- A feud between the XRP and Bitcoin communities has escalated over the proposed U.S. strategic crypto reserve.
- Forbes legal analyst Hailey Lennon advocates for a Bitcoin-only reserve, sparking backlash from XRP supporters.
- The debate has led to heated exchanges, with both sides challenging decentralization claims and motives.
The divide between the XRP and Bitcoin communities continues to widen as both sides clash over what assets should be included in the proposed U.S. strategic crypto reserve. The dispute, fueled by ongoing discussions within the crypto industry, has led to a war of words between Bitcoin maximalists and XRP supporters.
Hailey Lennon, a Forbes Crypto legal analyst, has been a key figure in the debate, strongly advocating for a Bitcoin-only reserve. Her stance has triggered backlash from the XRP Army, with Ripple executives arguing for a more diverse and inclusive approach.
Bitcoin-Only Reserve vs. XRP Inclusion: The Debate
Lennon has argued that a strategic reserve should exclude cryptocurrencies backed or promoted by a centralized entity that profits from them. While she didn’t explicitly mention Ripple, many supporters assumed she was taking aim at their ecosystem.
“The fact that I haven’t mentioned XRP and you all keep assuming it’s about XRP is actually telling,” Lennon remarked in response to criticism.
She later directly stated her skepticism about XRP’s inclusion, arguing that a national reserve should not be built on the premise of “I want my coin in there so the price goes up.” This further fueled outrage from the XRP community, with many accusing her of bias and dismissing the legitimacy of Ripple’s contributions to the financial system.
Lennon’s comments reignited tensions between the two communities, with Bitcoiners defending BTC’s decentralization and the Ripple coin supporters highlighting Ripple’s institutional partnerships and real-world utility.
Some XRP proponents criticized Bitcoiners for following an anonymous founder (Satoshi Nakamoto) and claimed Bitcoin’s mining was influenced by China. Lennon mocked this, sarcastically noting that Ripple coin holders prefer trusting a “well-known company” and CEO who controls about 50% of the supply.
Additionally, Lennon referenced past claims that Ripple had lobbied against Bitcoin, though Ripple has since clarified that it has advocated for Bitcoin, not against it.
