Austin Collins

Big news heading into @RippleSwell: the @USOCC has granted final approval for Ripple National Trust Bank. This gives Ripple a federally supervised platform to support $RLUSD and provide digital asset custody to enterprises. We’ve always said crypto and banks work better together — this is what that looks like. Real innovation, real accountability, federal oversight. The revolution isn't happening outside the system. It's happening from within it.

1/ This one stings. Our team gave everything we had to get the Clarity Act across the finish line. So did most of the industry. This was an opportunity bigger than Ripple or one company - we did this for the industry, for consumers and to cement the US’s position as the crypto capital of the world and as a leader in the future of finance. Ultimately, consumers and U.S. competitiveness got left behind. 2/ A post mortem needs to be done on why this failed (more from me on that in the days ahead). The politics of the democrats (the anti-crypto army) was elevated over good policy. 3/ There is still reason for optimism for crypto in the United States. Now, the SEC, under Chair Atkins, and the CFTC, under Chair Selig, will continue to work hard to issue rules to fill the legislative gap and we will continue to be actively engaged in that rule making process. 4/ Ripple's business has never been stronger — real demand across traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem. A missed vote in Washington doesn't change our momentum, our global footprint, or our customers.

Rare moment where my professional and personal worlds collide: XRP is now the first crypto on the jersey of a major college athletics program, at my alma mater. XRP Family, meet the Jayhawks. Rock Chalk!