Bitcoin's Secret War Against Ripple: A Decade of Sabotage Unveiled in Epstein Files
A decade-old email to Jeffrey Epstein reveals Bitcoin maximalists' covert war against Ripple and Stellar, exposing a long-running ideological battle over crypto's future. The 2014 message, obtained via the Epstein Files Transparency Act, shows Austin Hillāthen Blockstream CEOālabeling Ripple and Stellar as "bad for the ecosystem" by diluting Bitcoin's narrative.
Austin Hill wrote: "Ripple, and Jed McCalebās new Stellar were bad for the ecosystem." Blockstream later denied ongoing ties to Epstein, but the email underscored a broader conflict between Bitcoin maximalists and advocates of alternative blockchain infrastructure.
Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz noted: "Hill felt that support for Ripple or Stellar made someone an enemy/opponent."
Ripple's 2025 SEC settlement and the launch of institutional XRP ETFs, including Franklin Templeton's product, marked its evolution into a regulated financial infrastructure player. Leonidas Hadjiloizou, a blockchain analyst, contextualized the email: "The email to Epstein and Joichi Ito by Austin Hill was just another effort by Bitcoin maxis to fight Ripple and Stellar."
Jack Mallers of Twenty One Capital added another layer to the conflict, accusing Ripple of lobbying against a Bitcoin-only U.S. strategic reserve due to XRP's "centralized nature."
This tension highlights the ideological divide between Bitcoin's decentralized ethos and Ripple's hybrid model, which balances innovation with regulatory compliance.
Recommended Reading
- Bitcoin's Institutional Paradox: Bear Market Label Coexists with Undervaluation Belief
- XRPās Contradictory Crossroads: Panic Selling Meets Institutional Buying Amid Record Liquidity
Look, Ripple's regulatory pivot contrasts sharply with Bitcoin maximalism. The 2025 settlement didn't just resolve legal uncertaintyāit positioned XRP as a viable asset for institutional portfolios, challenging Bitcoin's narrative dominance in ways Hill's 2014 email never could.
ā ļø LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
