Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse shared a bullish outlook for the future of crypto during a panel discussion at Binance Blockchain Week, saying he has not felt this positive in years despite the recent market slowdown.
When asked why the crypto market has slipped back into a bear phase, Garlinghouse said the industry naturally moves in cycles. He explained that during “risk-on” periods investors get excited, but the current “risk-off” environment has brought uncertainty back into the market.
Garlinghouse said the pullback should not distract from the bigger picture. He says several major macro trends are now creating strong tailwinds for the entire industry as we head toward 2026.
One of the biggest shifts, he said, is the sudden change in attitude from the United States. The US makes up 22% of global GDP and was openly hostile to crypto for years, but regulators have recently moved toward clearer and more supportive rules. He said this change is happening faster than many expected, although large institutions are still catching up.
Garlinghouse pointed out that more traditional giants are stepping into the sector. He pointed out appearances from Franklin Templeton and BlackRock at the event and said even Vanguard, which once publicly refused to touch crypto, has now made a major reversal in its stance. He called this an important sign of growing institutional confidence.
“It’s no longer just speculation. We’re finally seeing crypto solve real-world problems, and that’s what supports long-term growth,” he said.
Looking ahead, Garlinghouse said the next phase of growth will come from real-world use cases rather than speculation. He says crypto platforms are becoming easier to use, and more applications are being built to solve real problems in payments, finance and everyday life.
According to him, this shift toward practical adoption will help support a stronger and more sustainable bull market over the next two years.
