XRP News Today: XRP Co-Founder Arthur Britto Holds 2% of All Tokens

Arthur Britto, a co-founder of the XRP Ledger, has been revealed as the mysterious figure holding approximately 2% of all XRP. Despite his silence, Britto continues to influence the XRP ecosystem through his early contributions, massive holdings, and ongoing work in digital asset custody solutions.

Britto was one of the core developers who co-founded Ripple Labs in 2012, alongside David Schwartz, Jed McCaleb, and Chris Larsen. His contributions were instrumental in designing the XRP Ledger, a next-generation blockchain built for speed, low cost, and scalability. Crypto historians credit Britto’s technical vision for laying the foundation for what would become one of the top digital assets by market cap.

Unlike his co-founders, Britto has remained almost entirely out of the public eye. He has avoided interviews, conferences, and even social media, prompting comparisons to Satoshi Nakamoto, the elusive creator of Bitcoin. While there’s no evidence linking Britto to Nakamoto, the secrecy has added to the intrigue.

Part of the mystery stems from Britto’s ownership of approximately 2% of all XRP tokens, a share granted under a contractual agreement at Ripple’s inception. This equates to over 2 billion XRP, a stake that underscores not just his early involvement but his lasting financial interest in the success of the network. Despite holding such a massive amount of XRP, Britto has never been accused of market manipulation or excessive selling—further cementing his image as a silent yet committed figure in the project’s development.

In June 2025, Britto broke more than a decade of public silence by posting a single emoji on X. The cryptic gesture sent waves through the XRP community, with speculation running wild about potential upcoming developments or messages hidden in plain sight. Ripple CTO David Schwartz later confirmed the authenticity of the post, giving it further weight. Some community rumors even suggest Britto believes XRP could one day reach $10,000 per token, though there’s no verified source for such a bold claim.

Britto’s influence stretches beyond the XRP Ledger. He co-founded PolySign, a company offering institutional-grade custody solutions for digital assets. PolySign’s evolution into Standard Custody & Trust Company, and its eventual integration into Ripple’s broader custody services, highlights Britto’s ongoing impact on digital asset infrastructure. Though he remains behind the scenes, Arthur Britto’s legacy is woven deeply into XRP’s codebase, economy, and future. His silence may continue, but his actions, past and present, speak volumes.

As the crypto world continues to evolve, Britto’s quiet but powerful presence remains one of XRP’s most intriguing stories. His contributions to the XRP Ledger and his ongoing work in digital asset custody solutions underscore his enduring influence on the cryptocurrency landscape. Despite his low profile, Britto’s impact on the XRP ecosystem is undeniable, and his legacy will likely continue to shape the future of digital assets.