Has XRP Been Forgotten? Special Statements from Ripple CEO, Brad Garlinghouse

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that the company is unlikely to pursue major acquisition deals in the first half of 2026, but a more aggressive acquisition strategy may be reconsidered in the second half of the year.
At the online XRP Community Day event, Garlinghouse declared: “This year will be focused on integration. You shouldn’t expect any large acquisitions in the near future. However, don’t say ‘never’; we may start to look more positively at acquisitions in the second half of the year.”
Garlinghouse’s cautious tone indicates that Ripple does not expect to repeat the aggressive acquisition campaign of 2025 in the short term. Last year, the company invested approximately $4 billion into the cryptocurrency ecosystem through investments, mergers, and acquisitions.
In this context, Ripple acquired Hidden Road, a global credit network, for $1.25 billion, and GTreasury, a treasury management system company, for $1 billion.
Before being acquired, Hidden Road handled $3 trillion in foreign exchange transactions annually and served over 300 institutional clients. Meanwhile, GTreasury stood out as a platform offering risk management, foreign exchange (FX) tools, compliance, and audit frameworks.
Following these acquisitions, Ripple rebranded Hidden Road as “Ripple Prime” and GTreasury as “Ripple Treasury.” According to Garlinghouse, all these units are now positioned to serve the XRP ecosystem.
Garlinghouse emphasized that the company’s strategic focus is very clear, stating, “XRP is Ripple’s guiding star. That is our purpose.”
He also affirmed that all products, including Ripple Payments, Ripple Prime, Ripple Treasury, custody services, and RLUSD, are aimed at creating utility, trust, and liquidity around XRP and the XRP Ledger, with the company’s growth plans shaped accordingly.