- Bill Gates and others saw Ripple’s utility beyond cryptocurrency.
- Leaked emails reveal institutional interest in Ripple’s payment technology potential.
Leaked emails from April 2013 have uncovered a moment when Ripple, still operating as OpenCoin, first hit the radar of some of the world’s most powerful figures. Among those taking note were tech giant Bill Gates and other influential figures, who saw Ripple not only as a digital currency but as a groundbreaking financial technology. These emails reveal how Ripple began to attract attention from elites, changing the landscape for the digital payments industry.
In the leaked correspondence, Tren Griffin, a Microsoft executive at the time, detailed his views on Bitcoin and Ripple. While Griffin expressed skepticism about Bitcoin, dismissing it as a speculative asset with no intrinsic value, he was intrigued by Ripple’s potential.
He referred to Ripple as a “math-based payment mechanism” and emphasized its role in global finance. This early interest from top decision-makers marked the beginning of Ripple’s recognition as more than just another cryptocurrency.
The “Smart Money” Pivot: Ripple’s Early Institutional Recognition
The leaked emails reveal a significant moment when institutional investors began to shift their attention from Bitcoin to Ripple. Just 48 hours after Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) invested in Ripple (then known as OpenCoin), Microsoft executive Tren Griffin briefed Bill Gates and his circle on Ripple’s potential. While they were dismissive of Bitcoin, labeling it a “Keynesian beauty contest” and a speculative bubble, they saw Ripple as a more serious and practical solution for global payments.
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Griffin’s critique of Bitcoin, which he described as driven by mass psychology, was a reflection of the broader skepticism among financial elites at the time. In contrast, Ripple was seen as a more grounded alternative with a functional and scalable model for cross-border payments. This early pivot by institutional players helped set the stage for Ripple’s eventual rise as a leader in the blockchain space.
Utility vs. Speculation: Why Ripple Stood Out
The emails highlight a crucial difference in how the elites viewed Ripple versus Bitcoin. While Bitcoin was often labeled as a speculative asset with no real-world application, Ripple was recognized for its utility.
The elites didn’t want a store of value based on “mass psychology”; they sought a tool to facilitate money movement with “unfair advantages.” Ripple was positioned as the infrastructure for global finance, offering a practical solution for efficient cross-border transactions.
Even in 2013, Ripple was seen not just as a coin but as a technological platform that could improve the global financial system. Its focus on utility rather than speculation aligned more with the goals of institutional investors, who were looking for stable and scalable solutions to financial challenges.
The Ripple Trail: From Griffin to Epstein
The email chain also reveals the speed at which Ripple’s potential was recognized among the world’s most influential people. After Tren Griffin briefed Bill Gates, the email was forwarded to Boris Nikolic, who then passed it along to Jeffrey Epstein just two days after the a16z investment announcement.
This rapid distribution of information shows how quickly Ripple became a topic of interest among top figures in finance, with many trying to understand its utility and long-term value.
This internal email trail underscores the importance of Ripple’s technology to the global elite. Their interest wasn’t just about owning XRP; they were seeking to understand how the XRP Ledger could reshape global payments and finance.
The Ripple Wine Joke: A Lighthearted Touch Amid Serious Strategy
In a moment of levity, Griffin jokingly referenced “drinking Ripple in high school,” comparing the digital currency to a cheap wine. While this comment was playful, it contrasts sharply with the serious nature of the conversations surrounding Ripple’s potential. It serves as a reminder of how rapidly the financial landscape was shifting, with Ripple quickly moving from being a niche concept to a serious consideration among the world’s most powerful decision-makers.
Griffin’s casual remark underscores the unexpected rise of Ripple from a digital payment experiment to a major player in the global financial system. The fact that such high-profile individuals were engaging in discussions about Ripple’s utility signals the beginning of Ripple’s mainstream recognition.
In conclusion, the leaked emails provide a significant insight into the early days of Ripple’s rise. They show that, from the very beginning, Ripple was recognized not just as another cryptocurrency, but as a critical tool for reshaping global finance.
For XRP holders, this revelation is a must-read, as it highlights how institutional interest has always been focused on Ripple’s real-world utility. With this leak, the broader public gains a clearer understanding of the vision and strategy that helped propel Ripple to where it is today.
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