Arthur Britto, one of the original architects behind the XRP Ledger and a co-founder of Ripple Labs, has emerged online with his first public post in over a decade—marking a rare appearance from one of crypto’s most enigmatic figures.
On Monday, Britto posted a “face without mouth” emoji on X (formerly Twitter), the first activity from his account since it was created in August 2011. The post quickly drew attention due to Britto’s long-standing silence. Ripple CTO David Schwartz confirmed the post was legitimate and not the result of a hack.
The Legacy of Arthur Britto
Britto played a foundational role in the early development of the XRP Ledger, alongside David Schwartz and Mt. Gox founder Jed McCaleb. The ledger officially launched in 2012 and introduced XRP, a digital asset designed for institutional-grade cross-border payments.
In the early stages, Britto also co-founded NewCoin with Schwartz, McCaleb, and Chris Larsen. The project was soon renamed OpenCoin and eventually became Ripple Labs. Britto later transitioned to an advisory role.
Though instrumental in shaping the XRP ecosystem, Britto has maintained a deliberate distance from the public eye. There are no verified photographs of him, no recorded interviews, and almost no public commentary—until now.
Professional Footprint Beyond Ripple
Britto is also the founder and president of PolySign, a blockchain infrastructure firm. He briefly appeared in regulatory filings as a director for crypto exchange Bitstamp between 2014 and 2015.
His name has surfaced in legal proceedings involving Ripple, including the ongoing SEC litigation, primarily in reference to his status as a co-creator of the XRP Ledger.
In 2015, Britto filed a lawsuit against Jed McCaleb in California, alleging that the launch of Stellar violated a prior agreement and reused Ripple’s code.
The Man Behind the Code
Despite years of near-complete anonymity, those close to Britto confirm that he is not a myth. David Schwartz has publicly clarified that Britto is a real person who prefers to operate privately and outside of the media spotlight.
While Britto’s post may have been subtle, its timing and symbolism have reignited interest in one of the most foundational—yet unseen—figures in the crypto world. His brief reemergence has stirred both curiosity and speculation as the XRP ecosystem enters a new chapter.
