Garlinghouse Says All Ripple’s Acquisitions Are in Service of How to Promote XRP Adoption and Utility

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says every acquisition and major project Ripple has pursued seeks to improve XRP adoption, utility, liquidity, and trust.

He made the remarks during the opening day of Consensus 2026 in Miami. Speaking at the event, Garlinghouse said Ripple has always been one of the strongest supporters of the XRP ecosystem.

Key Points

• Brad Garlinghouse said Ripple’s acquisitions focus on improving XRP adoption, utility, liquidity, and trust.
• Ripple has spent around $3 billion on acquisitions since 2023 to expand its institutional reach.
• Garlinghouse said he is not an XRP maximalist, as he supports a multi-chain crypto industry.
• XRP remains down over 25% this year despite Ripple’s continued business expansion and partnerships.

Ripple CEO Says Company Growth Still Centers on XRP

During Day 1 of Consensus 2026, Garlinghouse noted that Ripple still owns a large amount of XRP, but pointed out that this does not give the company control over the asset because XRP does not run on a proof-of-stake system. 

According to him, Ripple continues to focus on actions that benefit the XRP ecosystem, including acquisitions and new infrastructure designed to increase XRP adoption, improve liquidity, expand its utility, and build more trust around the token.

His comments come as Ripple continues an expansion push that has reportedly cost the company around $3 billion in acquisitions since 2023. 

Garlinghouse has often described XRP as Ripple’s “North Star,” saying that the company’s efforts ultimately lead back to the token. He has also maintained that Ripple remains deeply invested in XRP’s future success.

Despite this, Garlinghouse made it clear during the Consensus 2026 discussion that he does not consider himself an XRP maximalist. Instead, he said he wants the entire crypto industry to succeed instead of different blockchain communities competing against one another.

XRP Price Struggles Despite Ripple’s Progress

While Ripple has continued to expand its business and institutional reach, XRP has still struggled alongside the broader crypto market. The token is currently down more than 25% this year.

Crypto analyst Chart Nerd recently discussed this current situation. According to him, XRP price action may not be where investors want it to be, but Ripple has achieved major milestones over the past two years.

Chart Nerd said Ripple has spent much of the current market downturn building the foundation for future growth. He stressed that the company’s acquisitions and partnerships are important steps that could help TradFi firms move on-chain.

The analyst also referred to comments Garlinghouse made during Consensus 2026 about Ripple Treasury. For context, Garlinghouse projected that Ripple Treasury could move 30% of its $13 trillion yearly volume on-chain within the next five years.

Analyst Says Ripple Is Building for the Long Term

Chart Nerd said Garlinghouse continues to acknowledge that the crypto market is still in a difficult period. He pointed out that Bitcoin remains below its all-time high, while XRP has fallen roughly 60% from its peak.

According to the analyst, Garlinghouse understands that market downturns are part of crypto cycles. However, Chart Nerd argued that Ripple has used this period of weaker prices to expand its network, improve partnerships, and strengthen institutional connections.

He highlighted several developments that he believes show Ripple’s long-term direction. These include confirmation of Ripple Treasury’s integration with SWIFT, as well as growth in Ripple’s partnership program.

Chart Nerd also noted that Ripple Prime became listed on the NSCC as a netting participant under the DTCC framework. In addition, Ripple Prime was confirmed as a participant in the DTCC tokenization service in July 2026.

The analyst called these developments major building blocks for Ripple’s future. He argued that many traders focus too heavily on short-term price swings instead of the bigger picture. Even if XRP drops further in the near term, Chart Nerd believes the token’s long-term direction still points upward.