Ripple Leadership
Fintech veterans, cryptography experts, Wall Street alumni — the team that guided Ripple through the SEC lawsuit and built a $50 billion financial infrastructure provider.
Disclaimer: This website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions.
Executive Team
Brad Garlinghouse has served as CEO since January 2017, steering Ripple through its most consequential period — including the SEC lawsuit (where he was named as a co-defendant), the landmark Torres ruling, and the company's transformation into a $50 billion financial infrastructure giant.
Background: Former President of AOL's Consumer Applications, CEO of Hightail, and senior roles at Yahoo (author of the 'Peanut Butter Manifesto'). MBA from Harvard Business School.
Chris Larsen
Executive Chairman & Co-FounderChris Larsen co-founded OpenCoin (now Ripple) in September 2012 and served as its first CEO until 2016. A serial fintech entrepreneur, also named as a co-defendant in the SEC's 2020 lawsuit.
Background: Co-founded E-Loan (one of the first online mortgage companies) and Prosper Marketplace (peer-to-peer lending pioneer). Vocal advocate for US leadership in digital assets.
One of the three original creators of the XRP Ledger. Known as 'JoelKatz,' he designed the XRPL's consensus protocol and continues to oversee all technical strategy. Widely regarded as the foremost expert on the XRP Ledger's architecture.
Background: Cryptographer with experience dating to the 1980s. Deep expertise in distributed systems, consensus algorithms, and cryptographic protocols. Active on social media — his cryptic tweets are part of XRP lore.
Monica Long
PresidentJoined Ripple in September 2013 as one of the first dozen employees. Advanced from Director of Communications through VP and SVP to President. Leads Business, Product, and Engineering teams.
Background: One of the longest-tenured Ripple executives. Instrumental in enterprise sales strategy and expansion into stablecoins and custody.
Stuart Alderoty
Chief Legal OfficerPlayed a central role in Ripple's SEC lawsuit defense, coordinating legal strategy through the multi-year case resulting in the July 2023 Torres ruling. An outspoken critic of 'regulation by enforcement' in crypto.
Background: Former General Counsel at HSBC North America and CIT Group, and Managing Partner at American Express. Deep financial services regulation experience.
Jon Bilich
Chief Financial OfficerPromoted to CFO in January 2024 after joining Ripple in 2016. Oversees all financial planning, strategy, and reporting. Capital markets background aligns with Ripple's institutional push.
Background: Former Morgan Stanley investment banking and capital markets. Wall Street pedigree reflecting Ripple's institutional shift.
Senior Leadership
SVP, Strategic Accounts — Leads key enterprise account relationships for Ripple Payments and custody solutions
SVP, Corporate Development — Drives M&A strategy — key role in $3.7B+ acquisition spree (Hidden Road, GTreasury, Palisade)
SVP, People & Communications — Oversees HR, workplace strategy, and comms across 40+ countries and ~1,400 employees
Head of Engineering — Leads engineering for Ripple Payments, custody, and XRPL-based products
SVP, Stablecoins — Former Standard Custody CEO, now leads RLUSD strategy. Acquisition-to-leadership pipeline.
MD, Middle East & Africa — Leads expansion in key remittance and institutional adoption regions
XRP Ledger Co-Creators
The original architects of the XRP Ledger
Arthur Britto
Co-Creator, XRP LedgerCo-created the XRPL alongside Schwartz and McCaleb. Designed XRP's economic model including the fixed 100B supply. Co-founded PolySign (Standard Custody, acquired by Ripple 2024).
Background: Largely out of public eye since the ledger's creation. His technology was brought back under Ripple's roof through acquisition.
Jed McCaleb
Co-Creator, XRP Ledger (Departed 2013)Initiated the XRP Ledger project, departed in 2013 and co-founded Stellar (XLM). His XRP holdings were governed by a structured sale agreement, completed in 2022.
Background: Created Mt. Gox (first major Bitcoin exchange). One of the most influential figures in early cryptocurrency history.
What Does Ripple's Talent Strategy Signal?
Ripple's hiring patterns tell a clear story: deep into regulated financial services.
- Executives from Morgan Stanley, HSBC, American Express, Goldman Sachs
- Legal leadership from top financial services firms
- In late 2024, 75% of new job openings shifted to the U.S., signaling confidence in post-SEC regulatory clarity
- Acquisition hires placed directly into senior product roles
This isn't a company hiring for retail hype. It's building for institutional adoption at scale.
Leadership Through the SEC Lawsuit
Ripple's leadership was tested significantly by the SEC lawsuit (December 2020 – 2025). Rather than settling early, the team chose to fight — a decision that proved consequential when Judge Torres ruled in July 2023 that XRP sold on public exchanges is not a security.
This legal clarity benefited the broader crypto industry. The team's willingness to litigate has been cited as a turning point for crypto regulation in the United States. Read the full story in our History & Timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Continue Learning
Convinced by the Team?
This leadership team has assembled $3.7B+ in acquisitions and built partnerships across 55+ countries. Ready to start accumulating XRP?
Last updated: February 10, 2026. Written by the AllAboutXRP Editorial Team. Sources: Ripple.com/leadership, LinkedIn, SEC court filings, company announcements.