Ripple's Buyback Leaves XRP Holders Behind

Ripple's $750 million buyback program pushed the company's valuation to $50 billion in March 2026, but its XRP token fell 30% to 40% during this time. The buyback allowed employees and early investors to sell their shares at a higher price, increasing their ownership stake in the company.

The XRP token exists independently on the XRP Ledger and offers no voting rights, dividends, or claims on Ripple's profits or equity. In contrast, Ripple has aggressively expanded its business, acquiring several companies and generating revenue from selling XRP from its reserves.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that he does not identify solely as an XRP supporter, indicating a potential shift in the company's focus away from XRP. The outcome raises concerns that Ripple's successes may continue to diverge from XRP's price, and that XRP holders may have to wait for signs of upward movement.