Brad Garlinghouse Marks 10 Years at Ripple as XRP Soars

Brad Garlinghouse, the influential CEO of Ripple, is celebrating a decade at the helm of the enterprise blockchain company. Initially joining Ripple as chief operating officer on April 17, 2015, he was quickly promoted to CEO the following year, succeeding co-founder Chris Larsen. Before Ripple, Garlinghouse held senior roles at tech giants like AOL and Yahoo.

Garlinghouse admitted on the "World Class" podcast in 2024 that he was initially skeptical about cryptocurrencies. He had been considering a role at Uber before Larsen convinced him to join Ripple, a decision that he now says profoundly changed his life.

His leadership coincided with Ripple's explosive growth during the 2017 crypto bull run. In early 2018, Forbes reported Garlinghouse’s net worth at $9.5 billion, making him one of the industry's wealthiest figures. His role became even more prominent after Ripple was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in late 2020. Garlinghouse became a leading voice against regulatory overreach, with Ripple eventually prevailing in the lawsuit after spending $150 million in legal defense.

With XRP prices surging in late 2024, Fox Business estimated Garlinghouse’s net worth at approximately $10 billion, potentially placing him among the richest Americans. He now boasts over 1.2 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) and has achieved mainstream recognition, appearing on CBS’s "60 Minutes" to advocate for clear cryptocurrency regulations.

Garlinghouse’s journey from tech executive to blockchain billionaire underscores Ripple's resilience and influence in the evolving crypto landscape. His decade of leadership highlights his pivotal role in shaping Ripple’s strategy, regulatory stance, and global growth. As Ripple continues to expand its utility and XRP adoption, Garlinghouse remains a central figure in the crypto industry's ongoing transformation.