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Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David “JoelKatz” Schwartz, recently shared his view that blockchains are not only about cryptocurrencies but could also solve many other problems. He explained that the fintech company’s vision has always gone beyond digital coins, dating back to Ryan Fugger’s trust line idea in 2004. This early work, according to him, became the base for the company’s approach to connecting institutions and building trust networks. 

Ripple’s Vision Started With Trust Networks And Enterprise Adoption

The Ripple CTO pointed to Fugger’s work as the actual starting point for Ripple’s technology. Fugger builds his trust line system around the idea that people and institutions could form reliable networks of trust without always needing cash or coins in the middle. According to the CTO, this early concept eventually became the foundation for Ripple’s technology and the Interledger Protocol (ILP).

According to him, the Interledger Protocol, which connects different payment systems around the world, can, in many cases, work better than cryptocurrencies. “For those use cases where this is better than a cryptocurrency, there’s no world where people use cryptocurrencies instead of these kinds of solutions.” He added that this does not worry him because cryptocurrencies today are only a small fraction of what they could eventually become.

When the need is about trust and cooperation between established players, distributed ledgers like ILP can provide smoother and more practical outcomes. In his view, this does not detract from cryptocurrencies but demonstrates that blockchain can serve multiple roles simultaneously.

He explained that distributed ledgers offering solutions, even for problems that are not solved best with crypto, will make blockchains more useful for everyone. Rather than trying to take the place of cryptocurrencies, the aim here is to highlight the many uses of blockchains, with that broader value pushing adoption forward.  

Ripple CTO Explains Where Cryptocurrencies Still Have The Edge

The Ripple CTO also explained that cryptocurrencies remain vital in certain situations. “Digital assets without counterparties, without jurisdictions, that are censorship resistant and, yes, also volatile should only be used for the use cases where those things are truly advantages,” he said. He pointed out that these features are not helpful in every case but matter greatly where they are required.

The volatility and decentralized nature of digital assets are not weaknesses in those contexts but advantages in specific situations where independence and openness matter most. For example, when users need assets that cannot be blocked or controlled, cryptocurrencies provide a clear solution.

In his view, the best outcome is not to treat enterprise blockchains and cryptocurrencies as rivals but as partners in a larger ecosystem. Distributed ledgers can deliver better solutions while still leaving space for digital assets to thrive in the areas where they are most effective. This way forward is what will keep blockchain meaningful and functional well into the future.

Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView.com

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