Ripple CEO Predicts Big Wins For Clarity Act And XRP

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse used a Feb. 18 appearance on Fox to argue that US crypto coverage is nearing a turning level, predicting the long-stalled CLARITY Act will go by the top of April and framing regulatory certainty as a direct catalyst for broader trade progress, together with for XRP, which he emphasised has already cleared a key authorized hurdle.

Why Ripple CEO Garlinghouse Is Bullish

Garlinghouse pointed to shifting Washington momentum and mentioned prediction markets have moved in favor of passage. “The CLARITY Act spiked due to feedback yesterday, from [a] senator […] I believe now 90% will go by the top of April,” he mentioned. “I mentioned a pair weeks in the past I believed on the end of April […] individuals talked about [being] optimistic.”

He added that the White House is now actively pressing stakeholders, describing a gathering “in the present day with a number of leaders on either side (crypto and banking) within the White House, […] [with] the White House pushing onerous.”

Pressed on Ripple’s place, Garlinghouse argued the invoice’s flaws are much less necessary than ending what he forged as a coverage vacuum that has pushed the sector into enforcement battles. “Our place [is] very a lot, don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress,” he mentioned. “No invoice is ideal […] we’d like readability.”

He contrasted Ripple’s posture with the broader trade’s scenario by referencing the company’s long-running US legal fight. “Ripple has been lucky — sued by [the] authorities — a decide […] say[ing] XRP just isn’t a safety. We have readability,” Garlinghouse mentioned, earlier than reiterating the purpose in starker phrases when requested straight: “Not a safety. Courts dominated clearly.”

In his telling, the CLARITY Act is supposed to maintain crypto from being pressured right into a securities regime that doesn’t map cleanly onto what number of networks and tokens operate. “If one thing is a safety, all types of obligations as a result of […] you personal a part of the corporate,” he mentioned, contrasting that with crypto tokens the place holders sometimes don’t obtain dividends or governance rights analogous to electing a board. He additionally claimed the prior administration’s method “failed in courts,” arguing {that a} fashionable framework is required for the US to compete.

Ripple’ Strategy And XRP

The interview additionally touched on the sector’s pullback from highs. Garlinghouse tied a few of that weak spot to coverage delays. He mentioned the CLARITY Act getting “pushed [and] stalled, late January […] didn’t assist,” whereas arguing Ripple entered 2026 with sturdy momentum after what he referred to as “an incredible 12 months in 2025.”

On relative efficiency, he claimed XRP has held up higher than different majors. “To your level, crypto markets, XRP greatest performing main crypto, down 20%,” he mentioned, whereas noting different belongings have been down materially extra from peaks.

He framed Ripple’s technique as proving demand by enterprise use circumstances relatively than retail narratives: “The extra we show actual sensible utility utilizing applied sciences to resolve actual issues, [the] extra you see that play out in a constructive approach.”

Garlinghouse cited Ripple’s M&A push as a part of a broader effort to construct infrastructure that appeals to company finance groups. He mentioned Ripple has spent “three billion {dollars} [on] acquisitions since 2023,” together with increasing into “custody, prime [brokerage], treasury administration, stablecoin [and] fee” capabilities.

He highlighted the treasury-management agency it acquired, saying it “processed 13 trillion {dollars} funds final 12 months,” and emphasizing how early institutional stablecoin adoption nonetheless is: “Crypto-enabled, zero of these have been stablecoin enabled.”

For now, he instructed dealmaking is taking a again seat to integration. “We purchased two massive corporations final 12 months […] the primary half of this 12 months [is] very a lot on let’s pause […] combine,” he mentioned, including: “For time being, we’re going to decelerate, earlier than we velocity up.”

Garlinghouse additionally argued the CLARITY struggle is now not “crypto versus banks,” pointing to massive incumbents wanting a rulebook. He mentioned the “overwhelming majority of the crypto trade” is ready to simply accept imperfect language, together with round buyer rewards, as a result of it could be “a serious step ahead.” He added that banks at the moment are leaning in as nicely, citing Goldman Sachs management as wanting “the identical stage enjoying discipline” to compete as conventional finance strikes deeper into crypto.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.4196.