Wietse Wind Sees XRP Dataset Charges of €7000 from Google Cloud, Gets Refund, Shocking the Ripple Community

Twitter User TheCryptoFuturist recently praised Forbes contributor and analyst Thomas Silkjaer for the use of the Big Query protocol on Google. The contributor used the ledger to create a major analysis of data, which included multiple scams that needed to be stopped. While all of these benefits have been helpful to the community, the index creator, Wietse Wind, hasn’t been having the easiest time with keeping this index active

He replied to the post with comments of his own Big Query dataset notification. According to the post, it looked as though Google Cloud was seeking to bill €7000 for the “xrpledgerdata.fullhistory” dataset for each month it is active.

However, he pointed to multiple Twitter accounts that “are using the data for research,” like Twitter users Galgitron and TheCryptoFuturist, along with Forbes.

Hi @googlecloud! I just got a notification about my BigQuery dataset "xrpledgerdata.fullhistory" that will now be billed at approximately 7000€ a month. Meanwhile people are using the data for research;https://t.co/u4qHFbkpgLhttps://t.co/vM3JYVJg5chttps://t.co/rV7bM9hG24

— Wietse Wind { 𝚡𝚛𝚙𝚕𝙳𝚎𝚟: 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 } (@WietseWind) April 2, 2019

Wind posted a follow-up comment, asking if Google Cloud was “willing to help out,” considering that he does not make any money on the work that he does. While he noted that the hosting of the XRP ledger index on Google was his preference, the affordability of keeping it there just was not a possibility.

Would you be willing to help out 😇? For the sake of research, innovation, open source, etc. 😇 I don't make any money with this project and I already pay for the infrastructure myself. I love seeing the XRP ledger indexed at @Google #BigQuery but I can't pay the 7k a month 😅

— Wietse Wind { 𝚡𝚛𝚙𝚕𝙳𝚎𝚟: 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 } (@WietseWind) April 2, 2019

Soon after the problem arose, Wind stated that he had received a message that there was in issue with the billing, saying that his account had not been charged in nearly 8 months at this point, which is why they posted it all at the same time.

I hope Google will chime in. Just got a message that they made a mistake with the billing, so all the previous months resulted in a bill of a 270€, but now suddenly the projected billing for the entire month (April) is 7000€.

— Wietse Wind { 𝚡𝚛𝚙𝚕𝙳𝚎𝚟: 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 } (@WietseWind) April 2, 2019

pic.twitter.com/SxVemYD9s6

— Wietse Wind { 𝚡𝚛𝚙𝚕𝙳𝚎𝚟: 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 } (@WietseWind) April 2, 2019

Clearly, this concern expanded to include much more than just Wind. XRPoet, a Twitter user that creates poetry online that is inspired by Ripple’s XRP token, added onto Wind’s request, urging Google Cloud to come through. Noting that it is “not for profit dataset,” he made not that this is more than just for Wind, but for the whole of the cryptocurrency community.

Hi @googlecloud, please help the entire crypto community with this issue. It's a not for profit dataset. Thx! #XRPcommunity https://t.co/ke9Vl5xQOP

— XRPoet (@XRPoet) April 3, 2019

Since the original request for help, Wind chimed in that Google Cloud came through with a solution. According to his most recent tweet, the platform managed to refund Wind for the difficulties and added $100,000 in credit that will be dedicated to the projects of XRPL Labs.

They did 🍻 They identified the problem for me, refunded, and now even gave @XRPLLabs 100,000$ in credits for our projects @ Google Cloud 😱♥️♥️♥️

— Wietse Wind { 𝚡𝚛𝚙𝚕𝙳𝚎𝚟: 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 } (@WietseWind) April 4, 2019

The entire XRP community was thrilled to hear the news, as XRPoet added a comment that the actions were

“amazing.”

That's amazing! The #XRPcommunity is united and truly special. We're definitely part of something special in this #crypto space. 🙌🙌#xrpthestandard

— XRPoet (@XRPoet) April 4, 2019

Others chimed in to praise Google as well, including Nik Bougalis of the C++ Ripple Team and Galgitron. Galgitron even called the ability that Wind had to regain the funds “the Midas touch.”

That’s awesome! Thanks @googlecloud!

— Nik Bougalis (@nbougalis) April 4, 2019

Mind. Blown. You have the Midas touch my friend :)

— galgitron (no price predictions) (@galgitron) April 4, 2019