Ripple veteran joins Solana privacy talk with protocol name ideas

Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz entered a Solana privacy discussion on X after Helius CEO Mert Mumtaz asked for name ideas for a new protocol. 

Schwartz suggested several names, including Umbra, Solstice, Veil, Specter, Obsidian, Nyx, and Obscurant.

The exchange drew attention because Schwartz is closely tied to the XRP Ledger, while Mumtaz is one of the most visible builders in the Solana ecosystem. It also came as privacy tools gained new interest across crypto markets and developer circles.

Privacy becomes a shared topic

Schwartz wrote, “Most of these are probably taken, but they sound cool. To me, anyway.” The wording showed that the post was a light naming suggestion, not an official Ripple or Solana product announcement.

The exchange pointed to a rare moment of overlap between XRP and Solana communities. Still, it should be treated with care, as the public post only showed a naming reply, not a formal partnership between Ripple, Helius, or Solana Labs.

Meanwhile, recent coverage shows that Solana privacy work has moved beyond social media debate. crypto.news reported in April that SOL Strategies agreed to buy Darklake Labs, a Solana-native zero-knowledge privacy startup, in a $1.2 million cash-and-stock deal.

Darklake’s Zyga system targets private transaction execution and MEV protection on Solana. The product aims to hide sensitive order data while still allowing validators to verify transactions through zero-knowledge proofs.

XRP link adds wider context

Schwartz has remained active in public XRP discussions since stepping back from Ripple’s daily CTO role. crypto.news reported that he became CTO emeritus after saying he would leave day-to-day duties while staying involved with Ripple’s board and XRPL projects.

Recent coverage also showed that Schwartz remains a central voice in XRP debates. crypto.news reported on May 5 that he said his remaining crypto exposure is now mostly tied to XRP and Ripple equity.

ZK privacy gains market attention

The privacy debate also extends beyond Solana and XRP. crypto.news recently covered a Coinbase-led study with Stanford and Ethereum Foundation researchers that found some zero-knowledge privacy systems are not exposed to the same quantum risks as standard blockchain signatures.

Mumtaz has also linked privacy to crypto’s core use case. In earlier crypto.news coverage, he said, “privacy is not a narrative, private money is the entire purpose of crypto.” That remains one market participant’s view, but it helps explain why a protocol-name request drew attention across rival communities.