XRP News Today: Crypto Splits Over Satoshi's RipplePay Praise, XRP Link

A recent surge of speculation has emerged in the cryptocurrency community regarding whether Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, expressed interest in Ripple's early concepts. This debate centers on alleged 2009 email exchanges between Nakamoto and Martti Malmi, an early Bitcoin developer, where Nakamoto reportedly described Ripple as "interesting" for its approach to decentralized trust modelsDid Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Turn Bullish on Ripple XRP ... - Coinpedia^[1]. The references, however, are tied to RipplePay, a precursor to today's XRP Ledger, and predate the creation of XRP by three yearsDid Satoshi Secretly Endorse Ripple Before It Existed?^[2]. Ripple CTO David Schwartz has acknowledged that Nakamoto was aware of RipplePay, noting that Ryan Fugger, the project's original architect, developed it before transitioning the concept to Ripple LabsRipple CTO Explains How Satoshi Nakamoto Was …^[3].

Critics emphasize that no verified cryptographic evidence or blockchain records confirm the authenticity of these emailsWhat Satoshi Nakamoto Said About Ripple Over 10 …^[4]. The discussion has intensified divisions between Bitcoin and Ripple supporters, with the latter interpreting the remarks as early validation of Ripple's vision, while the former caution against historical revisionismHere's What Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Was Saying About …^[5]. Malmi's public sharing of the correspondence has further fueled interest, though he has stressed that Nakamoto's English was exceptionally precise, and no spelling errors were noted in their exchangesDecoding Satoshi Nakamoto's Hidden Affection for …^[6].

The distinction between RipplePay and the XRP token is critical. The 2009 comments focus on RipplePay's trust-distribution model, which differs from the XRP Ledger's current structureCOINTURK NEWS - Bitcoin, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency News …^[7]. Ripple's CTO clarified that Fugger's initial design involved interoperable centralized assets, lacking the decentralized asset creation later integrated into XRPRipple CTO Explains How Satoshi Nakamoto Was …^[3]. This historical context underscores the need to avoid conflating Ripple's early iterations with its present-day incarnation.

Amid the debate, Ripple's legal representative, John Deaton, highlighted a 2014 U.S. Government Accountability Office description of XRP as a decentralized payment systemRipple CTO Explains How Satoshi Nakamoto Was …^[3]. Meanwhile, the timing of Nakamoto's remarks-predating XRP's 2012 launch-has raised questions about the feasibility of his direct involvement with the tokenCould Satoshi Be a Major XRP Holder? Ripple’s CTO …^[9]. A 2023 court deposition featuring Schwartz reignited speculation when he suggested that Nakamoto "probably held an enormous amount of XRP," though this claim is temporally inconsistent given Nakamoto's disappearance from the crypto space by 2011Could Satoshi Be a Major XRP Holder? Ripple’s CTO …^[9].

The cryptocurrency community remains divided. Some view the alleged endorsement as a testament to Ripple's foundational role in blockchain innovation, while others dismiss it as speculative hypeDid Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Turn Bullish on Ripple XRP ... - Coinpedia^[1]. Ripple has not officially commented on the matter, and Bitcoin Core developers have not weighed in. As the narrative evolves, the lack of verifiable proof ensures the claims remain unconfirmed, reflecting broader challenges in tracing the origins of decentralized technologiesSatoshi Owning XRP? Timeline Conflicts Make Ripple …^[10].