Ripple CEO Names What to Expect in 2026 After Major Licensing in UK

Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of the San-Francisco based blockchain company, has finally shown up in the new year after multiple days of staying silent since mid-December 2025.

In an official new year post that has stirred reactions across the crypto community, Garlinghouse has kicked off the new year, expressing strong confidence in the company’s direction for 2026, urging the XRP community to watch out for bigger partnerships and acquisitions.

2026 will be more consequential: Ripple's Brad Garlinghouse

In his statement, Garlinghouse pointed to major progress in 2025, noting that the firm is aiming for even more consequential 2026 ahead.

While the CEO described 2025, particularly the final quarter, as one of the strongest years yet for Ripple, he expressed optimism about the new year.

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With Ripple’s major regulatory win in the United Kingdom on Friday, Jan. 9, the CEO signalled that the major license secured from U.K.’s FCA is only the beginning of what is to come in the new year.

Brad Garlinghouse highlighted Ripple Prime and GTreasury as the key 2025 acquisitions that have significantly expanded the company’s ability to deliver on its long-term vision of facilitating and improving access to cross-border payments.

XRP at center of Ripple's vision

While Ripple has been hellbent on fostering cross-border payments for large businesses across the world, Garlinghouse stressed that XRP plays a crucial role in this vision and this will continue to be the case as Ripple continues to expand.

With Ripple’s key developments in 2025 and the ones set to come in 2026, the firm is committed to continue developing real-world use cases for XRP and RLUSD.

As Ripple has officially secured approval of both an EMI license and Cryptoasset Registration from the U.K.'s FCA, its regulatory foothold continues to strengthen.

According to Garlinghouse, Ripple now holds one of the most comprehensive licensing portfolios in the industry, hence it is set to make 2026 even more impactful as global demand for regulated crypto infrastructure is rapidly growing.