- Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse responded after Avalanche CEO Emin Gün Sirer dismissed Ripple’s role in banking.
- Banks continue using Ripple for cross-border payments while some explore Avalanche for tokenization and enterprise blockchain projects.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse responded after Avalanche CEO Emin Gün Sirer dismissed Ripple’s role in banking, sparking a lively debate about blockchain adoption in the financial sector.
Banks are choosing Ripple.
April Fools, obviously. They actually use Avalanche.
— Emin Gün Sirer🔺⚔️ (@el33th4xor) April 1, 2026
The Social Media Exchange Between Ripple and Avalanche
The exchange took place on X during April Fool’s Day. Sirer joked that banks prefer Ripple but quickly called it an April Fool’s comment, emphasizing that financial institutions rely on Avalanche technology instead.
Garlinghouse replied directly, writing, “Ripple lives rent-free in your head.” His comment gained widespread attention across the crypto community, highlighting both companies’ visibility in the blockchain space.
Banks Continue Using Ripple Solutions
Despite Sirer’s remarks, Ripple’s technology remains actively used by banks for cross-border payments and liquidity management. Ripple Payments enables banks to convert fiat into XRP or RLUSD, transferring funds internationally in seconds while reducing settlement times.
Ripple reported processing over $1 billion in cross-border transactions, with partners such as SBI Holdings, Santander, Braza Bank, and Banco Genial. The company also advanced regulatory efforts by securing conditional approval for a national bank charter in the U.S.
Avalanche Expands Institutional Blockchain Adoption
Meanwhile, Avalanche promotes customizable subnets for banks and institutions. These allow financial firms to explore tokenization and enterprise blockchain projects.
JPMorgan Chase tested Avalanche through its blockchain unit, Onyx, for digital asset settlement, while Citigroup explored tokenization initiatives using Avalanche infrastructure. The platform aims to support broader institutional adoption for financial experiments and digital asset solutions.
Competition and Collaboration in Financial Technology
While the April Fool’s tone added humor, both executives emphasized their companies’ roles in financial technology development. Ripple focuses on cross-border payments and regulatory compliance, while Avalanche targets tokenization and customizable blockchain environments for institutions.
The interaction reinforced Ripple’s presence in the banking sector and highlighted Avalanche’s growing influence among financial institutions. Both platforms continue expanding partnerships, exploring digital asset solutions, and supporting enterprise blockchain applications.
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