Ripple’s longtime CTO, now emeritus, and XRP Ledger co-architect, David Schwartz, revealed two of the ecosystem’s strangest origin stories. They involve Arthur Britto, cognitive oddities and a Grateful Dead song.
It all started with a question about who first coined the term “drop” for the smallest unit of XRP. According to Schwartz — while he could not say definitively — his best guess was Arthur Britto.
He then opened up with a rare comparison between himself and Britto, explaining that while he operates on a high level of conventional intelligence, Britto’s intellect functions on an entirely different plane, possessing traits that most people lack
While Schwartz processes quickly, Britto used to ask him to slow down during explanations, even when discussing his own ideas.
Grateful Dead and Ripple? Yes!
Next, the conversation veered into Ripple trivia, when another user brought up the fact that the company’s name overlaps with a Grateful Dead song and that Ripple’s old 404 page once featured the band’s “Dancing Bear.”
It turns out there was indeed a connection, as Schwartz explained that Ripple acquired its domain name from a fan of the band, who had registered it years prior because of that song — not because of any direct company decision.
So, for now, Schwartz demystified three longstanding questions in the XRP community: the origin of the term “drop,” the difference in intelligence between the two XRP architects and the musical roots behind Ripple’s online identity.
On a casual Thursday, the legacy behind XRP and Ripple just got a little deeper and a lot more eccentric.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
XRP Long Liquidations Jump as Crypto Market Loses $285M
Key insights
XRP long traders lost $3.22 million in 24 hours, far exceeding short losses, as liquidation imbalance surged to 537% overall today.
Although XRP rose 0.37% to $1.31, traders expecting a stronger rebound toward $1.50 instead faced rapid liquidations across exchanges
CryptoNewsLand3h ago
What next as XRP rises to $1.33 but fails to break out
XRP is currently trading around $1.33, showing slight upward movement but lacking a breakout. Volume is up, indicating potential positioning rather than strong conviction. Key price levels to watch are $1.30 as support and $1.34-$1.35 as resistance, with XRP remaining range-bound in the meantime.
CoinDesk4h ago
XRP Eyes $1.50 Breakout as Price Holds Critical Range
XRP trades in a tight range, testing support near $1.33 and resistance $1.40–$1.42.
A breakout above $1.50 could signal bullish momentum toward $1.52–$1.60.
Breakdown below $1.27 may extend the current downtrend and increase selling pressure.
Ripple’s XRP continues to trade within a
CryptoNewsLand10h ago
What next as XRP rises to $1.33 but fails to break out
XRP is currently trading around $1.33, showing slight upward movement but lacking a breakout. Volume is up, indicating potential positioning rather than strong conviction. Key price levels to watch are $1.30 as support and $1.34-$1.35 as resistance, with XRP remaining range-bound in the meantime.
CoinDesk04-03 16:44
