Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse signals confidence on XRP amid regulatory uncertainty and delayed clarity in 2026

XRP is trading well below its January highs as the broader crypto market remains volatile amid geopolitical uncertainty and delays in regulatory clarity. Despite that backdrop, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has maintained a consistent public message throughout 2026: steady confidence, a focus on XRP’s role as infrastructure, and a continued push for progress on U.S. crypto regulation.

January: Davos and the institutional gap

Garlinghouse began 2026 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he framed XRP less as a speculative asset and more as neutral financial infrastructure for a world increasingly shaped by sanctions and geopolitical tension.

He pointed to stablecoin transaction volume rising from $19 trillion in 2024 to $33 trillion in 2025, describing this as about 75% year-over-year growth. He also argued that institutional interest from firms such as BlackRock and Vanguard had not yet been fully reflected in crypto prices.

“I do not think institutional interest is priced into the crypto market as much as I would have expected right now,” he said.

February: Fox Business and a bet on Congress

On Fox Business in February, Garlinghouse backed a specific regulatory timeline. He estimated an 80% to 90% chance the CLARITY Act would pass Congress by April.

He described XRP as one of the best-performing major cryptocurrencies and said the sector would soon receive the regulatory certainty it needs.

At the XRP Community Day, he also discussed Ripple’s operational priorities, saying the company would slow acquisitions and focus on integrating the $4 billion worth of companies acquired during 2025.

March: Global expansion and a revenue update

In March, Garlinghouse traveled to three continents and four global offices over five days. Ripple also announced that Ripple Prime had tripled its revenue run rate, with Garlinghouse describing the company as “on a tear.”

Throughout the period, his message about XRP remained consistent: increasing real-world usefulness and trust.

“Making XRP more useful, more trusted, with higher utility is our North Star,” he said.

April: CLARITY Act timeline pushed to end of May

At the Semafor World Economy Summit on April 13, Garlinghouse addressed the stablecoin yield dispute that has been delaying the CLARITY Act. He characterized the political dynamics as nearing a compromise.

“When people are at their peak of frustration, that is when they finally compromise, and it gets done. I think we are there,” he said.

He revised the CLARITY Act timeline again, pushing it to the end of May—his third update of the year. He said passage would enable banks globally to participate fully in crypto, describing this as “far bigger” than what Ripple alone could achieve.