Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse urged the US Senate to move on the CLARITY Act, calling it the last remaining regulatory hurdle for XRP. The comments, echoed by Ripple chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty, position the legislation as a consumer protection bill built on strong AML/KYC standards and giving law enforcement and state attorneys general real enforcement tools.
Why it matters
The CLARITY Act has been the centrepiece of the digital-asset industry's multi-year push for a federal market-structure framework. For XRP specifically, a clear regulatory designation would close a chapter that began with the SEC's 2020 enforcement action against Ripple and ended with the 2025 settlement that dropped the remaining claims. Garlinghouse is essentially telling lawmakers that the only remaining piece is a clean statutory line, not litigation.
Market impact
Alderoty framed the bill as consumer protection rather than industry give-away, emphasising that leaving it on the table keeps the status quo in place and leaves bad actors room to exploit ambiguous standards. For XRP holders, the read is straightforward: passage would formalise the asset's standing under US law. For the broader market, the bill sets the template every other altcoin regulatory question will be measured against.
Frequently asked questions
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What is the CLARITY Act and why does it matter for XRP?
The CLARITY Act is US legislation that would define federal market structure for digital assets, including AML/KYC standards and enforcement tools. For XRP, passage would formalise its regulatory standing after years of SEC litigation that ended with a 2025 settlement.
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Who is Brad Garlinghouse and what did he say?
Garlinghouse is the CEO of Ripple. He urged the US Senate to pass the CLARITY Act, calling it the last remaining regulatory hurdle for XRP and pressing lawmakers not to leave the legislation on the table.
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What is Stuart Alderoty's role in this push?
Alderoty is Ripple's chief legal officer. He framed the CLARITY Act as a consumer protection bill with strong AML/KYC and real enforcement tools, and argued the status quo is the worse outcome for consumers.
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What was the SEC's case against Ripple?
The SEC sued Ripple in 2020 over its XRP sales, alleging the token was an unregistered security. The litigation wound down through 2024 and 2025, with the remaining claims settled in 2025.
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How would the CLARITY Act affect other cryptocurrencies?
A federal market-structure framework would set the template for how other digital assets are classified and regulated in the US. The bill's AML/KYC and enforcement provisions would apply across the industry, not just to XRP.
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