Ripple CEO to Testify Before U.S. Senate as Lawmakers Advance Key Crypto Bills

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse will testify before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday, July 9, as Congress accelerates efforts to finalize a regulatory framework for digital assets. The hearing – titled “From Wall Street to Web3: Building Tomorrow’s Digital Asset Markets”, marks a critical moment in shaping the future of crypto regulation in the U.S.

Garlinghouse will appear alongside other industry leaders including Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association and former CFTC commissioner; Jonathan Levin, CEO of Chainalysis; and Dan Robinson, head of research at Paradigm. Former CFTC Chair Timothy Massad and ethics lawyer Richard Painter are also scheduled to testify.

The committee, led by Senate Banking Chairman Tim Scott, will discuss two major bills: the GENIUS Act (focused on stablecoins) and the CLARITY Act (addressing digital asset markets). Both have gained momentum, clearing committee and floor votes, and could define the U.S. approach to digital asset oversight for years to come.

“We are at a critical inflection point,” said Mersinger in prepared remarks. “The choice before us is not whether to regulate this industry, but how.”

Political Tensions Surface

While the legislation enjoys bipartisan support, controversy remains. Democrats previously expressed concern over former President Donald Trump’s connections to crypto. Trump launched a personal memecoin earlier this year and has ties to World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm behind the stablecoin USD1. Ripple’s past $5 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund has also drawn attention.

Ethics expert Richard Painter’s testimony could bring these concerns to the forefront, especially after some Democrats withdrew support for the GENIUS Act during an earlier Senate vote.

House Declares “Crypto Week”

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has announced a “Crypto Week,” starting Monday, to consider several bills including:

• The GENIUS Act for stablecoin oversight.
• The CLARITY Act for market structure.
• A bill to ban the creation of a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC).

The Senate hearing is expected to shape public debate and influence final legislative text as Congress targets passage of crypto regulation by October.

“I am honored to be invited to testify… on the need for passing crypto market structure legislation,” Garlinghouse said Monday on X.

With crypto regulation now a front-and-center issue in Washington, this week’s hearings may define the next decade of blockchain innovation in the United States.

Ripple in 2025