The Issue of Ripple Acquiring a Bank Looms, Brad Garlinghouse Finally Opens Up!

Jakarta, Pintu News – Rumors about the possibility of Ripple (XRP) buying a bank outright are heating up again after CEO Brad Garlinghouse made a recent statement at a prestigious economic forum.

Amidst the progressive development of crypto regulations in the United States, this speculation has become a hot topic among institutional and retail investors. This move is considered as Ripple’s ultimate strategy to truly unite traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain technology, which has been the company’s main focus.

Ripple’s Controversial “Bank-First” Strategy

In his interview at the Economic Club of New York on February 18, 2026, Brad Garlinghouse responded to a question regarding bank acquisition plans with a very diplomatic answer. He chose not to give a direct “yes” or “no” answer, but reiterated that Ripple’s strategy from the beginning has been to embrace banks as key partners, not adversaries. This approach made Ripple unpopular in the early crypto community which tended to be anti-government, but has now proven to be an unparalleled strategic advantage.

Garlinghouse emphasized that Ripple has always positioned itself as a bridge between traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). To strengthen this position, Ripple has bagged various important licenses, including a trust license from the New York Department of Financial Services and a conditional charter from the OCC. With strict regulation, Ripple wants to ensure that their institutional partners no longer have any doubts about the security and transparency of digital assets such as Ripple (XRP) or the recently launched RLUSD stablecoin.

Also Read: Warren Urges Fed and Treasury to Reject Crypto Billionaire Bailout, Afraid to Favor Trump?

Impact of “Genius Act” Regulations on XRP

Ripple’s optimism in 2026 is also fueled by President Trump’s passage of the “Genius Act” legislation in July 2025, which provides a clear legal framework for payment stablecoins in the US. Garlinghouse revealed that since the act came into effect, there has been a significant increase in activity on stablecoin-based services and payments through the XRP Ledger (XRPL). This legal certainty is considered to be the “unlocking key” for CFOs and boards of directors of major banks to start adopting blockchain technology more aggressively in their daily operations.

Currently, the price of Ripple (XRP) is trading at around $1.40 or equivalent to Rp23,641, where analysts are closely monitoring the technical support levels on the weekly chart. Although the price has experienced volatility, regulatory support such as the future “Clarity Act” plan is predicted to further strengthen the fundamentals of this asset. For investors, this regulatory clarity is far more valuable than short-term price speculation, as it provides the foundation for mass adoption in the faster and cheaper cross-border remittance sector.

The Future of Asset Tokenization and Ripple’s Role

In addition to payments, Brad Garlinghouse also expressed his agreement with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink’s views on the future of asset tokenization. He believes that a very large percentage of global assets will soon move to blockchain, although the process will happen gradually across different sectors. Ripple itself continues to expand its ecosystem through strategic acquisitions in custody and capital market infrastructure to ensure XRP remains at the “heart” of value movement in this digital age.

For those of you who follow the development of the cryptocurrency world, Ripple’s maneuver in 2026 shows the company’s maturity in navigating the global financial system. Instead of trying to take down banks, Ripple is choosing to become an infrastructure provider that makes banks work more efficiently 24 hours a day, even on Sundays. This focus on real-world usability and regulatory compliance is seen as the most realistic step towards bringing crypto technology into the mainstream of the world’s transforming monetary system.

Also Read: Tron (TRX)’s Glory in 2026: King of Transactions and Digital Payment Infrastructure

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*Disclaimer

This content aims to enrich readers’ information. Pintu collects this information from various relevant sources and is not influenced by outside parties. Note that an asset’s past performance does not determine its projected future performance. Crypto trading activities are subject to high risk and volatility, always do your own research and use cold hard cash before investing. All activities of buying and selling Bitcoin and other crypto asset investments are the responsibility of the reader.

Reference:

• Jake Simmons. Will Ripple Buy A Bank? Garlinghouse Dodges But The Trail Is Clear. Accessed February 20, 2026.