tl;dr
Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, expressed excitement for 2025 due to the company's momentum and focus on real-world utility. Despite legal challenges, Ripple had a significant 2024, including acquiring Standard Custody, entering the stablecoin sector, and celebrating SEC Chair Gary Gensler's resig...
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is optimistic about the future of the company heading into 2025, driven by its focus on real-world utility and recent achievements. Despite facing legal challenges in the past, Ripple had a transformative year in 2024, marked by key milestones such as the acquisition of Standard Custody, entry into the stablecoin market, and the resignation of SEC Chair Gary Gensler.
Throughout 2024, Ripple made significant progress despite its legal battles with the SEC. In February, the company successfully completed the acquisition of Standard Custody, securing a valuable U.S. charter. By April, Ripple expanded its market presence by entering the competitive stablecoin sector, positioning itself as a major player alongside industry giants like Tether and Circle.
A notable event in November was the resignation of SEC Chair Gary Gensler, a figure who had been closely watched in the crypto industry. This development was seen as a positive sign for Ripple and its future regulatory outlook.
One of the highlights of 2024 was the remarkable performance of the XRP token, which experienced a significant price surge. This surge in value led to Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen's net worth increasing by over $6 billion in the fourth quarter alone. December also saw the much-anticipated launch of the RLUSD stablecoin, further expanding Ripple's ecosystem and offerings.
Notably, XRP's market capitalization exceeded that of USDT, reaching $137 billion after a strong rally at the beginning of the year. Looking ahead to 2025, there are expectations for potential approval of spot ETFs and a more favorable regulatory environment, which could further benefit XRP and Ripple's overall growth trajectory.