Brad Garlinghouse looks comfortable in a suit. He's had practice. The Ripple CEO has spent the last few years basically living in courtrooms and green rooms, but his appearance on 60 Minutes wasn't just another press stop. It was a collision. You had the old guard of mainstream media meeting the aggressive, billionaire-backed world of modern crypto.
The segment, which aired in December 2024, wasn't exactly the "victory lap" many XRP holders expected. Honestly, it was a bit of a mess for both sides.
Why the Ripple CEO on 60 Minutes Segment Caused a Firestorm
If you watched the episode, you saw Margaret Brennan grill Garlinghouse on the massive amount of money the industry poured into the 2024 election. We’re talking over $130 million. Garlinghouse didn't blink. He basically told her that if SEC Chair Gary Gensler hadn't started a "war on crypto," the Fairshake super PAC wouldn't even exist.
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He’s got a point. Ripple has spent upwards of $150 million just on legal fees. Think about that. Most companies would have folded in weeks. Instead, Ripple dug in.
But here is where things got weird.
After the cameras stopped rolling, Garlinghouse took to X (formerly Twitter) to blast the show. He was pretty ticked off. Why? Because the editors cut out the most important part of the story: the fact that a federal judge already ruled that XRP, in and of itself, is not a security.
The Missing Piece of the Puzzle
Imagine telling a story about a guy who won a court case but leaving out the part where the judge said he was right. That’s what Garlinghouse claims happened. In 2023, Judge Analisa Torres handed down a landmark decision. She said that while institutional sales might have broken some rules, XRP sold on public exchanges—to regular people like you and me—isn't a security.
- The 60 Minutes Take: Focused on the "scourge" of crypto and the potential for fraud.
- The Garlinghouse Reality: Focused on the $150M fight for regulatory "rules of the road."
By leaving that ruling out, the segment made it sound like the legal status of XRP is still a complete mystery. It’s not. It’s nuanced, sure, but the "not a security" win was a massive deal for the industry.
John Reed Stark vs. The Harvard Grad
The show brought on John Reed Stark, a former SEC official who is, to put it lightly, not a fan of crypto. He called the whole thing a "scourge." He argued that judges have said "over and over again" that these tokens are securities.
Garlinghouse’s response was classic "I know my worth" energy. He literally mentioned his Harvard Business School degree. He told Brennan, "I think I’m reasonably intelligent about something like, 'What is a security?'"
It was a total clash of worlds. You had Stark representing the traditional regulatory framework and Garlinghouse arguing that the 1930s-era laws just don't fit 21st-century code.
Utility or Just Speculation?
One of the biggest sticking points in the ripple ceo on 60 minutes interview was whether XRP actually does anything. Stark says no. He thinks it's all just gambling.
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Garlinghouse countered by pointing to the actual business Ripple does. They employ 900 people. They move billions of dollars across borders for banks and financial institutions. He compared the current crypto skepticism to the people who thought the internet was a fad in the 90s.
"Saying FTX is representative of crypto is like saying Madoff is representative of all hedge funds." — Brad Garlinghouse
It’s a strong line. But did it land with the 60 Minutes audience? Probably not entirely. The show framed the industry's political spending as an attempt to "buy" the election. Garlinghouse framed it as an attempt to "buy" a seat at the table so they could finally get some clear laws written.
The Political Power Play
The numbers are actually staggering when you look at them.
- One in three direct corporate dollars in the 2024 election came from crypto.
- 85% of the candidates backed by the crypto super PAC won their races.
- This included both Republicans and progressive Democrats.
Garlinghouse was very clear: this wasn't about being "pro-Trump" or "pro-GOP." It was about being "pro-innovation." He basically told Brennan that the voters had spoken. People want this tech, and they’re tired of the government trying to kill it before it can grow.
What This Means for You
So, what’s the takeaway from all this noise?
First, the mainstream media is still very skeptical. If you’re waiting for CBS or the New York Times to give crypto a glowing review, you’re going to be waiting a long time. They like the "wild west" narrative because it gets views.
Second, Ripple is more than just a token. Whether you love or hate XRP, the company has become the spearhead for the entire industry’s legal defense. The $150 million they spent wasn't just for them; it set the precedent that everyone else is now using.
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Actionable Insights for the Future:
- Watch the Primary Sources: Don’t just rely on the 60 Minutes edit. Read the actual court rulings from Judge Torres. They give a much clearer picture of where XRP stands than a 12-minute TV segment ever could.
- Follow the Policy, Not the Hype: The real story isn't the price of XRP tomorrow; it's the FIT21 Act and the new leadership at the SEC. When the "war on crypto" ends, the "utility phase" begins.
- Diversify Your Information: Mainstream news is great for seeing how the "general public" views an asset, but it’s usually 12-18 months behind the actual tech developments.
- Look for the "Rules of the Road": Garlinghouse keeps saying they want regulation. Watch for which companies are actually seeking licenses and which ones are hiding in offshore accounts. That's how you spot the winners.
The Ripple CEO's appearance on the show proved one thing: crypto isn't a niche hobby anymore. It’s a political and financial heavyweight that can't be ignored, even by the toughest interviewers in the business.