Ripple CEO’s Net Worth Nears $10B Amid Crypto Push

Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple Labs, is one of the most influential figures in the crypto world. People know him for his bold decisions and strong voice in the digital finance sector.

He has helped Ripple, a blockchain company, grow fast, sign big deals, and overcome legal challenges. Today, his fortune is close to $10 billion. Reportedly, most of his wealth comes from his shares in Ripple and his XRP holdings.

From Small Beginnings to Big Goals

Garlinghouse was born in Topeka, Kansas, in 1971. He studied economics in college and got an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1997. After school, he moved to Silicon Valley. He worked at well-known tech companies like Dialpad, AOL, and Yahoo!.

He wanted to use blockchain technology to make a difference. At Yahoo!, he wrote a bold memo in 2006. In it, he pointed out problems with how the company worked. This made people pay attention to his ideas.

Garlinghouse Leads Ripple’s Global Growth Amid Legal Hurdles

Garlinghouse joined Ripple in 2015 and became CEO in 2016. Under his leadership, Ripple has expanded to many new regions, secured licenses globally, and even formed strong partnerships with big finance firms and institutions.  

Garlinghouse has also led Ripple to launch a successful stablecoin, RLUSD. In a recent interview, he stated that Ripple aims to connect cryptocurrency with traditional finance, following its acquisition of the prime broker Hidden Road. Garlinghouse believes this will enable people and businesses to move money more easily around the world.

In 2020, Ripple was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC said Ripple, Garlinghouse, and co-founder Chris Larsen broke the law by selling XRP without approval. The SEC claimed XRP was a security, but Ripple argued it is just a digital token.

Brad Garlinghouse did not back down and defended Ripple throughout the case. In May 2025, Ripple agreed to settle by paying a $50 million fine. The court is still reviewing the deal, but many see this as a big win for the company and a good sign for other crypto companies.

Ripple CEO Calls for Fair Crypto Laws in the U.S.

Garlinghouse is not just a CEO. He is also a strong voice for better crypto laws. On July 9, 2025, he spoke at a U.S. Senate hearing. He told lawmakers that unclear rules are hurting innovation and pushing jobs overseas.

He asked the U.S. to learn from regions like the U.K. and the EU, where the rules for crypto are already transparent and fair. He urged lawmakers to create laws that will protect people but also allow companies to grow and succeed. His goal is to help build trust in digital assets while keeping the U.S. a strong place for innovation.