CEO of Ripple: XRP and Ripple stock are two very different things

The CEO of Ripple, Brad Garlinghouse, recently addressed the confusion surrounding the difference between XRP and Ripple stock. In a statement shared via X, Garlinghouse emphasized that XRP, the digital asset, and Ripple's stock are completely separate assets. His comments were solely aimed at Ripple's stock and were not related to XRP in any way. Garlinghouse explained that confusion arose among retail investors due to Linqto selling Ripple shares. Some investors mistakenly thought they were buying shares directly from Ripple. He reiterated that Ripple shares represent ownership in the company, while XRP is a digital asset independent of the company's private capital. Ripple's position in relation to Linqto's activities Garlinghouse further clarified that Linqto, the platform related to these stock transactions, is a completely independent company and has no official ties with Ripple. Linqto has purchased approximately 4.7 million shares of Ripple. However, these shares were not purchased directly from Ripple. Instead, Linqto acquired them through secondary market transactions from the original Ripple shareholders. He confirmed that Ripple's role is limited to verifying that Linqto actually holds those shares. However, he emphasized that this verification does not mean that Ripple confirms, authorizes, or collaborates with Linqto in any way. Ripple has never allowed Linqto to sell its shares, nor has it ever collaborated with this platform in any private fundraising rounds. Ripple does not control the activities of Linqto Garlinghouse has made it clear that Ripple has never had any official business relationship with Linqto. He explained that Ripple is unaware of how Linqto has managed the sales process regarding what is described as "representative units" of Ripple shares. Therefore, Ripple cannot provide any assurances about Linqto's business operations, how the company handles investors' money, or how the company plans to address the current issues its customers are facing. Due to the increasing awareness that Linqto's services have somehow been approved by Ripple, the company has decided to cease all secondary stock transactions related to Linqto by the end of 2024. This decision was made to protect Ripple's brand and eliminate investor confusion regarding the company's involvement in Linqto's services. Recognizing the increase in stock value Despite the controversy, Garlinghouse noted that Ripple's stock value has increased significantly over time. He acknowledged that those holding shares through Linqto may have seen substantial profits due to this valuation increase. However, he reiterated that Ripple is not involved in how Linqto manages these holdings or how the company plans to address investor concerns in the future. Garlinghouse's statement reinforces Ripple's position that there is a clear and necessary distinction between XRP and Ripple's stock. This statement also emphasizes that Ripple's acknowledgment of Linqto's ownership of stock does not imply any endorsement or involvement in Linqto's activities. Ripple remains entirely separate from how Linqto conducts its business and how Linqto manages its commitments to customers.