In a recent appearance on Fox Business’s “Mornings with Maria,” Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed relatively high confidence that landmark U.S. cryptocurrency legislation known as the CLARITY Act could clear Congress as early as April 2026. Garlinghouse placed the probability at approximately 80 percent, underscoring growing bipartisan support and active negotiations between industry stakeholders and policymakers in Washington.
The CLARITY Act aims to deliver much-needed regulatory certainty to the digital asset sector.
By establishing clear guidelines for digital asset classification, stablecoin oversight, and market infrastructure, the bill would reduce the patchwork of state-level rules and ongoing legal ambiguities that have hindered institutional participation.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse: 80% Chance the CLARITY Act Clears Congress by April! 🏛️
🔹 Regulatory Certainty: The CLARITY Act's potential to provide much-needed legal framework for crypto markets.
🔹 Ripple's Growth Strategy: Recent acquisitions in custody, prime brokerage,… pic.twitter.com/LM5E6nzNib
— 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸XRP (@BankXRP) February 19, 2026
Garlinghouse highlighted that resolving differences between traditional banking interests and crypto innovators—particularly around stablecoin yield mechanisms—remains a key hurdle, yet progress has accelerated following recent White House discussions.
This optimistic outlook arrives at a pivotal moment for Ripple, which has aggressively expanded its institutional offerings through a series of strategic acquisitions totaling nearly $3 billion since 2023.
The company first strengthened its custody capabilities with the $250 million purchase of Swiss provider Metaco in 2023, followed by the acquisition of New York-regulated Standard Custody & Trust Company.
In 2025, Ripple added prime brokerage depth by acquiring Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, now rebranded as Ripple Prime, which clears roughly $3 trillion annually and supports collateralized lending involving XRP and Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD.
Additional moves include the $200 million Rail acquisition to enhance stablecoin payment rails and the $1 billion GTreasury deal to serve Fortune 500 corporate treasury needs.
These investments position Ripple as a comprehensive infrastructure provider bridging traditional finance and blockchain.
Ripple Custody now integrates advanced compliance tools through partnerships with Chainalysis and Securosys, while Ripple Prime offers multi-asset spot trading for U.S. institutions.
The company’s own RLUSD stablecoin recently surpassed $1 billion in market capitalization, demonstrating real-world traction in cross-border settlements and collateral use cases.
Meanwhile, XRP continues to demonstrate resilience amid broader market fluctuations.
As one of the top-performing major cryptocurrencies year-to-date in 2026, XRP has outperformed Bitcoin in several weekly periods, benefiting from its established role in efficient cross-border payments.
Financial institutions worldwide leverage the XRP Ledger for near-instant, low-cost settlements, a utility that stands to gain significantly from clearer U.S. rules.
Analysts note that passage of the CLARITY Act could unlock greater institutional capital flows, potentially catalyzing adoption of Ripple’s full suite of solutions.
Prediction markets briefly reflected this optimism, with implied probabilities for related market-structure legislation climbing above 80 percent in recent sessions.
Garlinghouse’s comments reflect a broader crypto and web3 industry shift toward collaboration rather than confrontation with regulators. With the bill moving closer to a vote, Ripple appears well-prepared to capitalize on the resulting clarity.
For investors and institutions alike, the coming months could mark a turning point where regulatory tailwinds accelerate the mainstream integration of blockchain technology into global finance.
As negotiations continue, all eyes remain on Capitol Hill.
If Garlinghouse’s forecast holds, the CLARITY Act could deliver the definitive framework the sector has long awaited, paving the way for sustained innovation and growth in the years ahead.