In a surprising development that sent ripples through the cryptocurrency market, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty met with former President Donald Trump for dinner, fueling speculation about potential crypto policy changes under the upcoming Trump administration.
The high-profile meeting, which took place at Mar-a-Lago, coincided with several major announcements from Ripple, pushing XRP prices up by 3% in 24 hours.
While details of the dinner conversation remain private, crypto community members suggest the meeting likely covered substantive policy discussions, particularly given CLO Alderoty's presence. The timing appears strategic, as Trump has recently announced appointments of several crypto-friendly figures to key positions in his incoming administration.
"The beef bourguignon was really good," remarked Alderoty cryptically after the meeting.
Adding to the momentum, Bitstamp announced the listing of Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin on the Ethereum network. The stablecoin, designed for institutional use cases, is now available on six platforms, with Ripple President Monica Long indicating more exchange listings are imminent.
Long also shared optimistic predictions about XRP ETFs in a recent Bloomberg Crypto interview. "We will see one very soon," she stated, suggesting that XRP ETFs would likely follow Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in gaining regulatory approval.
The confluence of these developments marks what could be a transformative period for Ripple. With three companies already filing for spot XRP ETFs with the SEC, and Trump's promised crypto-friendly regulatory framework on the horizon, 2025 appears poised to be a pivotal year for the digital asset company.
XRP currently trades at $2.44, reflecting growing investor confidence in Ripple's expanding ecosystem and regulatory prospects. The company's business doubled within Ripple Payments in 2024, establishing a strong foundation for continued growth.