Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse on Thursday commented on the CLARITY Act, saying ” “we’re so close we can’t give up now” with regards to delayed crypto bill after Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) withdrew support.

Garlinghouse Defends The Bill

Garlinghouse called the CLARITY Act a “massive step forward” despite its flaws, arguing that regulatory clarity beats chaos after Ripple’s five-year legal battle with the SEC over XRP (CRYPTO: XRP).

“Clarity is always better than chaos,” Garlinghouse said, adding that “perfection is the enemy of good” when creating new legislation.

He acknowledged the bill isn’t perfect but stressed that even flawed legislation provides crucial legal clarity that can be refined over time. 

Garlinghouse said the industry can’t afford to stall now after coming this close to passing meaningful regulation.

The Industry Split

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong pulled support for the bill last week after a rapid 48-hour review, warning the draft could worsen the “murky” regulatory landscape rather than improve it.

Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) founder Charles Hoskinson went further, saying the bill “hands the entire keys to the cryptocurrency kingdom” to the SEC. 

Hoskinson criticized Garlinghouse directly, stating “Sorry Brad, it’s not better than chaos. Take the chaos and fight for what’s right.”

The current draft requires cryptocurrencies to fall under SEC oversight unless teams can prove sufficient decentralization—a reversal that opponents say gives regulators too much control.

Moreover, the White House warned it may withdraw support for the CLARITY Act if major industry consensus isn’t reached, highlighting friction over stablecoin yields and market structure rules.

What Happens Next

Garlinghouse is betting that incremental progress through an imperfect bill beats waiting for perfect legislation that may never come.

His position reflects Ripple’s scars from the SEC lawsuit, which cost the company years of legal fees and regulatory uncertainty. 

For Garlinghouse, any clarity is better than the status quo where regulators can weaponize ambiguous rules against crypto companies.

The question is whether the rest of the industry agrees. 

If major players like Coinbase and Cardano continue opposing the bill, it may not have enough industry backing to move forward—even if Ripple thinks it’s good enough.

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