Ripple CEO Garlinghouse Advocates XRP's Role in Global Finance

Brad Garlinghouse, who took over as Ripple CEO in 2016 after serving as the company's Chief Operating Officer for a year, has been a steadfast advocate for XRP over the past decade. He has utilized various media platforms, conferences, and interviews to underscore the asset’s potential within the global financial ecosystem.

A community account known as XRP Investing recently compiled a series of Garlinghouse’s most notable statements about the token. These remarks, drawn from past and recent engagements, reflect his enduring commitment to advancing the digital asset’s utility and value.

Garlinghouse has frequently highlighted XRP’s strengths, particularly in cross-border transactions. During an early Ripple Swell conference, he noted that XRP was uniquely designed to handle large-scale international payments efficiently, setting it apart from many other digital assets that lack similar utility.

In a 2018 appearance at the Yahoo Finance Summit, Garlinghouse linked Ripple’s growing involvement in solving global payment issues with the increasing relevance of XRP. He suggested that the firm’s expansion into cross-border financial services would drive demand for the asset in multi-trillion-dollar markets.

Later that year, during a Ripple Swell interview, he emphasized XRP’s superior transaction speed and cost efficiency. According to him, the asset processes transactions significantly faster and at a lower cost than Bitcoin, making it more practical for real-time use.

Garlinghouse has also addressed XRP’s regulatory and structural status. In an August 2019 discussion about a class action lawsuit against Ripple in 2018, he expressed confidence that XRP does not qualify as a security. He referenced regulatory opinions from various jurisdictions to support this stance.

He has also emphasized the token’s operational independence from Ripple. In a 2017 interview, Garlinghouse stated that XRP could continue functioning without Ripple’s involvement, pointing to the asset’s decentralized nature.

In a 2018 podcast, Garlinghouse shared the story of XRP’s creation, highlighting how early Bitcoin contributors developed it to address Bitcoin’s scalability and energy consumption issues. The asset, he said, was built as a more efficient digital currency from the outset.

Garlinghouse has not shied away from discussing Ripple’s business model. In a 2020 interview, he acknowledged that the company’s profitability and positive cash flow have partially depended on sales of its XRP holdings. Presently, Ripple holds over 41 billion XRP.

More recently, Garlinghouse has expressed optimism about XRP’s future within the financial industry. In October 2024, he indicated that he believes XRP will inevitably be included in exchange-traded fund (ETF) offerings, highlighting its growing legitimacy.

In January 2025, amid broader discussions around digital assets suitable for a potential U.S. crypto reserve, Garlinghouse disclosed that he holds XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. He advocated for a diversified reserve model that does not rely on a single cryptocurrency.

For a decade, Brad Garlinghouse has passionately advocated for XRP, highlighting its potential to revolutionize financial systems. From emphasizing its transaction capabilities to defending its regulatory status and forecasting its institutional future, his leadership has helped shape XRP’s global narrative and Ripple’s strategic direction.