Brad Garlinghouse-Trump Encounter Boosts XRP Speculation

XRP Rises 2% Amid Ripple’s Strategic Engagement with Trump

XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger, saw a 2% uptick on Wednesday, standing out amidst a broader crypto market downturn. This rise comes on the heels of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty dining with President-elect Donald Trump, generating speculation that the token could see further support under his upcoming administration.

Garlinghouse took to X, sharing a picture from the dinner and writing, “Great dinner last night … A strong start to 2025.” His post sparked further enthusiasm within the crypto community, signaling positive developments for Ripple in the new year.

Since Trump’s victory in November 2024, XRP has experienced a staggering 300% gain, far surpassing the performance of other major cryptocurrencies. In comparison, Bitcoin and the CoinDesk 20 Index saw declines of around 2.5% in the last 24 hours, while Dogecoin (DOGE) has “only” doubled in value.

Aurelie Barthere, a principal research analyst at Nansen, highlighted that investors are eagerly anticipating new catalysts to continue the bullish trend. She noted that news around cooling U.S. inflation and labor markets, along with clarity on the Trump administration’s financial policies, could further support the crypto rally. Barthere also pointed out that Ripple’s engagement with Trump is seen as a “bullish sign” for XRP’s future.

Ripple’s plans for an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), coupled with the recent approval of its U.S. dollar stablecoin RLUSD, have also added fuel to the positive momentum. RLUSD was officially listed on Bitstamp earlier this week and has further boosted Ripple’s profile in the market.

Zahreddine Touag, Head of Trading at Paris-based market maker Woorton, remarked that there has been a noticeable increase in XRP buying activity, particularly from retail brokers and crypto-native funds. “The strong news flow from Ripple, especially surrounding the potential XRP ETF and the RLUSD launch, has definitely sparked renewed interest,” Touag said.

As Ripple’s strategic steps continue to unfold, XRP remains in the spotlight, with its price trajectory closely tied to both the regulatory environment and the company’s ongoing efforts to align itself with major players in the U.S. financial landscape.