As the crypto industry pushes for broader regulatory recognition and inclusion, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has taken aim at Senator Cynthia Lummis, one of the most outspoken pro-Bitcoin lawmakers in the U.S. His criticism follows a canceled meeting in Washington, D.C., and reflects growing tensions between advocates of a multichain crypto future and staunch Bitcoin-only supporters.
Garlinghouse Calls Out Snubbed Meeting: “Be a Leader for All of Crypto”
During a visit to the nation’s capital to continue Ripple’s legislative outreach, Garlinghouse revealed that a previously scheduled discussion with Senator Lummis had been abruptly canceled, with no attempt made to reschedule. Expressing his disappointment via X (formerly Twitter), he urged the Wyoming Senator to embrace her role as a representative for the entire digital asset space — not just Bitcoin.
“I hope you will reconsider and be a leader for ALL of crypto,” Garlinghouse wrote, offering a public invitation for a live or virtual conversation to bridge their perspectives. As chair of the Senate Digital Assets Subcommittee, Lummis has significant influence over upcoming crypto legislation — making her perceived partiality a point of concern for Garlinghouse and many others in the space.
Bitcoin Maximalism vs. Multichain Realism
The disagreement taps into a deeper ideological rift in the crypto world: the long-standing divide between Bitcoin maximalists and advocates of a broader blockchain ecosystem. Lummis has built her political identity around her unwavering belief in Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and central bank overreach. She’s encouraged Americans to view Bitcoin as a reliable retirement asset and has remained consistent in framing it as the “gold standard” of crypto.
But critics argue that this narrow focus ignores the technological advancements and real-world applications emerging from other blockchain networks — including Ripple’s XRP Ledger. Garlinghouse, a vocal proponent of regulatory parity, believes that treating Bitcoin as the only legitimate crypto asset stifles innovation and marginalizes millions of investors and developers building on alternative chains.
Community Reactions Reflect a Divided Landscape
Unsurprisingly, the crypto community quickly weighed in. Supporters of a multichain future viewed Lummis’s canceled meeting as a dismissive move. One user on X, @DarkScarf89, speculated that the Senator’s decision may reflect discomfort with diverging views on a level playing field for all crypto assets.
On the other side, Bitcoin diehards applauded Lummis’s decision. Bitcoin advocate Troy Cross thanked her for “keeping the scammers at bay,” a jab clearly aimed at Ripple and XRP — which have long faced skepticism among BTC purists, especially during Ripple’s high-profile legal battles with the SEC.
This online discourse highlights an evolving debate about who gets to shape crypto policy in Washington — and whether a Bitcoin-only lens can effectively address the complexities of today’s decentralized economy.
XRP Futures Debut Fuels ETF Optimism
Meanwhile, momentum around XRP continues to grow. On the same day that these tensions flared, CME officially launched XRP futures, adding another institutional-grade product to the market. The launch is being hailed by XRP advocates as a signal that regulatory clarity — and possibly a spot XRP ETF — may be closer than ever.
Garlinghouse has previously stated that he expects a spot ETF for XRP to be approved before the end of 2025. That optimism has only grown following the conclusion of Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC, where the court clarified that XRP in secondary market sales is not a security.
Legal experts like Fred Rispoli have gone further, pointing out XRP’s potential role in a future digital asset reserve system — possibly connected to executive orders from the Trump administration. These kinds of developments continue to bolster the case for XRP as a major player in the next phase of crypto finance.
The Road Ahead
For now, Garlinghouse’s challenge to Lummis underscores a critical inflection point for crypto policy in the United States. As lawmakers shape the future of digital assets, the debate shouldn’t be about which coin wins — but whether the industry will be given a fair and inclusive framework to thrive.
Senator Lummis’s Bitcoin focus remains firm, but the growing diversity of voices in crypto means that no single protocol should dominate the conversation. Whether or not the Senator accepts Garlinghouse’s invitation, the spotlight is now firmly on how inclusive and future-ready America’s crypto policy will be.
