[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong] Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse (브래드 갈링하우스) said the pace of change in the crypto industry is often misjudged. "People overestimate 5 years and underestimate 10 years," he said. As payment innovation centered on stablecoins accelerates, he forecast that the industry’s structure itself could change significantly over the longer term.

On March 27 local time, Garlinghouse made the remarks as a panelist at the FII Priority Summit in Miami. Asked about changes over the next five years, he said expectations for short-term change are excessive, but changes in 10 years are not properly reflected. He stressed the importance of a long-term view.

He said stablecoins have already entered a stage of practical use. "Use of stablecoins in payments is rising quickly and will continue to spread," he said. Other panelists offered similar outlooks. Some presented scenarios in which payment systems could be reorganized around stablecoins by 2030 and traditional financial assets could be tokenised on blockchains.

He also disclosed why Ripple launched its own stablecoin, RLUSD. Garlinghouse said Ripple has operated a cross-border payments business for a long time and has processed transaction flows of more than $100 billion. He said that experience made it feel the need to issue and manage a stablecoin. Ripple previously handled a significant portion of USD Coin (USDC) distribution.

He also mentioned trust issues surrounding stablecoins. Citing the case in which USDC’s dollar peg wavered during the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, he said an issuer’s financial soundness and ability to respond are key to market trust. On that point, he stressed that Ripple can provide a stable, institution-focused stablecoin based on its own assets and cash holdings.

He forecast that competition will intensify. Garlinghouse said supply will surge in the short term as various companies and financial institutions enter the stablecoin market. He also warned that an excessive number of stablecoins could instead lead to market fragmentation.

Over the longer term, he raised the possibility that the industry’s name itself could disappear. He said that just as the term "internet company" faded in the 1990s, the distinction of a "crypto company" could also become meaningless. He said practical services such as payments and custody, rather than the technology itself, will take center stage, and crypto will be naturally absorbed into everyday infrastructure.

His remarks suggest that the crypto industry is moving beyond being a simple investment asset and entering a stage of real use, alongside changes in financial infrastructure centered on stablecoins. He said competition, regulation and securing trust are likely to act as key variables going forward as the market expands.