Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says he and co-founder Chris Larsen considered ending the company and distributing its XRP to shareholders before the firm fought the SEC lawsuit. Garlinghouse made the remarks at an event at the University of Kansas School of Business, describing discussions about whether to wind down operations rather than continue the legal and regulatory battle. According to Garlinghouse, the idea involved handing XRP held by the company to shareholders, which he characterizes as a potentially simpler path. He says the pair ultimately decided against shutting down and instead moved forward with the company’s efforts to challenge the SEC action. The comments provide context on how Ripple and its leadership weighed strategic options during the period leading up to the company’s high-profile dispute with U.S. regulators in 2020. Overall, both accounts focus on Garlinghouse’s disclosure that a shutdown-and-distribution scenario was considered before Ripple chose to continue fighting the case.