Ripple's Garlinghouse Says Crypto Is Here to Stay as Pro-Crypto Lawmakers Win Across Party Lines

Garlinghouse Points to Crypto's Staying Power

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said on Nov. 4 that pro-crypto candidates had won across party lines in the U.S. elections, arguing in a post on X that the results confirm the industry's staying power. His message was published alongside a separate statement from Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty on the industry's political position following the vote.

In his assessment of the bipartisan support on display, Garlinghouse stated:

“Pro-crypto members won on both sides of the aisle … and the 67M (and growing) Americans using crypto aren't going anywhere. New Congress, with the same mission: clear rules, built in America.”

The 67 million ownership figure referenced in his post originally appeared in the National Cryptocurrency Association's 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report, released May 13. The crypto education nonprofit, whose president is Alderoty, produced the research together with The Harris Poll, a polling and market research firm. Its findings put crypto ownership at roughly one in four American adults, up from one in five a year earlier. Advocates have pointed to figures like these when arguing that digital assets now touch a broad slice of the electorate, a framing that carried directly into Garlinghouse's post-election message.

Fairshake Wins Reflect Years of Political Engagement

In his statement on the election results, Alderoty credited Fairshake, a super PAC that supports pro-crypto candidates, with meaningful victories in both the primaries and the general election. Super PACs are political action committees that may raise unlimited funds for election spending independent of candidates' campaigns. He attributed the industry's political standing to years of work by grassroots advocates and industry organizations. Because federal digital asset rules must be written and passed by Congress, the composition of the incoming membership shapes which proposals can advance.

Stand With Crypto, a crypto advocacy organization, maintains congressional candidate ratings that track politicians' positions on digital assets, giving observers a public reference point for gauging where support sits. Alderoty stated: “Early Stand With Crypto data shows a substantial number of pro-crypto members elected across both parties.”

Corporate funding formed another strand of that effort long before this election. Ripple disclosed its third $25 million contribution to Fairshake in November 2024, extending its financial backing of the group's work. At the time, Alderoty described the donation as part of Ripple's pledge to remain a strong force in Washington for years to come.

Policy Work Extends Beyond a Single Election Cycle

Earlier this year, as lawmakers weighed the CLARITY Act, a bill intended to set federal market-structure rules for digital assets, Alderoty pursued outreach to undecided Senate offices. In September, he urged senators to meet Americans who hold crypto before casting their votes, an approach that brought constituents' experiences into the debate over federal digital asset legislation. After the measure failed to advance in the Senate, he called for coordinated industry advocacy aimed at sharpening the sector's policy message.

Following the election, Alderoty wrote:

“Congratulations to everyone elected this week. We look forward to working with members of both parties to keep America the best place in the world to build the future.”

“Clear rules for digital assets were never a one-cycle project,” he added. With market-structure legislation left unfinished in the Senate, whether the new Congress takes the bill back up stands as the immediate question for the industry's policy push.

Beyond electoral politics, Alderoty characterized crypto's role in everyday finance as mainstream, citing adoption by banks and businesses. He said Americans use digital assets to build financial independence, power businesses, and pay for goods and services.

Ripple's planned work, he indicated, includes political engagement through super PACs and other advocacy groups, as well as public education through nonprofits such as the National Cryptocurrency Association.