Crypto Tribalism is the enemy of the industry’s progress – Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse

At the Digital Asset Summit 2025 in New York, Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse said he has no animosity against other cryptocurrencies and that “tribalism is the real enemy of progress.” He appeared at the conference moments after posting a video on social platform X confirming that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had lifted the lawsuit against his company.

At the start of his chat with Bitwise Asset Management CEO Hunter Horsley, Garlinghouse bashed the SEC’s approach to regulating the crypto industry, particularly its case against Ripple.

“The system just feels broken that we had to fight this fight for the industry,” Garlinghouse said. “The SEC was attacking the industry, but in Ripple’s case, there were no victims, no investor losses. They were trying to bully, not acting in good faith.”

He added that Judge Analisa Torres’ ruling in 2023, which brought down the SEC’s allegations against Ripple for selling XRP to investors as a security, was a win for the company.

“This is a moment to celebrate,” he said. “We as an industry are on the other side of it, and that’s good for Blockworks, that’s good for Bitwise, that’s good for Ripple.”

Pro-crypto U.S. administration and crypto tribalism

Garlinghouse talked about how the US government has changed its approach to crypto under the Trump administration. He praised the appointments of Scott Bessent and David Sacks, calling them “incredibly smart people” who are creating a better regulatory environment for digital assets.

“And look, I hope that even those that have been anti-crypto have realized there is, there’s no reason to be anti-crypto. And you saw that impact a lot of elections. This congress is definitely on both sides of the aisle, pro-innovation and pro-crypto,” he remarked.

The CEO then addressed issues with the divisions within the crypto community, arguing that internal conflicts are slowing industry growth.

“I’ve been saying this for at least five years, tribalism is the enemy of progress,” he said. “It’s OK to want your project to succeed, but this is not a zero-sum game. Thinking that someone else has to lose for you to win, that mindset just doesn’t make sense.”

Tribalism is the enemy of progress here

– Garlinghouse pic.twitter.com/gok7JpBAl2

— Digital Asset Summit 2025 (@blockworksDAS) March 19, 2025

Horsley referenced a social media post in which Garlinghouse called for unity in the industry, only to be met with an insult labelling him a “shitcoiner.”

“We need to bring more people into the industry, show that we can solve institutional-grade problems,” Garlinghouse said. “Posting insults and attacking others in the space doesn’t help. How do we go from a $3 trillion market to a $30 trillion market? Not by fighting each other.”

He asserted that he will continue advocating for the whole crypto industry in the White House.

“Ripple couldn’t get a meeting with anybody at the White House over the last four years. And now we’re invited in. When I go to Washington, I am very much about how do we think about the whole industry’s success.”

Garlinghouse: I’m bullish on Bitcoin

Addressing his stance on Bitcoin, Garlinghouse made it clear that he is a long-time holder of the cryptocurrency and remains bullish on its future.

“I’ve owned Bitcoin since 2012. I am bullish on Bitcoin. Period. Full stop.”

The CEO acknowledged that he was initially concerned about Bitcoin mining operations being concentrated in China and insisted that he made claims about “BTC being controlled” by the Asian country based on factual circumstances at the time.

“There was a period when a vast majority of Bitcoin mining was in China. That’s no longer the case, and I think that’s good for the industry,” he reckoned.

“The industry moves faster when we work together. I will support a whole lot of people in this room that that uh… that mindset really resonates with me and there are so many great people you know I think,” Garlinghouse concluded.

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