Ripple Co-founder Chris Larsen Clarifies XRP’s Role in Anti-Bitcoin Campaign
Chris Larsen, the co-founder of Ripple and a well-known figure in the crypto industry, has recently made an important clarification regarding the controversial "Change the Code" campaign that targets Bitcoin’s energy usage. The campaign advocates for a shift in Bitcoin’s consensus mechanism from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to a more energy-efficient alternative, such as Proof-of-Stake (PoS). Many believed that Ripple, the company behind $XRP, was funding this initiative — but Larsen has now publicly stated that this is not true.
According to Larsen, while he personally supported and financed the campaign, Ripple as a company did not participate or provide any funding. This distinction is crucial because it separates Larsen’s personal views from Ripple’s official stance. Ripple, as a company, chose to stay neutral and did not get involved in the debate over Bitcoin’s environmental impact.
Additionally, at the Bitcoin 2025 event, a symbolic gesture was made — the “Skull of Satoshi” was presented as a peace offering or an “olive branch.” This symbolic gift was intended to encourage dialogue and reduce hostility between differing camps in the crypto community. However, despite these efforts, the debate over Bitcoin’s energy consumption and environmental footprint continues to stir controversy. Some see the PoW system as outdated and harmful to the planet, while Bitcoin supporters argue it is essential to the network’s security and decentralization.
In short, Larsen is urging a technical upgrade to Bitcoin, but Ripple itself is not pushing the agenda — which is an important nuance for $XRP and $BTC supporters to understand.