🚨 Ripple CTO Sounds Alarm on Fake Airdrops as XRP Soars to Record Highs

XRP just smashed its all-time high—and the scammers are already circling.

Ripple's Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz fired off a warning today as fake airdrop campaigns proliferate across crypto forums and social media. The alert comes as XRP's parabolic rally triggers both euphoria and opportunism in equal measure.

FOMO meets fraud

New investors piling into the green candles might not recognize the oldest trick in crypto: 'send us coins to receive free tokens.' Schwartz emphasized that legitimate airdrops never require upfront payments—a basic rule somehow forgotten during every bull run.

The compliance paradox

Ironically, XRP's regulatory clarity—the very thing that fueled its recent surge—makes it a magnet for bad actors. When a project isn't busy fighting the SEC, apparently it gets to fight wallet drainers instead. Such is progress in decentralized finance.

As the token flirts with new price discovery, remember: in crypto, the only thing that rises faster than prices during a bull market is the creativity of con artists. Stay skeptical, stay secure, and maybe—just maybe—the gains will stick around longer than the scams.

Deepfake Scams Exploit XRP Price’s ATH Momentum

The AI-generated video features a digitally manipulated version of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. In the video, Garlinghouse thanks the XRP community for their support during Ripple’s multi-year legal battle with the US SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), falsely announcing a celebratory airdrop.

“Four years ago, we entered a battle we didn’t choose. But we fought and won against the SEC… I’m launching Ripple rewards program. 100 million XRP airdrop pool created for you,” the manipulated video claims.

The scam spread online, riding the excitement after XRP price surged to a new ATH on Thursday, fueled by growing investor interest and increased new addresses

The bad actors also aim to capitalize on the conclusion of the Ripple versus SEC case, a MOVE the network’s executives know all too well.

In hindsight, Ripple has dealt with a surge in social media scams following each major courtroom success.

In August 2024, scammers promoted fake XRP airdrops after Judge Analisa Torres ordered Ripple to pay only $125 million in penalties. This was far less than the SEC’s initial $2 billion request.

Similarly, after a 2023 ruling that XRP was not a security, deepfakes and phishing attacks targeting Ripple investors also increased.

“A lot of scammers are taking advantage of the recent good news to try to cheat and steal. There are no airdrops, giveaways, or special offers associated with this ruling,” David Schwartz warned at the time.

Schwartz took to social media to expose the latest scam, with the Ripple CTO posting a warning on X (Twitter).

Obvious scam is obvious.

Despite malicious actions from bad actors, analysts remain optimistic about the Ripple price rally. On-chain metrics suggest XRP still has potential for further upside. However, as euphoria swells, so too does fraudulent activity.

Against this backdrop, Ripple has consistently reminded users that the company and its executives will never initiate token giveaways, ask for personal details, or request fund transfers.