Ripple CEO donates ‘skull of Satoshi’ in surprise peace offering

While Bitcoin is the largest cryptocurrency, other leading cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, XRP, and SOL, are always vying to capture the top spot.

Though the intense competition among different crypto assets often leads to heated debates among the community, it ultimately benefits users as blockchain networks keep getting faster and safer due to the continuous efforts of the developers to attract a larger user base.

Amid such intense rivalry, Brad Garlinghouse, the billionaire CEO of the blockchain tech and payments firm Ripple, has extended an olive branch to bridge the gap between different crypto communities. On May 28, it came to light that Ripple donated an art installation called the "Skull of Satoshi" to the Bitcoin community.

Satoshi Nakamoto is the name used by the pseudonymous individual or group who developed Bitcoin.

As crypto and blockchain technologies become widely used, it's time for crypto communities to set aside their differences in order to work together to push the industry forward, Ripple CEO wrote on X.

Garlinghouse said though the "Skull of Satoshi" was created to raise awareness about energy usage, it's now a symbol of Bitcoin’s "incredible staying power" to individuals around the globe, including himself. He added that BTC, XRP, and other crypto communities have "more in common than we think."

Did Ripple support anti-Bitcoin initiative?

Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong teamed up with Greenpeace USA, a leading environmental advocacy organization, to create the art installation and unveiled it in March 2023.

Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen had supported the initiative that criticized Bitcoin for "ravenous" consumption of fossil fuels due to its "outdated" code. However, Ripple's support for the installation was also understood to be a dig at a leading rival.

Story ContinuesVon Wong later said the installation wasn't meant to be "anti-Bitcoin" and mining wasn't a "simple black-and-white issue," as they earlier believed The artist hoped that Bitcoin would shift toward a sustainable model.

The Bitcoin community nonetheless embraced "Skull of Satoshi," even if ironically.

The installation is currently on display at the ongoing Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas and will find its permanent home at the Bitcoin Museum in Nashville.

Ripple CEO donates ‘skull of Satoshi’ in surprise peace offering first appeared on TheStreet on May 28, 2025

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