Brad Garlinghouse Taunts Bitcoiners as Ripple Advocates Diversified Crypto Reserve

• Ripple advocates a diversified strategic crypto asset reserve.
• Bitcoin maximalists criticize Ripple's approach.
• Debate highlights divisions in crypto community over national strategies.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently took to social media to comment on the growing tension between Bitcoin enthusiasts and XRP proponents. In a post on X, Garlinghouse stated: “Slow weekend, anything exciting happen?” The comment was interpreted as a provocation, reigniting the debate over Ripple’s influence on the crypto market and its stance on Bitcoin.

Slow weekend, anything exciting happening?

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) January 26, 2025

The rivalry between the communities intensified after Pierre Rochard, vice president of research at Riot Platforms, accused Ripple of lobbying against the creation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve in the United States. Rochard alleged that Ripple would be promoting an alternative based on multiple crypto assets, which displeases Bitcoin maximalists, who defend the exclusivity of cryptocurrency in the national financial strategy. The idea of ​​a diversified reserve system, defended by Garlinghouse and other Ripple executives, places XRP as one of the assets that could be included, something that was not well received by more conservative sectors of the market.

At the time of publication, the price of XRP was quoted at $2,96 with a drop of 5.8% in the last 24 hours.

In response, several industry figures have responded. Strike founder Jack Mallers accused Ripple of undermining “prosperity” and “freedom” in the United States through its political initiatives. Swan Bitcoin’s Brady Swenson called XRP a “centralized fraud” disguised as a digital asset, reinforcing the argument that Ripple exerts too much control over its currency. Bitcoin evangelist Samson Mow said that Ripple has not received enough criticism and that the community should be tougher on the company.

The discussions took an even more controversial turn when Alexander Leishman, CEO and CTO of River, drew a parallel between Ripple and Enron, a company involved in one of the biggest financial scandals in US history. According to him, “Ripple is an American company in the same way that Enron was an American company. Taxpayers do not want to support their fraud.” This statement further intensified the divisions among investors, who were already debating the role of XRP and its relationship to decentralization in the crypto ecosystem.

At the time of publication, the price of Bitcoin was quoted at US$99.861,80 with a drop of 4.8% in the last 24 hours.

Rochard has also been vocal in his criticism of Ripple, questioning its credibility by claiming that the company is trying to convince the government to buy XRP while simultaneously selling large amounts of the token on the market. “You want the government to buy XRP, and yet Ripple is a huge seller of XRP? With all due respect, be consistent if you want to have any credibility.” He also suggested that the company is moving “billions of XRP” to exchanges, preparing for a possible “crash” after the asset’s appreciation.

The impact of these statements was reflected in the market, with XRP registering a slight devaluation amid the discussions. Currently, the token is trading at US$ 3,14, while Bitcoin remains quoted at US$ 102.378. In addition to political and strategic issues, the clash between the Bitcoin and XRP communities reflects a broader dispute over the future of cryptocurrencies and their roles in the global market. Bitcoin maximalists continue to argue that the cryptocurrency is the only one that should be used in national financial strategies, while companies like Ripple argue that a more diversified model can bring long-term economic benefits.

As tensions mount, the crypto landscape remains divided, with no sign of the conflict being resolved any time soon. The debate is likely to continue, especially as the market reacts to Ripple’s moves and Bitcoin advocates’ responses.