Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse on the Future of XRP, SEC Lawsuit and the State of the Cryptocurrency Industry

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is “on the wrong side of the law” following a significant settlement in the years-long legal battle over XRP.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Fox Business’s The Claman Countdown, Garlinghouse confirmed that Ripple and SEC staff have reached an agreement to end the case, with the commission set to vote on a final dismissal. As part of the agreement, Ripple will pay the SEC $50 million, less than half of the $125 million the company initially put in escrow for potential penalties. Ripple will get back the rest, including any interest earned.

“This is a big step forward,” Garlinghouse said. “Gensler’s SEC was on the wrong side of the law. With new leadership at the SEC and the White House, we are seeing a much more constructive and pro-innovation stance.”

The broader backdrop for the Ripple-SEC deal is the changing regulatory climate in Washington. Garlinghouse praised the Trump administration’s approach to digital assets, calling out figures like David Sacks and Paul Atkins as key allies in promoting a crypto-friendly environment.

“President Trump is absolutely delivering on his promises,” Garlinghouse said. “These are people who are focused on how we can ensure that this industry thrives at home with sensible, common-sense regulations.”

The Ripple CEO cited stablecoin legislation and a market structure bill as the two most important regulatory pieces gaining momentum in Congress. Ripple recently launched a stablecoin under a New York trust license, and Garlinghouse suggested that federal clarity would benefit both companies and consumers.

Garlinghouse also touted Ripple’s latest major acquisition, which is one of the largest crypto acquisitions to date and reflects the company’s confidence in the US market.

“We could not have made this purchase a year ago,” Garlinghouse said, citing what he described as a “coordinated attack” on crypto from multiple agencies during the Biden administration. “That administration was not listening to consumers. It was not listening to voters. What we are seeing now is a complete shift.”

Garlinghouse remained optimistic despite recent market volatility, including price drops following new tariff announcements. With XRP down nearly 5% from recent highs and Bitcoin still trading 2% below pre-tariff levels, Garlinghouse noted that it’s important to take a long-term view:

“XRP has been the best performing major cryptocurrency over the last 90 days. We are investing in where the world will be in three years, not what will happen in the next six months.”

*This is not investment advice.