XRP Community Tensions Boil Over as Ripple CEO Defends Token’s Role

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse defended XRP’s role after an XRP commentator known as Fiduciary Ledger 17 criticized him and CTO Emeritus David Schwartz, arguing that Ripple’s expansion into stablecoins and institutional finance has not strengthened demand for XRP. The post, reposted by other accounts, accused Ripple of benefiting from community support while favoring RLUSD, its stablecoin, and enterprise products, and called for XRP to reach a fair value of $15 to $20. At Swell 2026, Garlinghouse rejected the idea that Ripple had abandoned XRP, calling it the company’s central focus, while saying fiat or RLUSD can sometimes better suit transactions. XRP is trading 66% below its all-time high from July last year.