Ripple CTO claims Coinbase sought millions for XRP listing, raising concerns about fairness, transparency, and exchange listing practices in crypto industry.
The discussion around XRP listing on major exchanges has gained attention again. Recently, Claims made by Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer have pointed out that the listing decisions can be financially demanding. As a result, questions around fairness and transparency in crypto exchange listings have begun to grow among users and industry watchers.
Allegations of listing fees and exchange practices
Ripple CTO David Schwartz has spoken in the past about Coinbase’s and the company’s claims regarding Coinbase and its XRP listing process. He suggested that Coinbase asked for millions of dollars before agreeing to listing XRP. Therefore, Ripple reportedly did not want to pay so much money initially.
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These claims are in regards to what are often called listing fees. In the crypto industry, exchanges may charge projects for the technical setup, as well as legal review. However, this is a controversial practice. Some believe it is useful for covering costs, while others believe it puts an unfair barrier on smaller projects.
According to Schwartz, XRP at the time was already a major cryptocurrency. Despite this it was not listed for several years. This raised concerns as many users were expecting a top digital asset to be easily available. Therefore, the delay was a surprise for many people in the crypto community.
Meanwhile, Coinbase has denied direct charging of listing fees. Instead, the company claims to go through a strict review process, the company says. This process is a check on legal safety, security, and technical standards. As a result, Coinbase believes that listing decisions are not based on payments, but on quality and compliance.
Timeline of XRP and Coinbase relationship
The relationship between XRP and Coinbase has had several phases. First, Coinbase listed XRP in 2019 after there was an increasing demand from users. At the time, XRP had already become one of the largest cryptocurrencies in terms of market value. Therefore, the listing was considered to be an important step in the realm of accessibility.
However, in 2021 Coinbase suspended trading of XRP. This decision was made following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing a lawsuit against Ripple. As a result, the lawsuit alleged that XRP was an unregistered security. As a result, many exchanges halted trading in order to minimize legal risk.
Later in 2023 a court order brought some clarity. The decision said that XRP did not constitute a security when sold to the general public. Therefore, Coinbase decided to relist XRP for retail trading. This was the turning point of the on-going situation.
More recently, Ripple and the SEC have arrived at a resolution in early 2025. This settlement helped put an end to a long legal fight. As a result, XRP was able to gain stronger support on major platforms. As the legal uncertainty lessened, market confidence also improved.
Industry debate and broader impact on crypto listings
The debate surrounding XRP and Coinbase is indicative of a broader debate in the crypto industry. Many projects use exchanges as a means of reaching users. Therefore, listing of decisions play an important role in success. However, the process itself is not always completely transparent.
On one hand, exchanges have to deal with risks and comply with regulations. Developers, on the other hand, would like access to markets that are fair. As such, both sides are forced to balance business needs and user expectations. This is a challenge for the industry.
Additionally, listing delays can have an effect on a project’s growth. When the tokens are not broadly available, there may be limited trading volume. However, once listed, assets often come under more attention. In the case of XRP, it became an important component of exchange revenue following listing. Therefore, access to listings can make a big difference in terms of money.
Overall, claims made by Ripple’s CTO has renewed interest on how exchanges operate. While Coinbase has said it is following the standard procedures, the discussion raises the concern about fairness that continues to exist. As the crypto market continues to grow and expand, perhaps transparency in listing practices is increasingly important for trust and adoption.