Ripple’s CEO Questions XRP’s Central Role: What Does This Mean for Demand?

Brad Garlinghouse just admitted a stablecoin might outperform XRP for payments, and that single statement raises uncomfortable questions about what actually drives demand for the token his company holds billions of.

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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently said he isn’t an XRP (CRYPTO:XRP) maximalist and suggested a stablecoin might better serve some customers’ payment needs than XRP. These remarks were shared in clips on X on September 24, 2026.

An XRP maximalist believes XRP will ultimately dominate the crypto space, and many argue that Ripple’s expansion directly boosts XRP demand. As Garlinghouse leads a company closely tied to XRP, his comments raise questions about the token’s future—currently trading at $1.55 as of September 25, up 4.5% for the day.

However, XRP remains down 15.6% for 2026 and 43.4% over the past year. So, if Ripple wants to offer customers the best options for their needs, what does that mean for XRP demand?

Garlinghouse Said a Stablecoin Might Solve a Payment Better Than XRP

During a recent panel discussion focused on crypto assets, Garlinghouse mentioned that a stablecoin might sometimes be the best solution for payments, stating, “It could be that XRP is the best bridge asset for that purpose, or it could be that, no, a stablecoin is going to solve that problem better.” He emphasized that he is optimistic about various cryptocurrencies and revealed that he also holds Solana.