Ripple CEO: XRP Remains Core Strategic Direction, M&A May Resume in Second Half of 2026

Odaily News Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated during an online XRP community event that XRP remains Ripple's "North Star." The company will focus primarily on business integration this year, making large-scale acquisitions unlikely in the short term. However, it does not rule out reassessing merger and acquisition opportunities in the second half of 2026.

Garlinghouse pointed out that last year, Ripple invested approximately $4 billion into the crypto ecosystem through investments, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic partnerships. This includes the $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road and the $1 billion acquisition of treasury management platform GTreasury. Compared to the aggressive expansion in 2025, the company will focus more this year on integrating existing businesses and resources.

He also stated that future M&A activities will still revolve around strengthening the XRP ecosystem and its practical applications, but the overall pace will be more cautious.