Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has reignited discussions across the crypto community after revisiting the company’s early struggles with SWIFT. His remarks, made during a recent speech shared by Black Swan Capitalist (@VersanAljarrah) on X, sparked a wave of reactions from the XRP Army, who view Ripple’s journey as proof of long-term resilience and growing dominance in global finance.
Early Rejection and Strategic Response
According to Garlinghouse, Ripple was once denied space at the prestigious Sibos conference in Toronto, an event hosted by SWIFT that brings together the world’s largest banks and financial institutions. Instead of stepping back, Ripple organized its own event nearby, transforming a warehouse into a stage that featured notable figures, including former U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke.
Garlinghouse revealed that SWIFT’s refusal became the very spark that pushed Ripple to establish its independent identity. “We couldn’t get a booth at Sibos, so we created our own event down the street,” he said, adding, “SWIFT created more of a monster by pushing us out.”
His statement quickly drew attention from XRP supporters who praised Ripple’s determination and evolution from a dismissed startup into a global player.
Ripple’s Rise and the XRP Community’s Response
Over the years, Ripple’s influence within the financial sector has expanded significantly. Once seen as an outsider, the company now collaborates with prime brokers, ETF issuers, investment banks, and major financial institutions.
Brad Garlinghouse emphasized that the same industry that once kept Ripple at arm’s length now works alongside it to advance digital finance and blockchain integration.
Crypto and blockchain technologies, which were once considered “fringe,” have become central to modern financial systems. Garlinghouse noted that they now form part of society’s financial infrastructure, supporting greater inclusion and cross-border efficiency.
In the X post, Black Swan Capitalist described Ripple as having “cornered the market with the full backing of regulators, financial institutions, and private banks.” The post also suggested that Ripple is on its path to becoming a bank of its own, with XRP at its core—fueling speculation among supporters that it could eventually rival traditional central banks.
Garlinghouse’s remarks not only revisited Ripple’s early challenges but also symbolized its transformation into a driving force in global finance. The XRP community celebrated his comments as a testament to how rejection can turn into momentum, and how innovation, once sidelined, can reshape the future of the financial world.