Brad Garlinghouse: XRP Is Still The Heartbeat of Ripple

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has once again described XRP as a central part of the company’s long-term vision, but some members of the XRP community remain unconvinced.

Digital Asset Investor brought attention to Garlinghouse’s comments from Ripple’s Swell event, where the CEO connected XRP to Ripple’s original goal of building an “internet of value.”

The remarks have drawn criticism from community members who questioned whether XRP still holds the same importance within Ripple’s broader business as the company expands its stablecoin and payments operations.

Garlinghouse Reiterates XRP’s Role

In the video shared by Digital Asset Investor on X, Garlinghouse recalled Ripple’s strategy from its earliest days and explained that the company has consistently pursued the idea of an internet of value.

“You probably know, you know, Ripple from the very beginning, literally the very beginning, has articulated this vision of having an internet of value,” Garlinghouse said.

He then connected that vision directly to XRP, stating that Ripple believes it can help enable such a system and that “XRP can really be part of the heartbeat of that.”

Digital Asset Investor presented the comments as a reminder of Garlinghouse’s position on XRP and its place within Ripple’s broader strategy.

Community Members Question XRP’s Importance

The comments prompted several critical responses from XRP community members, particularly around Ripple’s increasing emphasis on RLUSD.

Jack Hannan questioned whether XRP still occupies the role Garlinghouse described, saying it appears to function as a “piggy bank for Ripple.” RM similarly expressed frustration, stating that the “heartbeat” has been “on life support for a year.”

!NFO888 took a more critical position, arguing that Ripple depends on XRP while placing greater emphasis on RLUSD. The commenter also claimed that Ripple’s recent Swell event demonstrated a stronger focus on the stablecoin than XRP.

Other comments focused on Ripple’s escrow holdings. Jesse Scharer predicted that Ripple could continue selling XRP from escrow to finance the company and develop its stablecoin, while arguing that XRP holders could ultimately be left behind.

RLUSD Becomes Central to the Debate

Black Pill for Days also questioned how XRP could achieve large-scale adoption, arguing that recent Ripple announcements have increasingly centered on RLUSD. The commenter described XRP as becoming an “afterthought” that primarily serves as a transaction-fee asset on the XRP Ledger.

These responses reflect a broader concern among some community members about how XRP fits alongside RLUSD as Ripple expands its financial products.

Garlinghouse’s comments, however, maintain that XRP remains connected to Ripple’s original vision for an internet of value. His reference to XRP as part of the “heartbeat” of that vision reinforces the company’s longstanding position that XRP has a meaningful role within the broader ecosystem, even as Ripple continues developing stablecoin, payments and institutional financial products.