Ripple Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz has clashed with Craig Wright over the latter's persistent claims to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Wright recently argued that civil courts cannot declare fraud, suggesting past rulings against him were mere opinions rather than legal conclusions. Schwartz countered this by emphasizing that fraud is a well-defined legal concept, and multiple courts have consistently deemed Wright's actions fraudulent due to forged documents and inconsistent statements.
Schwartz referenced legal rulings that have dismissed Wright's authorship claims of the Bitcoin white paper published in 2008, highlighting that these are formal decisions, not subjective opinions. His rebuttal, made on November 16, 2025, aimed to clarify the legal truth and prevent narrative distortion around Bitcoin's origins.
In a separate discussion, Schwartz addressed Bitcoin's growing role in payments, citing Jack Dorsey's announcement that Square introduced Bitcoin payment services for four million U.S. merchants with zero fees until 2027. When asked who would pay in Bitcoin, Schwartz replied "everyone," explaining that people are willing to spend Bitcoin because it is valued by recipients, underscoring its relevance despite price volatility.
