Bank-Crypto Deal Door Wide Open

• Brad Garlinghouse says the CLARITY Act deal is within reach, with banks now holding the key to final approval.
• Garlinghouse sees an 80% chance of approval of the bill by the end of April.
• Ripple CEO says imperfect crypto laws are better than no clarity.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says a deal tied to the CLARITY Act is within reach, but added that banks must act in good faith. According to him, the door to a deal is wide open.

The comments come after weeks of stalled talks in Washington. White House digital asset advisor Patrick Witt had targeted March 1 for progress. That deadline passed without a finalized agreement.

White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks has publicly supported Witt’s negotiation efforts, stating that the crypto sector made concessions on stablecoin yields to meet regulatory standards.

80% Chances of Approval in April

The bill faced pressure after Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong rejected a Senate draft. He argued the proposal was worse than the current system, especially provisions tied to stablecoin rewards and yield structures.

The rejected draft would have restricted several reward models used across the industry. 

Last month, the odds of the CLARITY Act passing dropped more than 30% as Senate discussions stalled over stablecoin reward disputes. Now negotiations have restarted.

Garlinghouse estimates an 80% chance that the legislation will pass by the end of April.

Ripple Pushes Clarity Over Chaos

Garlinghouse has taken a different tone than some industry leaders. He believes that clarity is better than chaos, and while the bill is not perfect, regulatory progress matters more than ideal language.

He warned the industry not to block progress while waiting for perfect terms.

Garlinghouse argues that most digital assets do not meet the traditional definition of securities. Securities usually grant ownership rights, dividends, or voting power.

He says most crypto assets do not offer those features, which makes applying decades-old securities law ineffective.

He also pointed out that the stablecoin sector received clearer treatment under the GENIUS Act. His view is that the broader crypto and blockchain industry needs the same level of legal certainty to grow in the United States.

Institutional Demand Expands

Garlinghouse claims that 2025 was a strong year for Ripple and that 2026 has started with rising corporate interest.

CFOs, treasury teams, and boards are exploring how blockchain tools can improve payment systems and reduce costs. Stablecoins act as the entry point. From there, companies test broader blockchain infrastructure.

Ripple strengthened its position through acquisitions last year. Garlinghouse says the firm enters 2026 in a strong competitive position.

Related: Ripple CEO Says Thousands of Switches Flipping for XRP Global Adoption