6-3-2025 – Senior figures at Ripple Labs, including Chief Executive Brad Garlinghouse and Stuart Alderoty, the firm’s top legal officer, reportedly lobbied former President Trump to incorporate Solana’s SOL into his recently unveiled cryptocurrency reserve strategy, according to confidential sources with knowledge of the discussions.
The initiative, announced on Sunday, has triggered widespread debate within digital asset circles. By advocating for multiple American-made tokens, Ripple appeared to seek broader industry legitimacy whilst simultaneously positioning its own XRP cryptocurrency for inclusion.
Ripple’s XRP has long weathered criticism as predominantly speculative, with detractors questioning whether its fundamental utility justifies its substantial $145 billion market valuation.
Despite these behind-the-scenes manoeuvres, Trump’s announcement generated considerable mockery amongst cryptocurrency enthusiasts. His failure to reference either Bitcoin or Ethereum—widely regarded as the sector’s blue-chip assets—raised eyebrows throughout the community.
Market sentiment remains sceptical towards the proposed reserve composition. Prediction markets on Polymarket currently suggest Bitcoin holds the strongest probability of inclusion at 64%, with Ethereum trailing at 42%. Both XRP and SOL hover around the 30% mark, reflecting significant doubts about their prospects.
“Maximalism is the enemy of the industry’s progress,” remarked Garlinghouse in a social media statement following Trump’s announcement. “Glad to see POTUS recognising we live in a multichain world and that we’re finally moving past Bill Hinman and the Biden administration’s SEC’s very broken thinking.”
This rhetoric aligns with Ripple’s consistent promotion of cross-industry collaboration, though critics might interpret it as strategic positioning to bolster XRP’s standing within any potential reserve framework.
All eyes now turn to Friday’s inaugural White House Crypto Policy Summit, where officials are expected to clarify reserve composition details and procurement strategies. A fundamental question remains whether meaningful quantities of alternatives to Bitcoin will be incorporated.
Recent remarks from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have heightened speculation about a Bitcoin-centric approach. “A Bitcoin strategic reserve is something the President’s interested in,” Lutnick told The Pavlovic. “The other crypto tokens, I think, will be treated differently—positively, but differently.”
This statement has fuelled concerns that Sunday’s price surges across multiple cryptocurrencies might prove short-lived if the reserve ultimately focuses primarily on established assets.
