Former SEC Chair Made Shocking Revelation to Ripple’s CEO During White House Meet

bitcoinistPublished on 2026-03-03Last updated on 2026-03-03

Abstract

Former SEC Chair Gary Gensler privately apologized to Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse during a White House meeting on digital asset policy in late 2024, admitting he was wrong about XRP and praising Ripple’s work. This marked a significant shift after a four-year legal battle where the SEC sued Ripple for an unregistered securities offering involving XRP. Although the case created regulatory uncertainty and led to exchange delistings, Ripple secured a partial victory in 2023 when a judge ruled XRP was not a security on public markets. Gensler, who resigned in early 2025, had been a controversial figure in crypto for his aggressive enforcement approach. His apology validates Ripple’s stance and suggests a potential change in how Washington may engage with crypto.

XRP Australia 2026 turned into an unexpected window into Washington’s inner workings when Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse revealed that former SEC Chair Gary Gensler had privately apologized and admitted, during a high‐level White House meeting, that he had been wrong about XRP. The revelation marks an unbelievable shift in tone after years of aggressive SEC enforcement and a bruising legal battle against Ripple.

Related Reading: XRP Ledger Positioned For Real World Asset Explosion As Securitize Teases $400-T Market

The Room Where It Happened

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse could hardly believe it himself as he recounted to a stunned audience the encounter he had with former SEC Chair Gary Gensler near the end of 2024 at the White House, during a meeting on digital asset policy, just after the SEC–Ripple legal battle had finally wrapped up. According to Garlinghouse’s account, Gensler approached him in private after the session ended: “He comes up to me and he says sorry,” Garlinghouse recalled, laughing, still visibly astonished:

“I’m sorry, I was wrong, and you guys have done an incredible job”

How the SEC vs Ripple Battle Defined XRP

The four-year legal battle between the SEC and Ripple began in December 2020, when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Ripple for allegedly raising $1.3 billion through an unregistered securities offering tied to XRP, framing XRP itself as an investment contract. This resulted in many exchanges delisting XRP, putting the token under a huge regulatory cloud for years and the Ripple vs. SEC case becoming a symbol for the entire crypto market.

However, in 2023, Ripple achieved a very important partial victory, when a judge ruled that, despise some issues with certain institutional sales, XRP was not a security when sold on public markets.

More Than An Apology

Gensler, who stepped down from his role as SEC Chair in early 2025, became the face of the enemy for many in crypto as he pushed an aggressive “regulation by enforcement” strategy against digital asset projects, with Garlinghouse himself previously labeling him a “political liability” and an “autocrat”.

Related Reading: XRP’s Macro Plan Hasn’t Changed, And This Target Remains Valid

Therefore, his brief apology to Garlinghouse behind closed doors carries immense weight: it not only validates Ripple’s narrative that the SEC overreached but also hints at a broader shift in how Washington may choose to engage with XRP and the wider crypto industry going forward.

XRP's price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: XRPUSD on Tradingview

Cover image from ChatGPT, XRPUSD on TradingView

Related Questions

QWhat shocking revelation did former SEC Chair Gary Gensler make to Ripple's CEO during a White House meeting?

AFormer SEC Chair Gary Gensler privately apologized to Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and admitted, 'I'm sorry, I was wrong, and you guys have done an incredible job.'

QWhen and where did the encounter between Gary Gensler and Brad Garlinghouse take place?

AThe encounter took place near the end of 2024 at the White House, during a meeting on digital asset policy, shortly after the SEC-Ripple legal battle had concluded.

QWhat was the core allegation made by the SEC against Ripple in its 2020 lawsuit?

AThe SEC sued Ripple for allegedly raising $1.3 billion through an unregistered securities offering tied to XRP, framing XRP itself as an investment contract.

QWhat was the significant legal outcome for Ripple in 2023 that preceded this apology?

AIn 2023, a judge ruled that, despite some issues with certain institutional sales, XRP was not a security when sold on public markets, marking a major partial victory for Ripple.

QWhy does Gary Gensler's apology carry immense weight for the crypto industry, according to the article?

AThe apology not only validates Ripple's narrative that the SEC overreached but also hints at a broader shift in how Washington may choose to engage with XRP and the wider crypto industry going forward.

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