Ripple (XRP) CEO Brad Garlinghouse: “2026 Will Be a Record-Breaking Year”

Speaking to Fox Business at the PIF conference in Miami, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse harshly criticized past US administrations’ approach to cryptocurrencies, arguing that the new regulations represent a “turning point” for the industry.

Garlinghouse specifically described the Biden administration’s stance on crypto assets as a “meaningless war.”

Garlinghouse stated that the crypto industry has been unfairly pressured by the Biden administration over the past four years. Interpreting this as resistance to technological advancement, the CEO said, “Crypto is a digital technology. It’s the same as saying, ‘We don’t like email, let’s wage war on it.’ That never made sense to me.”

Garlinghouse argued that the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and its former chairman, Gary Gensler, were waging a “legal battle” instead of setting regulations, and that this policy was driving companies out of the US.

Eight days ago, Garlinghouse viewed the joint statement by the SEC and CFTC defining 16 digital assets as “commodities” as a major step, but stated that the real solution lies in legislation passed by Congress. Remaining optimistic about the Clarity Act, the CEO predicted it could be signed into law by the end of May.

He argued that legal clarity would break down the wall of fear that has been preventing large banks, particularly in the US, from entering the sector.

Garlinghouse stated that Ripple’s business model has grown independently of fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market, and that the two major acquisitions made last year (Ripple Treasury and Ripple Prime) far exceeded expectations.

Garlinghouse stated that stablecoins play a key role in the integration of cryptocurrencies into the mainstream financial system. Describing this as the “ChatGPT moment” of crypto, as Citibank analysts put it, Garlinghouse said that the ability for cross-border payments to be completed in seconds instead of 3-5 days thanks to stablecoins has created significant demand in the institutional world.

Garlinghouse stated that $XRP continues to revolutionize payment systems with its low cost, speed, and energy efficiency, and highlighted the increasing real-world use cases, such as the maintenance of land deed records in Dubai via the $XRP ledger (XRPL) and collaborations with the Guggenheim.

Garlinghouse concluded by stating that 2026 would be a “record year” for Ripple and that the company would continue to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance (DeFi).

*This is not investment advice.