Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has spotlighted XRP's strong market performance and growing institutional adoption, attributing its relative resilience to the legal clarity provided by a U.S. federal court ruling that deemed XRP not a security. Speaking on Fox Business's 'Mornings with Maria,' Garlinghouse praised the decision and urged broader crypto legislation to unlock the industry's full potential in the United States.
‘Brilliant’ Court Ruling Unlocks Institutional Capital
“Ripple has been fortunate. We got sued by the U.S. government and had a federal judge say XRP is not a security. We have clarity. That’s brilliant,” Garlinghouse stated. He emphasized that this judicial determination distinguishes XRP from virtually all other major digital assets, which still operate in regulatory limbo. The legal certainty has encouraged CFOs, treasurers, and corporate boards to explore Ripple's blockchain-based payment and liquidity solutions. “Ripple had a tremendous year in 2025, and we’re starting 2026 in a really strong place,” he noted, citing increased interest from institutional decision-makers.
Garlinghouse argued that the attempt to regulate digital assets under securities laws created nearly a century ago was misguided and ultimately rejected by the courts. He contrasted this with the stablecoin market, which recently gained clarity through the GENIUS Act, and called for the passage of the Clarity Act to provide similar legal guardrails for the broader crypto and blockchain industry. “The whole industry can’t live in limbo,” he stressed.
XRP Outperforms Ethereum, Bitcoin Shows Relative Strength Amid Geopolitical Volatility
Discussing market performance, Garlinghouse declared, “XRP actually has been the best performing major crypto this year.” While XRP was down about 20% year-to-date at the time of his interview, he contrasted this with Ethereum’s roughly 33% decline. As of July 8, 2026, Bitcoin trades at $66,368 (down 24% YTD), Ethereum at $1,979 (down over 33%), Solana at $84.94 (down nearly 32%), and XRP at $1.37 (down nearly 26% YTD). However, after Garlinghouse’s comments, a broad market sell-off triggered by escalating military operations in the Middle East reshuffled rankings: Bitcoin proved more resilient, trimming its losses and moving ahead of XRP on a year-to-date basis. Nonetheless, XRP’s smaller peak-to-trough decline relative to Ethereum underscores the protective effect of its regulatory clarity.
Garlinghouse emphasized that real-world utility drives adoption. “The more we demonstrate real practical utility using these technologies to solve real problems, the more you’re going to see that play out in a positive way,” he concluded.
Ripple Expands Prime Brokerage, Liquidity Services to Capture Institutional Demand
Beyond the legal victory, Ripple has been positioning itself to meet growing institutional interest through strategic acquisitions made in 2025. The company now offers prime brokerage services focused on providing liquidity, as well as blockchain-based payment infrastructure that goes beyond stablecoin use cases. Garlinghouse described stablecoins as merely the “starting line” for broader blockchain adoption, with corporate treasuries and prime brokers increasingly seeking efficient settlement and cross-border payment rails.
“Ripple, partly through some acquisitions we did last year, is in a really strong spot as we start the year,” he said, pointing to the company’s expanded capabilities in liquidity provision and custody. The CEO reiterated his bullish outlook on the crypto market, predicting that clearer federal rules could unlock significant long-term capital flows into digital assets. “If we get the Clarity Act passed, I think the whole industry can continue to thrive here,” he added.