Ripple Leaders Talk Beef and Crypto with Donald Trump

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, and former President Donald Trump held a dinner meeting at the Mar-a-Lago Resort of Trump on January 7.

This is said to be a “great start to 2025” for Ripple leaders, according to tweets Garlinghouse posted on Jan. 8. Alderoty also added a fun twist to the dinner by highlighting the beef bourguignon on the menu. This meeting brings with it some critically important developments for Ripple as it steps towards 2025 due to changes currently ongoing in the crypto ecosystem and regulatory environment.

The dinner is indicative of Ripple’s positive position after winning a lawsuit against the SEC, which accused it of selling unregistered securities through its native token, XRP (XRP). Winning against the SEC represents a significant improvement in Ripple’s reputation in the crypto industry. This decision made clear that, technically speaking, XRP was not a security and set a precedent for how regulators view a range of digital assets.

Attorney John E. Deaton notes the industry’s persistence during court proceedings and notes Ripple’s outspokenness against XRP despite more expected appeal attempts from the SEC. Deaton further takes issue with the SEC’s “questionable” discovery practices, calling them excessive. He also noted that while legal gain defended the company’s position, the decision also points to broader benefits for the cryptocurrency industry. For example, when talking about XRP, the token has surpassed Ethereum (ETH) as the second most preferred token in South Korea.

The ripple is rippling

With 75% of new hires based in the US, CEO Garlinghouse noted that the company has recently shifted its efforts to growth within the country. After years of focusing on international growth, this pivot turns the spotlight back to the American market. Additionally, Garlinghouse said that in the last six weeks of 2024, the company signed more contracts with U.S.-based companies than in the previous six months combined.

2025 is here and the Trump bull market is real. For Ripple, this became even more personal after Gensler’s SEC effectively froze our business opportunities here for years. The optimism is obvious and richly deserved.

Today:
✅75% of Ripple’s open roles are now US-based, whereas…

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) January 5, 2025

For now, the meeting at Mar-a-Lago points to effective interaction between pro-crypto leaders and policymakers. U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, known for her pro-crypto advocacy, recently held talks with Paul Atkins, who was reportedly a leading candidate for SEC chairman during the Trump administration, primarily to reform the SEC’s regulatory framework and create a friendlier environment for blockchain innovation.