Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has disclosed that the company's settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could potentially involve payment in XRP, while also forecasting a $200,000 price target for bitcoin.
Key Settlement Details: XRP as a Payment Option
In an April 11 interview with Fox Business, Garlinghouse revealed that the SEC will end up with $50 million in penalties, and Ripple has discussed making that payment available in XRP. "The U.S. government is going to get $50 million. We even talked about making that available in XRP," he said. The company originally placed $125 million in escrow but will retain the majority under the terms of the agreement.
Garlinghouse called the deal "a major step forward" for Ripple and the broader crypto industry. The agreement still requires final approval from SEC commissioners, but it represents a significant shift in the regulator's stance toward digital assets.
Regulatory Environment: From Headwinds to Tailwinds
Garlinghouse credited changes in leadership at both the SEC and the White House for creating what he described as "tailwinds" rather than hostility. The mere mention of XRP as a potential settlement instrument marks a notable departure from previous SEC positions, which had challenged XRP's status as a security. "Such progress would not have been achievable under the previous administration," he stressed, adding that the U.S. is now moving toward a more stable and innovation-oriented framework.
This regulatory pivot is expected to benefit not only Ripple but the entire U.S. crypto ecosystem. Garlinghouse noted that Ripple is now well-positioned to expand domestically under the new regulatory climate.
Bitcoin Price Prediction: $200,000 Not Unreasonable
When asked about the broader crypto market trajectory, Garlinghouse declined to predict XRP's price ("it's too close to home") but offered a bold forecast for bitcoin. Referencing Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson's prediction that bitcoin could reach $250,000 by the end of this year or next, Garlinghouse stated: "I will predict bitcoin… I think $200,000 is not unreasonable."
He emphasized that the market is still underestimating the significance of the U.S. moving from headwinds to tailwinds. "People are still not fully quantifying how significant that is," he concluded. The prediction aligns with growing institutional adoption and the potential for a more crypto-friendly regulatory framework under the current administration.
Market Impact and Outlook
The Ripple-SEC settlement discussions have sent ripples through the crypto market, with XRP prices rising modestly on the news. Analytics firms view the potential use of XRP for settlement payments as a validation of the token's utility. Meanwhile, Garlinghouse's bitcoin forecast has reignited debates about the next bull run, with some analysts noting that a $200,000 target would require a roughly 150% increase from current levels.
Bitcoin was trading around $80,000 at the time of the interview, down slightly from its all-time high but still up significantly year-to-date. The final SEC vote on the Ripple settlement is expected within weeks, and market participants are closely monitoring the outcome.