According to David Schwartz, the CTO at Ripple, Bitcoin is likely to remain on the top as the dominant cryptocurrency for a long time. He instead ascribes this continued dominance not to the underlying technology but rather to the network externalities that boost the value proposition. But as much as possible, Schwartz also noted that the crypto market is volatile, and change can be spontaneous.
According to Schwartz, who shared his view, network effects are the key for Bitcoin to remain the number one virtual currency. Although new technology is emerging every day, the mass use of Bitcoin does not allow competitors to overtake it soon. He pointed out that drastic changes could occur within three to five years but noted that market conditions could sometimes turn within a short time.
The prediction was made at a time when Ripple and some members of the Bitcoin community were having a war of words. Pierre Rochard, Vice President of Riot Platforms, has recently accused Ripple of preventing the formation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve. This was a response from Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, who stuck to Ripple’s position of supporting the idea of multi-token reserves compared to the single-token model with Bitcoin at the center.
Brad Garlinghouse's public endorsement of a multi-token reserve has drawn sharp criticism from Bitcoin proponents. Prominent entrepreneur Jack Mallers accused Ripple of undermining broader economic freedom, claiming the company lobbies for government support to maintain its monopoly. Mallers further criticized Ripple for creating its token, XRP, and allegedly pushing for policies that hinder Bitcoin's adoption.
Garlinghouse disclosed last week that the firm now owns more than $100 billion worth of XRP, information that comes at a time when the debate is still on. Ripple has been keen to promote the idea of a diverse monetary system, and this disclosure has only served to stoke further debate amongst the Bitcoin community who remains suspicious of Ripple’s true motives.
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