Speaking at an XRP community event in Las Vegas, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse addressed several key issues, including the company’s commitment to XRP, US regulatory developments and the expected Clarity Act. He strongly rejected claims that Ripple was moving away from XRP, saying the company remained the world’s largest token holder and wanted it to succeed more than anyone.
Stablecoin and ecosystem growth
Addressing concerns that Ripple’s new stablecoin project, RLUSD, could replace XRP, Garlinghouse clarified that the company’s strategy has always focused on increasing XRP’s liquidity, use case and trust. He said the stablecoin would serve as a bridge for institutional clients and ultimately help grow the entire ecosystem, not replace XRP.
Regulatory outlook and legal clarity
Regarding US crypto regulations, Garlinghouse highlighted the third week of May as a crucial period for the fate of the Clarity Act. He said he was optimistic that the bill would pass if it came from the Senate Banking Committee, but warned that delays could block progress. However, he reminded everyone that XRP is already legally clear, since a federal judge has explicitly ruled that XRP is not a security in itself. This clarity is what matters most, he stressed.
IPO plans and political support
Regarding Ripple’s stock buybacks at a valuation of $50 billion, Garlinghouse said the company is in no rush to go public. He highlighted the difficulties companies like Gemini and Kraken face in their IPO processes and argued that remaining private gives Ripple more flexibility and freedom of expression. He called the politicization of cryptocurrency “madness” and announced that Ripple would continue to support “pro-innovation” candidates from both parties, following its $50 million donation to super PACs like Fairshake.
Interesting details and questions from the community
In a lighter moment, Garlinghouse explained that Ripple wanted to advertise XRP on the popular Sphere site in Las Vegas, but management allowed Bitcoin and Ethereum ads while rejecting XRP. He therefore called on the community to boycott the Sphere.
When asked directly about a token buyback plan to share Ripple’s wealth with XRP holders, Garlinghouse said it was not a near-term agenda item. He argued that holders benefit more from Ripple’s investments in ecosystem growth and institutional adoption, which increases the use case and liquidity of XRP. As for whether Ripple could do something special for XRP holders if it ultimately considers an IPO, he said such a plan is not currently on the table, although it is not completely ruled out.
This is not investment advice.
