David Schwartz - CTO Ripple: Major Upgrade to XRP Ledger Coming Soon

Staying resilient in a constantly fluctuating cryptocurrency market, XRP Ledger (XRPL) seems to be preparing for a significant technical transformation. David Schwartz, the CTO of Ripple, has publicly confirmed that discussions about restructuring the entire XRPL have entered a practical phase, no longer just theoretical. This could become one of the most groundbreaking upgrades in the history of this ledger.

Crypto commentator Xaif (@Xaif_Crypto) has accessed Ripple CTO’s exchanges, pointing out that Rust — a programming language known for safety and superior performance — is being considered as the primary tool for this project.

Why XRPL Needs a Structural Change

According to Ripple’s CTO, the issue isn’t performance but design. Currently, XRPL operates with a monolithic architecture, where three main components — consensus mechanism, transaction processor, and customer query system — are tightly integrated.

While this model works efficiently, it limits development potential. A modular design — as envisioned by Ripple CTO David Schwartz — could separate these components, allowing them to evolve independently without affecting user data or transaction history on the ledger.

The choice of Rust is not accidental. This language offers strong memory safety and predictable performance — two key factors for a ledger managing billions of dollars in XRP liquidity.

Virtual Machine: The Key to Standardization

One of the most prominent proposals from the CTO is to use a (Virtual Machine) to isolate the transaction processing engine. Schwartz admits that having multiple different execution environments currently “would be very complex to manage.”

A VM-based approach will standardize how transactions are executed, while allowing different parts of XRPL to use various languages. This addresses challenges from floating-point mathematical issues and execution order problems, which Ripple’s CTO has identified as sources of current complexities.

Schwartz further proposes an additional layer of “more transparent, more organized, more coherent” logic to enhance determinism and reliability in XRP payment processing.

What Does This Mean for XRP Holders

According to Xaif’s analysis, these discussions are the preparatory steps to make XRP ready for the future. A modular XRPL architecture will open the door for more developers without compromising the integrity of the consensus system.

An important point to remember: no user data will be altered. XRP balances, transaction history, and supply mechanisms will remain intact. This upgrade focuses solely on technical infrastructure, not economics.

David Schwartz has also announced plans to step down from his CTO position, potentially allowing him to focus more deeply on major technical initiatives like this. XRPL always prioritizes stability, and these conversations indicate it is also preparing for a sustainable long-term future.