Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse admitted the company should have engaged with US regulators earlier, reflecting on past regrets during an appearance at DC Fintech Week. He noted an increase in visits to Washington, D.C., lamenting the company's delayed involvement amid legal challenges from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC previously won part of its lawsuit against Ripple, ruling that its XRP token was sold as an unregistered security to institutional investors, although the ruling stated that XRP was not considered a security when sold to retail investors. Garlinghouse criticized the US for lagging in crypto regulations, blaming SEC Chair Gary Gensler for a harsh regulatory environment. He emphasized the need for education in the crypto space and pointed out how negative industry representation, such as Sam Bankman-Fried's actions, have harmed the sector. He also mentioned Ripple's active political engagement, contributing to the FairShake PAC. On the matter of ETFs, Garlinghouse believes that an XRP spot ETF is inevitable, anticipating continued institutional growth in the crypto sector, which he expects will positively impact cryptocurrency prices, including XRP.

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