Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said crypto will reach new all-time highs by 2026, according to recent comments. XRP reacted the way it usually does to regulatory optimism, jumping roughly 8–10% after confirmations that the SEC would drop its appeal. The bigger backdrop matters more: crypto prices tend to rise when legal fog clears and capital feels safe to return.
This is not just about one token. It speaks to a broader shift as U.S. regulators step back from enforcement-first tactics and large players start re-entering the market.
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What Did Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse Actually Say?
Garlinghouse did not promise XRP prices or give a timeline for a bull run. He said crypto as an asset class reaches new highs by 2026, driven by clearer rules and deeper institutional access.
LATEST: ⚡ Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse told CNBC he is very bullish on 2026 and predicts the crypto market will see a new all-time high this year. pic.twitter.com/1ArRTuwviB
— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) January 23, 2026
Think of regulation like traffic lights. When they are broken, big investors stay parked. When they work, money flows again. Ripple’s long SEC lawsuit froze many U.S. exchanges and funds from touching XRP at all.
That changed in March 2025 when the SEC ended its appeal. According to CNBC, XRP spiked immediately as traders priced in legal clarity.
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Why XRP Keeps Reacting to Legal News
XRP behaves differently from most altcoins because its price stayed tied to court updates for years. Every time the SEC backed off, XRP jumped. Every delay hurts confidence.
(Source: XRPUSD / TradingView)
Legal clarity matters because it unlocks basics. U.S. exchange relistings. Custody support. And the chance for spot ETFs. Analysts say an XRP ETF becomes realistic only now that courts settled the security question.
That helps explain why institutional demand keeps creeping in, including steady Ripple ETF inflows outside the U.S.
Ripple’s Business Is Expanding Behind the Scenes
Ripple also backed its words with action. The company agreed to buy prime broker Hidden Road for about $1.25 billion.
This matters because prime brokers serve hedge funds and banks. By plugging Hidden Road into the XRP Ledger, Ripple targets serious money, not retail hype. That supports Garlinghouse’s long-term view more than any tweet ever could.
Price forecasts are not facts. Macro shocks still hit crypto first. XRP already showed that during recent trade-war scares, wiping out gains fast during risk-off weeks, as seen in XRP’s recent volatility.
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