Ripple CTO David Schwartz Highlights XRP Ledger’s Edge Over Bitcoin and Ethereum

Ripple CTO David Schwartz has weighed in on the ongoing debate about Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and the XRP Ledger (XRPL), emphasizing XRPL’s technical advantages. Responding to an X user’s comparison of transaction models, Schwartz stated that while Bitcoin dominates due to brand recognition rather than technical superiority, XRPL offers clear benefits over Bitcoin.

Schwartz acknowledged Ethereum’s strengths but noted a trade-off between benefits and drawbacks, making each blockchain suitable for different applications. He also addressed a broader discussion on whether Ethereum or Solana had better technology than Bitcoin, stating that ETH and SOL are naturally more advanced since they came later. However, he argued that Bitcoin’s value lies in its stability and first-mover advantage, not technical innovation.

Positioning XRPL as a middle ground between Bitcoin and Ethereum, Schwartz highlighted its mix of functionalities. While XRPL offers greater complexity than Bitcoin, it remains more straightforward than Ethereum, allowing for enhanced security while enabling more advanced transactions. However, he admitted that XRPL inherits some disadvantages from both networks, such as being less functional than Ethereum while more complex than Bitcoin.

Schwartz’s comments were a response to Pierre Rochard, VP of Research at Riot, who compared Bitcoin’s UTXO model with Ethereum’s account-based system. The UTXO model provides clarity for hardware wallets, reducing transaction errors, while Ethereum’s intricate system enables smart contracts but increases user risk. Schwartz’s insights reaffirm that blockchain networks serve different purposes, with XRPL offering a balanced approach between Bitcoin’s security and Ethereum’s flexibility.