Why Ripple’s CTO Emeritus Is Pitching Privacy Protocol Names to Solana’s Top Contributor
Ripple CTO David Schwartz proposed a pool of names for a brand new privateness protocol on Solana Labs, responding to a public request from Mert Mumtaz. Schwartz’s proposed checklist included Umbra, Solstice, Veil, Specter, Obsidian, Nyx, and Obscurant.
Answering the query within the headline, it is due to the synergy between high executives from historically competing blockchain communities – $XRP and Solana – across the shared problem of privateness, and it isn’t actually shocking.
Two ecosystems, one objective
Mert Mumtaz, CEO of Helius, has change into some of the seen advocates for privateness throughout the present market cycle and has actively supported the concepts behind Zcash (ZEC). Judging by his request, his focus now extends additional towards constructing privacy-focused options immediately throughout the Solana ecosystem.
Schwartz, who serves as Ripple CTO Emeritus, brazenly acknowledged way back to final yr that the XRPL doesn’t have built-in anonymity options on the extent of Monero or Zcash, and sensible contracts on third-party programmable platforms equivalent to Ethereum and Solana.
Umbra, Solstice, Veil, Specter, Obisdian, Nyx, Obscurant
Most of those are in all probability taken, however they sound cool. To me, anyway.— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) Might 10, 2026
Nonetheless, in 2025, the $XRP ecosystem itself can also be centered on discovering technological options for privateness with assist from RippleX and unbiased builders. This yr turned a turning level due to the discharge of long-awaited upgrades equivalent to Confidential Tokens (MPT).
As a substitute of the trade’s traditional blockchain rivalry narrative – “Solana versus $XRP“ – this interplay demonstrates a direct crypto trade dialogue. Builders from completely different camps are aligned on the primary level – privateness is a critically vital sector that have to be developed via joint efforts whatever the particular community.
Thus, the primary worth of this quick alternate is that each networks are concurrently constructing infrastructure for ZK privateness: Ripple for confidential banking and Solana for ultra-cheap and quick nameless transactions inside DeFi. The emergence of a protocol equivalent to Umbra or Solstice on both community would merely change into the advertising and marketing shell for tectonic modifications which might be already happening on the code stage.
