Ripple CEO on XRP: ‘Lock In’

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is turning up the heat ahead of a major industry gathering. 

Late Tuesday, major cryptocurrency exchange OKX posted a striking image on X (formerly Twitter) depicting the iconic Las Vegas Sphere illuminated with a glowing XRP logo. 

Shortly after, Garlinghouse quote-tweeted the image with a two-word directive to his followers: “Lock in.”

Re-communicating the “North Star”

Telling someone to “lock in” means telling them to focus intensely, get completely serious in today’s internet culture. 

Just a day prior, Garlinghouse responded to a post by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who had argued that a CEO’s main responsibility is to “communicate and re-communicate the North Star. Again and again.”

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Garlinghouse enthusiastically agreed, declaring, “100%. All roads lead back to Ripple’s North Star, XRP.” 

During an X Spaces broadcast earlier this year, Garlinghouse stated that XRP is the “heartbeat” of Ripple and that every single product is designed to benefit the token’s liquidity and utility.

Raising the standard on the Strip

The “Lock in” tweet and the Sphere tease arrive perfectly timed for XRP Las Vegas 2026, a two-day conference running from April 30 to May 1.

The event is meant to bring together developers, industry leaders, and blockchain enthusiasts who are focused on promoting and expanding the XRP ecosystem. 

Earlier this week, Ripple’s social media accounts shared photos of a towering digital billboard promoting the controversial cryptocurrency on the side of a prominent Las Vegas Strip resort. 

Retail frustration boils over

However, the flashy marketing campaign and executive optimism are clashing with XRP’s underperformance. 

The frustration was palpable in the immediate replies to Garlinghouse’s latest directive.