Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the XRP Army, which continues to support Ripple and the growth of the XRP ecosystem.
The conference, held at MGM Las Vegas from May 30 to 31, drew its largest attendance so far, as crypto enthusiasts showed interest in Ripple’s and XRP’s affairs. Notably, over 1,000 people attended the two-day community event, where Ripple executives shared their vision and plans for the adoption of XRP.
Recently, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse took to X to appreciate the “incredible people” around the globe who make up the XRP community for gracing the XRP Las Vegas conference. He also highlighted the growing traction towards the ecosystem evident in the large attendance, noting that the event is growing from strength to strength.
Key Highlights from the XRP Las Vegas Conference
The event drew institutional presence, with prominent banking and cryptocurrency entities in attendance. Apart from Garlinghouse, Ripple CTO David Schwartz and former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Chris Giancarlo also attended the event.
Furthermore, prominent institutions, JPMorgan and Citi, sent their representatives. Blockchain firms like Uphold and Verity One, along with other industry leaders, also attended the event.
During the event, Garlinghouse discussed Ripple, its vision, and how the XRP and XRP Ledger play a crucial role in driving its blockchain-based innovation.
Meanwhile, Bitwise CEO Math Hougan also attended and spoke at the XRP Las Vegas conference on May 31. He called the large turnout “impressive,” emphasizing that XRP’s strength lies in its community.
Bitwise CIO says $XRP Strength is XRP community.
Calls a room packed with 1000 people at Las Vegas 'Impressive' pic.twitter.com/glsoctxIGU
— TheCryptoBasic (@thecryptobasic) June 2, 2025
Hougan also highlighted that XRP complements Bitcoin, as both innovations have different market targets. Hence, BTC’s growing prominence does not in any way affect XRP’s vision or its relevance in its cross-border payment niche.
FOX Business journalist Eleanor Terret and prominent lawyer John Deaton also joined the conversation. They, along with other industry leaders, discussed Ripple and XRP’s expanding ecosystem landscape and how growing regulatory clarity and a more favorable environment would drive the crypto sector toward mainstream adoption.
XRP Complements Bitcoin, but Is an Upgrade
Meanwhile, during his speech, Ripple’s CEO addressed the rivalry between the XRP and Bitcoin communities. He clarified that Bitcoin is not XRP’s enemy and blockchain technology is not a zero-sum game.
Instead of the divide-and-conquer sentiments, Garlinghouse preached collaboration. According to him, XRP could still thrive under Bitcoin’s dominance, stressing an inter-chain partnership to “grow the whole pie.”
Moreover, Garlinghouse had earlier donated the Skull of Satoshi to the Bitcoin community, attempting to appease proponents of the pioneering cryptocurrency. The peace offering drew commendations from both communities. However, a few XRP faithful also read a different meaning into the skull.
Nonetheless, the Ripple CEO had emphasized in an earlier presentation to the IMF and the Swiss National Bank that XRP is better than Bitcoin in certain applications. He noted that the XRPL native token was 1,000 times faster and more scalable than Bitcoin.
“XRP originally was built by some engineers who had seen some of the flaws of Bitcoin and the challenges of scalability around Bitcoin,” Garlinghouse stated.
He also highlighted in the presentation that XRP focuses on including banks and financial institutions, initially segregated by the emergence of blockchain technology. Furthermore, XRP’s on-demand liquidity feature could replace banking needs for pre-funding and ensure a swift and cost-effective cross-border payment system.
Remarkably, Garlinghouse’s comments sparked renewed rivalry between the two communities. Bitcoin maximalists emphasized the asset’s decentralized nature and adoption as its primary advantages over XRP.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
