Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said stablecoins may become the main way businesses enter the crypto sector as companies seek faster payment tools. 

He told FOX Business that more boards, treasurers, and chief financial officers are now asking how stablecoins could fit into company operations.

Garlinghouse said stablecoins could become crypto’s “ChatGPT moment” for businesses. He said the main shift would come when company finance teams gain a direct option to use stablecoins for payments and treasury activity.

He said many firms are already discussing that move at the executive level. According to his remarks, companies from the Fortune 500 and Fortune 2000 are asking internal finance leaders what role stablecoins should play in their plans.

Market growth supports the business case

Bloomberg Intelligence said in early January that stablecoin flows could grow at a compound annual rate of 80% and reach $56.6 trillion by 2030. That forecast has added to the view that stablecoins may take a larger role in global payments.

Garlinghouse also said stablecoins processed more than $33 trillion in trading volume last year. He added that almost 90% of that volume came from Tether’s USDT and Circle’s USDC, which still hold the largest share of the market.

In addition, Ripple entered the market with Ripple USD, or RLUSD, in December 2024. CoinGecko data shows RLUSD is now the 10th largest stablecoin by market value, with a market capitalization of about $1.4 billion.

Ripple also expanded its payments and treasury infrastructure through acquisitions. The company bought institutional prime brokerage Hidden Road for $1.25 billion and corporate treasury platform GTreasury for $1 billion, adding more tools for business-focused blockchain services.

Regulation remains part of the strategy

Garlinghouse said U.S. regulation will play a major role in how quickly stablecoin payments expand. He said the CLARITY Act could help speed up adoption if Congress passes the bill and the president signs it into law.

He also said many market participants are watching the United States closely for clearer rules. In the interview, Garlinghouse said, “A lot of eyes are on what is US regulation going to look like and is it going to get done,” while also criticizing past regulatory approaches under former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.