Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said that it is unlikely the company will pursue new large acquisitions in the first half of 2026, but a more aggressive acquisition strategy could be on the agenda again in the second half of the year.
Garlinghouse stated at the online XRP Community Day event, “This year will be more of an integration year. You shouldn’t expect any other major acquisitions in the near future. However, you should never say ‘never’; we may start looking at acquisitions more eagerly again in the second half of the year.”
Garlinghouse’s cautious tone suggests that a repeat of Ripple’s aggressive acquisition drive in 2025 is not expected in the short term. Last year, the company injected approximately $4 billion into the crypto ecosystem through investments, mergers, and acquisitions.
In this context, Ripple acquired Hidden Road, a global credit network, for $1.25 billion, and GTreasury, a treasury management systems company, for $1 billion.
Prior to the acquisition, Hidden Road handled $3 trillion in exchange transactions annually and served over 300 institutional clients. GTreasury, on the other hand, stood out as a platform offering risk management, foreign exchange (FX) tools, compliance, and audit frameworks.
Following the acquisitions, Ripple rebranded Hidden Road as “Ripple Prime” and GTreasury as “Ripple Treasury.” According to Garlinghouse, all of these units are now positioned to serve the XRP ecosystem.
Garlinghouse stated that the company’s strategic focus is clear, saying, “XRP is the North Star for Ripple. That is our purpose.”
Garlinghouse stated that all products, including Ripple Payments, Ripple Prime, Ripple Treasury, custody services, and RLUSD, aim to create utility, trust, and liquidity around XRP and the XRP Ledger, and that the company’s growth plans are shaped accordingly.
*This is not investment advice.
