Ripple CEO and U.S. Treasury Secretary Meet at Swell 2026
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed digital assets at the Swell 2026 conference in New York.
Ripple CEO and U.S. Treasury Secretary Meet at Swell 2026
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed digital assets at the Swell 2026 conference in New York.
Highlights from the Swell 2026 Conference
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse appeared alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the Swell 2026 conference in New York City, drawing significant attention from attendees. Bessent was added to the speaker lineup shortly before the three-day event kicked off at The Shed in Manhattan.
The gathering brings together executives from traditional finance, academia, and the digital asset sector. Ripple expects more than 1,500 participants and over 100 speakers across the event's three stages.
Treasury Perspective on Digital Assets
During his remarks at the conference, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argued that digital assets could help reinforce the global dominance of the U.S. dollar. He stated that national influence is shifting toward technological leadership rather than military strength alone.
Bessent pointed out that stablecoins, which are predominantly backed by U.S. dollars and government securities, could expand access to the currency in emerging markets. Although Congress failed to pass the Clarity Act, Bessent noted that the Treasury can work with regulatory agencies to advance oversight.
Expansions and Institutional Partnerships
The conference coincided with major business announcements from Ripple. On October 26, the company received final approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish Ripple National Trust Bank.
Additionally, Ripple announced expanded collaborations with BNY and Robinhood. Robinhood plans to integrate the RLUSD stablecoin into its app for its 28.6 million funded accounts, while utilizing Ripple's treasury software and leveraging Bitstamp for institutional settlements on the XRP Ledger.
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