors surrounding a “secret XRP contract” spread rapidly across the crypto community, but Ripple’s Chief Technical Officer in name only, David Schwartz, has publicly denied the claims, emphasizing that he has never confirmed any covert protocol involving pre-allocated XRP. The incident originated from a misleading post on a social platform that claimed a large amount of XRP supposedly held in escrow by Ripple had been allocated in advance to undisclosed investors, sparking intense discussion in the market.

In the face of the controversy, David Schwartz directly responded that these kinds of statements have no connection to any of his past public remarks and are a classic case of misattribution. His clarification once again highlights a prominent problem in today’s crypto information environment: unverified claims spread quickly under the name of an authority figure, thereby shaping market perception.

In fact, similar situations have not been the first to occur. In January 2026, a fake memorandum attached to a custodial unlock transaction misled the market by claiming that Ripple was selling off a large amount of XRP. Because the memo mechanism itself allows anyone to attach information, some investors mistook it for official disclosure, causing short-term sentiment swings.

As a key figure in the XRP Ledger (XRPL), David Schwartz’s views carry a high level of influence in the community, which also makes it easier for misleading information to exploit him. Once related statements are taken out of context, they often amplify doubts about the XRP supply mechanism and market fairness.

From a mechanism standpoint, since 2017 Ripple has continued to release up to 1 billion XRP per month through its escrow system. This process is transparent and verifiable. While, in theory, there may be a possibility of transferring rights tied to future unlocks, there is currently no evidence to suggest the existence of any so-called “secret contract.”

As new investors continue to enter the market, the importance of information verification is further increasing. This incident also once again reminds market participants that when dealing with sensitive news involving major assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, they should prioritize verifying the source to reduce the risk of misjudgment.