Key Takeaways:
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse told President Donald Trump that 67 million Americans, nearly one in four U.S. adults, now hold cryptocurrency.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse told President Donald Trump that 67 million Americans, nearly one in four U.S. adults, now hold cryptocurrency, citing an industry-backed estimate to argue digital assets have moved beyond the financial fringe.
"Crypto isn't a fringe industry," Garlinghouse said on X after the Aug. 19 White House meeting, which also included SEC Chair Paul Atkins, CFTC Chair Michael Selig and executives from Coinbase, a16z, Chainlink, Paradigm and Kalshi.
The figure comes from the National Cryptocurrency Association's 2026 State of Crypto Holders Report, developed with The Harris Poll and released in May. Ripple committed $50 million to establish the NCA, and Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty serves as its president. The estimate rests on a survey of 10,000 self-identified U.S. holders conducted between Feb. 12 and March 3, up about 12 million from the association's 2025 count.
The meeting came as the Senate prepares for a Sept. 15 procedural vote on the CLARITY Act, which would split crypto oversight between the SEC and CFTC. The motion needs 60 votes just to open debate, and prediction markets price a roughly one-in-five chance the bill becomes law this year.
The survey found 63 percent of respondents were more interested in using cryptocurrency in 2026 than a year earlier, with holders reporting use for investing, payments, transfers, charitable giving and business transactions. Women accounted for 42 percent of people who first bought crypto in 2025 or 2026, compared with 34 percent among earlier adopters. Ninety percent of surveyed holders earned less than $500,000 a year, and 23 percent made $75,000 or less.
The methodology matters because the poll captures how existing holders behave, not whether a quarter of every demographic supports the industry. It does not measure losses, consumer complaints or the views of the roughly three-quarters of Americans who do not own digital assets. Garlinghouse's "mainstream" framing is an interpretation of the ownership data rather than a statistical finding.
The White House meeting came as the administration pressed Congress to advance the CLARITY Act, which would place spot markets for qualifying digital commodities under CFTC oversight while keeping crypto assets classified as securities within SEC authority. Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture before the August recess, with the motion set to ripen at 2:15 p.m. on Sept. 15.
The House approved its version in July 2025 by a 294-134 vote, with 78 Democrats joining Republicans. In May 2026, the Senate Banking Committee advanced its part by a 15-9 vote after Democratic Sens. Ruben Gallego and Angela Alsobrooks voted with Republicans. At least 60 senators must support cloture, making Democratic votes necessary.
Prediction markets remain doubtful. Polymarket traders placed the probability of passage in 2026 at 19 percent, while Galaxy Research assigned a 10 percent chance, citing unresolved disputes over ethics provisions, stablecoin rewards and illicit finance controls.
XRP climbed nearly 10 percent to about $1.09, breaking above the $1.08 level after spending several days near $1. Spot XRP ETFs recorded $5.81 million in inflows on Aug. 18, their strongest single-day inflow since July 31, with the five funds collectively holding about 1.5 percent of XRP's supply. The next level to watch is around $1.14, with a sustained move above it potentially opening the way toward $1.20.
Separately, the SEC on Aug. 18 proposed Regulation Crypto Assets, creating two registration exemptions for certain crypto investment contract offerings. One would let eligible projects raise up to $5 million over four years without full registration; the other would cover offerings of up to $75 million within a 12-month period, subject to disclosure and reporting requirements. The proposal remains open to public comment. The CFTC's Innovation Advisory Committee holds its first meeting Aug. 20, covering crypto regulation history, AI in trading and prediction markets.
The 67-million-owner figure gives the industry political leverage, but leverage does not automatically produce votes. Sept. 15 will show whether an expanding ownership base translates into the bipartisan momentum the CLARITY Act needs — or whether crypto's growing footprint and Washington's legislative calendar are still moving on different clocks.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
