Ripple CEO Says Company Considered Shutting Down and Distributing XRP to Shareholders

U.S. blockchain technology company Ripple and its cryptocurrency XRP hold prominent positions in the market. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Ripple in 2020, alleging that it had conducted an unregistered securities offering. The case concerned not only Ripple’s survival but also marked a watershed for global cryptocurrency regulation, with its outcome set to directly shape the definition of digital assets and the market’s path toward compliance.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently said the company considered shutting down and distributing XRP to shareholders when it faced the SEC lawsuit in 2020. It ultimately chose to fight a four-year legal battle, spending about $150 million on litigation. A court eventually ruled that XRP itself was not a security, and the two sides formally reached a settlement in 2025, preserving hundreds of jobs.