Ripple CEO Garlinghouse says he holds Solana, backs five-coin five-year basket
At the Faena Forum, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said he owns some Solana, is not an XRP maximalist, and told investors to buy the top five cryptocurrencies by market cap and hold them for five years.
Why it matters
The CEO of one of the largest XRP-linked companies is publicly recommending a basket that includes a rival chain's token, and is declining the maximalist position many XRP holders hold. His comments on XRP's non-security status, drawn from the 2023 Analisa Torres ruling, and his denial that Ripple controls XRP feed directly into the company's ongoing US litigation narrative.
Key facts
Garlinghouse said he owns a small amount of Solana and is not an XRP maximalist.
Reported by CoinGape
Garlinghouse said he is not trying to convince investors to buy XRP.
Reported by CoinGape
Crypto News identified the five-coin basket as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether (USDT), BNB and XRP.
Reported by Crypto News (CryptoNews.net)
Garlinghouse made the remarks at the Faena Forum event.
Reported by The Crypto Basic
Brave New Coin reported that the remarks were made earlier in 2026 and gained renewed attention in September.
Reported by Brave New Coin
Garlinghouse cited a 2023 ruling by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Ripple's case against the SEC to argue XRP is not a security.
Reported by The Crypto Basic
Garlinghouse said XRP is a potential bridge asset for cross-border payments and that stablecoins can suit some use cases better.
Reported by Brave New Coin
What happened
Speaking at the Faena Forum event, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said he owns a small amount of Solana and is not an XRP maximalist, being bullish on a bunch of cryptos for a bunch of reasons. CoinGape and Crypto News report that when asked why someone should hold XRP rather than Solana, Garlinghouse declined to make the case for Ripple's own token, saying he is not here to convince anyone to buy XRP. Instead he proposed buying the five largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization and holding them for the next five years, which Crypto News lists as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether (USDT), BNB and XRP. Brave New Coin, reporting in late September, said the comments were made earlier in 2026 and had resurfaced, and that Garlinghouse argued the right asset depends on the problem being solved, conceding stablecoins can be the better answer in some cases and seeing XRP as a potential bridge asset for cross-border payments. The Crypto Basic separately reported from the same forum that Garlinghouse said XRP is not a security because a federal judge ruled so, citing a 2023 decision by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Ripple's case against the SEC, and that he said price is set by supply and demand, with XRP having a fixed supply. Crypto News later reported that Garlinghouse rejected the claim that Ripple controls XRP, calling such claims disinformation, and that this is part of why Ripple ended up in a US government court case. What is not established is how much SOL he holds or when any of these remarks were originally made, since only Brave New Coin addressed the timing and described the forum remarks as earlier-2026 comments.
How the story developed
- First report
First report by CoinGape
XRP Gets A Big Shock As Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Declares He Owns Solana
- Update
Garlinghouse says he owns some Solana and is not an XRP maximalist
Declared he is bullish on a bunch of cryptos and does not try to convince people to buy XRP.
- Update
Garlinghouse names the five largest cryptocurrencies by market cap as a five-year hold
Crypto News lists the basket as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, BNB and XRP.
- Official statement
Garlinghouse cites 2023 Analisa Torres ruling on XRP's non-security status at Faena Forum
Also said XRP price is set by supply and demand and has a fixed supply.
- Independent corroboration
Independently corroborated by Brave New Coin
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Says XRP and Solana Can Both Thrive in Crypto’s Next 5 Years
- Update
Brave New Coin reports the remarks resurfaced in September
Outlet said the comments date from earlier in 2026 and resurfaced as XRP and Solana traded near technical levels.
- Official statement
Garlinghouse rejects the claim that Ripple controls XRP
Said the assertion is false and part of why Ripple had to prove otherwise in a US government court case, and called such claims disinformation.
How coverage built up
Independent sources over time, counted the way the consensus panel counts them: a republication of a wire story does not move the line.
- 25 Sept 2026, 12:29 UTC: CoinGape — 1 independent source, 1 reports
- 25 Sept 2026, 12:53 UTC: Crypto News (CryptoNews.net) — 2 independent sources, 2 reports
- 25 Sept 2026, 13:13 UTC: The Crypto Basic — 3 independent sources, 3 reports
- 26 Sept 2026, 19:02 UTC: Brave New Coin — 4 independent sources, 4 reports
Affected entities
Also mentioned: United States, Tether USDt, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, BNB, USD Coin
Original sources
| Publisher | Report | Role | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| CoinGape Crypto media | XRP Gets A Big Shock As Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Declares He Owns Solana | Original | |
| Brave New Coin Crypto media | Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Says XRP and Solana Can Both Thrive in Crypto’s Next 5 Years | Independent | |
| The Crypto Basic Crypto media | Ripple Brad Garlinghouse Reveals What Makes XRP More Valuable | Syndicated | |
| Crypto News (CryptoNews.net) Aggregator | Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse Unveils 5-Year Cryptocurrency Strategy! Bitcoin, XRP, and Three Altcoins on the List! Here are the Details | Syndicated | |
| Crypto News (CryptoNews.net) Aggregator | CEO Brad Garlinghouse Uses $150 Million Hack To Debunk The ‘Ripple Controls XRP’ Claim | Syndicated |
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