- Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has clarified that XRP tokens and Ripple equity are entirely separate, distancing the company from Linqto’s controversial sale of pre-IPO Ripple shares.
- He confirmed that Ripple has no formal ties with Linqto, which holds 4.7 million Ripple shares purchased through the secondary market, not directly from Ripple.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has addressed growing confusion over the distinction between XRP tokens and Ripple equity, responding to controversy tied to investment platform Linqto and its sale of pre-IPO Ripple shares.
In a recent statement, Garlinghouse emphasized that Ripple has no formal relationship with Linqto and played no role in issuing shares to the platform.
The clarification comes amid regulatory investigations into Linqto’s operations, particularly its offering of “representative units” said to reflect ownership in Ripple. Garlinghouse sought to reassure investors by stating that XRP—the digital asset used by Ripple in some of its payment solutions—is entirely separate from Ripple equity, which represents ownership in the company itself.
Understandably, there have been many questions from those who believed they were buying Ripple shares from Linqto, and what happens next. To be clear, on Ripple’s end:
What we know from our records is Linqto owns 4.7M shares of Ripple, solely purchased on the secondary market… https://t.co/XHstpwwmIL
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) July 2, 2025
According to Garlinghouse, Linqto currently holds around 4.7 million Ripple shares. However, these were acquired through the secondary market from existing shareholders—not directly from Ripple. “Ripple has no control over how Linqto structured or sold these units,” Garlinghouse said, adding that he had “no idea” how the platform managed its customer relationships.
This distancing move appears calculated to shield Ripple from any legal fallout stemming from Linqto’s business practices, which have come under increased scrutiny by U.S. authorities. Linqto froze user accounts and suspended operations in February, leaving over 14,000 investors in limbo.
Despite the chaos, Garlinghouse noted that Ripple’s shares have appreciated significantly. Last month, Ripple announced a $700 million tender offer to repurchase shares at $175 each—a 135% premium over recent private market values. This buyback follows a January offer priced at $125 per share, further highlighting growing confidence in Ripple’s long-term valuation.
The tender offer, open from June 10 to July 9 on Nasdaq Private Market, is available to holders of eligible vested stock or options. While this development could signal upside for those holding shares via Linqto, the platform’s ability to honor its commitments remains uncertain.
In the wake of the controversy, some investors have called for Linqto to refund their original purchase amounts. However, pro-XRP attorney John Deaton pushed back, stating that such refunds would unjustly benefit the platform by allowing it to keep investor profits. Citing his own $30,000 investment in Circle, now valued at $157,000, Deaton warned that refunds at cost would create an unfair windfall for Linqto.
Regrading Linqto, it depends on the investment, I guess. If people got their money back for Polysign it would be a great deal because Polysign is worthless.
But what about Ripple and Circle?
I invested $30K in Circle on the @linqtoinc platform. My investment today is worth… https://t.co/wnXQlyBa40
— John E Deaton (@JohnEDeaton1) June 30, 2025
As scrutiny mounts, Ripple is working to protect its reputation and clarify its role. Garlinghouse’s comments serve as a reminder that Ripple equity and XRP are not interchangeable—and that Ripple is not responsible for third-party platforms offering indirect exposure to its shares.