Bitcoin News

Story: Ripple’s Garlinghouse Backs Bitcoin as BTC Hits $81K, Rejects Maxi Tribalism

By Maheen Hernandez

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Fighting the Bitcoin-Only Reserve Push. Garlinghouse didn't just talk. He fought policy battles too.

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AI Custody and Institutional Flows. Ripple's $500 million AI custody investment targets institutional clients who need secure,…

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Ripple's CEO went public. Brad Garlinghouse told the crowd at XRP Consensus 2026 he's not an XRP purist and wants Bitcoin to win too. Bitcoin sat at $81,000 when he said it.

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Garlinghouse's comments cut against the usual crypto tribalism, where project leaders trash competitors and claim their chain will rule everything. He didn't do that.

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Market data backs up the timing. Bitcoin's spot cumulative volume delta jumped 199.1% recently, meaning buyers showed up hard and fast.

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Garlinghouse didn't just talk. He fought policy battles too. During the Trump administration's early crypto discussions, some officials floated a Bitcoin-only strategic reserve…

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Ripple reported $1.2 billion in On-Demand Liquidity volume using XRP in Q1 2026. That's a 45% jump year-over-year.

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The shift matters because crypto spent years stuck in maximalist wars. Bitcoin maxis dismissed altcoins as scams. Ethereum fans called Bitcoin outdated tech.

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Ripple's $500 million AI custody investment targets institutional clients who need secure, sophisticated asset management across multiple chains.

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Bitcoin's recent price action supports Garlinghouse's thesis. When BTC demand spikes like it did with that 199.1% CVD surge, altcoins usually follow once Bitcoin consolidates.

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More context: LINK Jumps 3% as Consensus 2026 Kicks Off in Miami, BTC Tops $80K

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The U.S. multi-asset reserve framework changed the game. Once Treasury blessed multiple digital assets instead of just Bitcoin, other governments and corporations felt safer…

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Garlinghouse's personal holdings tell the story. He owns Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP. He's not pretending XRP will replace everything.

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Ripple's Q1 numbers show the strategy working. $1.2 billion in ODL volume means banks and payment providers actually used XRP to move money, not just speculated on price.

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The AI custody push connects to institutional adoption trends. Big money wants secure infrastructure before committing serious capital to crypto.

The Currency Analytics

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