Ripple co founder Chris Larsen on how crypto can be made useful, highlighting the strengths of XRP
About Chris Larsen
Chris Larsen, co-founder and executive chairman of Ripple, has been active in discussing the company's progress and the broader cryptocurrency landscape. In October 2025, he announced that Cross River Bank and CBDW had become the first U.S. banks to join the Ripple protocol, describing the development as a step toward demonstrating that distributed ledgers are viable alternatives to correspondent banking. Larsen stated that the strategy involves securing a bank in each key global region to create a multiplier effect, and noted that Ripple has about seven institutional market makers. He has also spoken about the potential for blockchain technology to improve carbon credit markets, arguing that it could make them "radically transparent" and help ensure fair pricing for participants such as farmers in Africa. Larsen has frequently addressed regulatory and reputational challenges facing the crypto industry. He has said that "reputational risk" and a lack of clear rules are holding back adoption, and that the industry needs to work on getting law enforcement and banks comfortable with the technology. He has described the current U.S. regulatory approach as "regulation by enforcement" and advised entrepreneurs not to start crypto businesses in the U.S., pointing to jurisdictions like London, Singapore, and Dubai as having clearer rules. Larsen has also characterized the internet of value as "the final step in globalization," arguing that while data and goods are interoperable globally, money is not. In addition, he has commented on local issues in San Francisco, including homelessness and public safety, and has supported community benefit districts and camera networks in the city.