Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has firmly denied claims that his company sought to acquire Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, despite recent reports suggesting Ripple considered a deal valued between $4 billion and $5 billion.
Speaking onstage at the Ripple Las Vegas conference, Garlinghouse addressed the rumors directly in a conversation with Georgetown Law professor Chris Brummer.
“Brad was unequivocal—Ripple never pursued an acquisition of Circle. And while he wished the company well, it wasn’t something he was considering,” Brummer posted on X Tuesday.
Rumors Refuted Amid Ongoing Industry Consolidation
The denial follows media speculation that Ripple, flush with cash from its XRP holdings and international expansion, was eyeing Circle as a strategic acquisition target. Such a deal would have represented one of the largest in crypto history.
Garlinghouse’s comments clarify Ripple’s stance amid broader market consolidation, where firms are increasingly exploring mergers to scale operations and diversify services.
Ripple Stays Focused on Payments and Global Expansion
Ripple has instead remained focused on its core blockchain-based payments business and global infrastructure. While Circle has gained traction in the stablecoin sector, especially with the rise of USDC, Ripple has shown no public signs of pivoting toward acquiring major stablecoin issuers.
With Garlinghouse putting speculation to rest, Ripple appears committed to building its ecosystem independently—without headline-grabbing acquisitions.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
Source: https://coindoo.com/ripple-ceo-denies-reports-of-5b-circle-acquisition-attempt/