Ripple chief executive Brad Garlinghouse and board member David Schwartz discussed their vision for XRP in a video recorded at the Swell conference on Oct. 28. Garlinghouse said he expects XRP to continue emerging as the "institutional gold standard" for crypto payment rails within five years.
Strategic Role of XRP
Garlinghouse explained that Ripple will prioritize XRP where it fits customer needs, while also using fiat currencies or Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, for other transactions. He noted that XRP serves as a bridge asset between currency pairs, complementing RLUSD, which is issued on the XRP Ledger and provides liquidity and transaction volume.
Retail Adoption Outlook
Schwartz projected mass retail adoption of blockchain technology, likening its future accessibility to that of the internet. He described blockchain’s potential to handle everyday financial activities such as money management, payments, investing, lending, and borrowing.
Transaction Growth Targets
Ripple reported that its products facilitated more than $16 trillion in transactions in 2025 and projected a $900 million annualized product revenue run rate by year‑end. Garlinghouse said that 99.9% of those transactions still used traditional rails, but the company aims to move 1% to 3% of transaction activity on‑chain in the coming year, which he characterized as a substantial shift.
Expansion into Corporate Treasury
The firm is expanding its RLUSD corporate cash‑management services, offering 24/7 returns on qualifying digital assets held in Ripple wallets, subject to program requirements.
Garlinghouse reaffirmed Ripple’s commitment to the XRP ecosystem, stating, "We will never give up on XRP."
