Ripple’s Apex 2025 summit in Singapore opened with a bang!
CEO Brad Garlinghouse took the stage alongside Ripple President Monica Long and GFTN CEO Pat Patel, diving deep into crypto – from meme coins to how institutional momentum is picking up.
And in a notable turn, Garlinghouse had a few new things to say about Dogecoin.
Garlinghouse Softens on DOGE, But Memecoins Aren’t Off the Hook
After years of being critical of meme coins, Garlinghouse took a more measured approach this time, admitting that they aren’t going anywhere. “It’s part of the ecosystem. It plays a role,” he said, referring to Dogecoin’s high liquidity.
Still, his core view hasn’t changed much, especially when it comes to long-term value. “I’ve never purchased a meme coin, ever,” he said, warning that the space is still filled with scams, rug pulls, and hype with no real users or products.
Even Elon Musk’s role came up. Garlinghouse admitted Musk “brought a lot of capital to the ecosystem with Dogecoin,” but suggested the fallout has also made it harder for serious projects to be taken seriously.
Why Stablecoins Are the Real Focus
There was another discussion as to what Ripple sees as the more important corner of crypto right now: stablecoins. Garlinghouse said he remains “bullish on stablecoins,” and pointed to Tether and USDC as clear front-runners.
Ripple is already deeply involved – 20% of USDC’s distribution happens on the XRP Ledger. “This use case will be more important,” Garlinghouse noted, highlighting the potential for Ripple to play a major role in this growing space.
He also referenced the success of Circle’s recent IPO as a sign of where the market is headed. “Circle IPO’s clearly went very well. That’s a reflection of investor interest in crypto, both institutions and retail,” he said.
Regulation Is Finally Catching Up
Garlinghouse believes the U.S. is turning a corner on regulation. He pointed to the GENIUS Act, a stablecoin bill expected to pass the Senate soon, as a key reason for the optimism.
“Regulatory headwinds have now become tailwinds in the U.S., and that’s good for the global landscape,” he said.
Other countries, including Hong Kong and South Korea, are also moving forward with their own stablecoin frameworks. That global shift could make regulated crypto adoption more realistic in the near term.
XRP and the Institutional Push
Beyond the talk of memes and stablecoins, the bigger picture at Apex 2025 was Ripple’s focus on institutional adoption. Garlinghouse emphasized how XRP is being seen less as a speculative asset and more as infrastructure for cross-border finance.
As banks and governments explore blockchain use cases, Ripple’s message is clear: XRP is built for the long game, and institutional support will be key to driving its next chapter.
With strong momentum and regulatory clarity finally in sight, Ripple is positioning itself and XRP right at the center of crypto’s next growth cycle.
