Ripple CTO Breaks Silence on IPO and Cashout Plans for Early Backers

As a researcher with a keen interest in blockchain technology and its implications, I find David Schwartz’s insights particularly enlightening. Having been involved in numerous startups myself, I can relate to his perspective on Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).


There was an interesting discussion involving Ripple CTO David Schwartz in the crypto space on the topic of companies going public. Initially, the view was expressed that all tech companies that have gone public in recent years have performed dismally in their IPO offerings. 

Another debater concurred, pointing out that within the startup community, such decisions are often perceived as a financial exit opportunity for those involved. To illustrate, consider a scenario where a developer accepts a low wage to work on a project, but with the expectation of equity in the future company. This equity gains value simply by going public.

Schwartz, known for his active participation in various startups and emerging projects, including being one of the founding designers of the XRP Ledger, chose to contribute to the conversation as well.

As a researcher, I find the recent statements regarding Ripple’s potential Initial Public Offering (IPO) intriguing. With the resolution of legal disputes with the SEC, at least until an appeal is submitted, it appears that the path to public listing for this cryptocurrency company is becoming clearer. Remarkably, estimates as high as $30 billion have been tossed around, which coincidentally aligns with the current market capitalization of XRP – a cryptocurrency that Ripple actively employs in its day-to-day operations.

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Schwartz stated that getting into the money through an IPO for the developers matters, unless they can sell their shares on the secondary market, participate in buybacks or tender offers, and receive dividends. If the company is doing well enough and management allows it, there are plenty of other ways to turn your shares into dollars, Schwartz states. 

In simpler terms, an Initial Public Offering (IPO) can serve as a viable exit strategy for a company if it’s unable to achieve its goals or doesn’t have enough of them. On the flip side, Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer mentions that early investors often become apprehensive when they are significantly delayed from their planned liquidity dates.

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2024-08-21 16:06