Ripple executives meet with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago event

Ripple’s leadership, including CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, kicked off the new year with a dinner with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The event could signal a significant start to 2025 for Ripple amid ongoing changes in the cryptocurrency market.

Ripple’s promising start to 2025

Garlinghouse shared the news in a Jan. 7 post on X, describing the night as a “strong” start to the new year.

“Great dinner last night with Donald Trump and Stuart Alderoty,” the CEO said, sharing a photo of himself, his chief counsel and the president-elect. In a separate post, Alderoty added a cheerful comment, stating: “The beef bourguignon was very good.”

The meeting follows recent reports of Ripple securing a final victory against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in its high-profile legal battle dating back to 2020.

Pro XRP attorney John E. Deaton has described the financial watchdog’s lawsuit as overblown and harmful to the crypto company’s operations. It has seen several developments and partial victories for the company, with Alderoty sharing a post on X hinting that it finally beat the regulator, sparking excitement in the crypto community about Ripple’s future.

The development also comes as Donald Trump prepares to take office. Garlinghouse recently revealed a strategic hiring shift, with 75% of Ripple’s current open positions now based in the United States. This contrasts with the previous four years, during which regulatory pressures from the SEC, under Gary Gensler, forced the company to expand primarily outside the US.

He attributed this post-election surge in crypto activity to the so-called “Trump bull market,” noting that the improved climate since his re-election has allowed Ripple to refocus on domestic growth .

Political debates and growing presence

The Mar-a-Lago dinner also aligns with broader discussions between political figures and cryptocurrency leaders. Blockchain advocate US Senator Cynthia Lummis has been in active discussions with Paul Atkins, who will become SEC chairman under President-elect Trump. Their talks focus on reforming the agency’s regulatory framework to support digital asset innovation.

Meanwhile, Ripple’s market presence continues to strengthen. XRP has become one of the best performing cryptocurrencies over the past week, with several market watchers predicting significant price gains. Captain Faibik, a cryptocurrency analyst, recently projected a potential 50% price increase for the token, while others predict a new all-time high of $4.

The firm is also expanding its product offering, with President Monica Long announcing that RLUSD will be listed on more exchanges. Ripple has also partnered with Chainlink to integrate secure and accurate RLUSD prices into the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

With its growing presence, changing regulatory environment and positive market indicators, 2025 could still be as strong a year for the company as its CEO suggested over beef bourguignon with Donald Trump.

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