The XRP community has rallied against a self-described “world’s highest IQ holder” after a contentious token launch and a public clash with Ripple’s chief technology officer.
The controversy centers on YoungHoon Kim, who promoted a new crypto token linked to the XRP Ledger while claiming an IQ score of 276. Those claims, and the way the token was marketed as supporting XRP, quickly drew scrutiny from long-standing members of the ecosystem.
Credentials Questioned by Ripple CTO
Tensions escalated when Ripple CTO David Schwartz questioned Kim’s stated qualifications. Schwartz said the certificates used to back the IQ claim appeared to come from entities that seemed to be created by Kim and named to resemble recognized record organizations.
Schwartz also noted that an IQ score of 276 is not scientifically plausible. Following these remarks, Kim blocked Schwartz on social media, a move that was widely noticed and criticized within the XRP community, where Schwartz is regarded as a leading technical voice.
Token Launch Tied to XRP Branding
Amid the dispute, Kim announced a token project he said was designed to support XRP and add utility to the XRP Ledger. The plan involved a two-chain structure: one token on Solana aimed at community growth and another token on the XRP Ledger positioned as a DAO-focused asset.
Kim repeatedly described the project as “supporting XRP” and bringing “real utility” to the ledger. Many community members argued this framing was misleading, saying XRP does not require unofficial tokens promoted through disputed claims to demonstrate its usefulness.
As concerns mounted, XRP supporters issued public warnings, urging others to be cautious. Some accused Kim of leveraging the XRP name and its loyal base to generate attention for a personal token initiative.
Public Apology and Ongoing Skepticism
After days of backlash, Kim issued a public apology. He said he had unblocked Schwartz and apologized to both the Ripple executive and the broader XRP community. Kim acknowledged fault, offered no justifications for his earlier actions, and pledged to act with greater care and respect in the future.
Reactions were mixed. While some community members accepted the apology, others expressed continued skepticism, noting that trust in the crypto sector can be damaged quickly and is often difficult to rebuild.
Editorial Standards and Disclaimers
This article is based on publicly available information and aims to provide an objective account of recent events in the XRP ecosystem. It should not be considered investment advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research before making financial decisions, and neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any investment outcomes.