Monica Long is President of Ripple, where she oversees the company’s payments business and developer-focused blockchain initiatives through RippleX. Her background spans communications and marketing roles in fintech and technology, including early work at Intuit and leadership positions across Ripple’s product and ecosystem divisions. ^[1]

Education

Long graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a BA in Developmental Studies in 2007. ^[2]

Career

Long began her career in public relations, serving as Public Relations Manager at TheCulturalConnect from 2005 to 2007 while also working at LEWIS PR. At LEWIS PR, she progressed to the role of Senior Account Executive, managing communications and public relations programs for clients across business-to-business and consumer sectors, including companies operating in financial technology and emerging technology markets. In 2009, Long joined Intuit as Public Relations Manager for the Small Business Group. In this role, she oversaw communications initiatives for the company’s small-business products and services, supporting corporate messaging, media relations, and stakeholder engagement. She remained at Intuit until 2013.

Long joined Ripple in 2013 as Director of Communications, becoming one of the company’s earliest communications and marketing hires. Over the following decade, she held a series of leadership positions, including Vice President of Marketing, Senior Vice President of Marketing, and General Manager of RippleX, the division focused on supporting blockchain developers and open-source ecosystem initiatives. In January 2023, she was appointed President of Ripple, overseeing the company’s business operations, including Ripple Payments and RippleX, and contributing to its strategy and growth in the digital asset and blockchain industry. ^{[2] [4]}  

Interviews

Future of Crypto

On Bloomberg Crypto in January 2026, Long discussed Ripple's recent 40 billion valuation and outlined plans for both organic and inorganic growth in 2026, including the acquisition of four companies and ongoing integration efforts. She highlighted the favorable deal structure, which included protections for investors such as Fortress and Citadel, underscoring their confidence in Ripple’s strategy to build digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions. Long reaffirmed Ripple’s decision to remain private, citing strong balance sheets and strategic partnerships as reasons to avoid an IPO for the time being. She also detailed Ripple’s efforts to obtain a federal banking charter under the OCC, which would enable the company to operate within the U.S. banking system and support its stablecoin, RLUSD. Additionally, Long emphasized Ripple’s focus on expanding its product offerings, integrating acquisitions, and strengthening its infrastructure through M&A, particularly in areas like custody and stablecoins, while clarifying that acquiring a traditional exchange was not on their immediate agenda. Throughout the interview, she conveyed Ripple’s commitment to regulatory compliance and technological innovation, positioning the company for continued growth in the evolving crypto landscape. ^[5]

Stablecoins and Tokenization

In an April 2025 interview on CNBC International, Long reflected on the crypto industry's evolution over her nearly twelve-year tenure, noting that while the macro environment had become more volatile, the crypto sector was now more resilient and better understood by traditional financial institutions. She highlighted Ripple's origins as an early player aiming to revolutionize cross-border payments with XRP and described its expansion into custody services, stablecoins, and asset tokenization as a means of modernizing financial infrastructure. Long emphasized that banks once dismissed these innovations but now increasingly embrace blockchain-based solutions for their efficiency. She discussed Ripple's focus on providing infrastructure for financial institutions to convert fiat to digital assets, facilitate fast, low-cost transactions, and tokenize assets like property and securities. Long also touched on recent regulatory developments, including the US SEC’s favorable ruling on XRP, advances in the stablecoin market, and efforts toward regulatory clarity, particularly regarding stablecoins and digital assets. She expressed optimism about a more supportive US regulatory environment, highlighted Ripple's international expansion into Europe, Asia, and Dubai, and announced the $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road to bolster institutional trading capabilities. Long indicated that Ripple remained financially strong, with plans to pursue more acquisitions and growth opportunities, leaving open the possibility of an IPO once regulatory uncertainties abated. ^[6]

Stablecoin Complement

On The Scoop podcast with Frank Chaparro in June 2024, Long discussed the significant progress and strategic initiatives following the US courts' July ruling clarifying that XRP is not a security. Ripple's business expanded beyond cross-border payments to include broader enterprise blockchain infrastructure, supporting connections between traditional financial systems and blockchain networks. The company launched a US dollar stablecoin to facilitate payments, especially in corridors such as Asia and Europe, where liquidity and demand for such assets have grown. Ripple viewed stablecoins and XRP as complementary, with stablecoins providing cost-effective solutions for transactions and XRP functioning as an efficient bridge asset for long-tail asset tokenization and cross-currency settlements. They prioritized compliance and regulatory partnerships across markets such as Europe, Singapore, and Brazil, which helped accelerate their growth. Ripple also focused on developing its decentralized exchange, expanding developer programs, and exploring asset tokenization, including real-world assets and securities. Long expressed optimism about the future, highlighting the potential for XRP ETFs, ongoing regulation advancements, and the broader adoption of blockchain-based financial solutions, emphasizing Ripple's position as a versatile infrastructure provider beyond payments. ^[7]

Panels

Memes to Markets

At APEX 2025 in July, Long joined Brad Garlinghouse and Pat Patel for a discussion on the evolution of the cryptocurrency industry, institutional adoption, and the development of blockchain-based financial infrastructure. The panel reflected on the early vision of an “internet of value” and how that concept influenced the growth of companies and projects focused on digital assets and payments. The speakers discussed the rise of various segments of the crypto market, including memecoins, as examples of how unexpected developments have shaped industry participation and liquidity. They identified payments, stablecoins, and tokenized assets as among the most significant long-term applications of blockchain technology, noting that these use cases have gained momentum as regulatory frameworks have matured across multiple jurisdictions. The conversation also addressed challenges related to digital identity, regulatory coordination, and government involvement in emerging financial systems. Looking ahead, the panel suggested that regions such as Singapore and Southeast Asia could continue to play important roles in blockchain innovation, while broader institutional adoption may be driven by stablecoins, tokenization, and modernized payment infrastructure. ^[8]