Monica Long: Her Leadership and Impact

Meet Monica Long, the President of Ripple who is driving blockchain adoption in global finance.

Monica Long

Monica Long is the President of Ripple, a leading blockchain company focused on improving international payments and expanding crypto-enabled services. She joined Ripple in 2013, when the company was just starting out, and played a big role in its growth and development over the years.

As President, Monica Long leads Ripple during a time when the company is working to bridge traditional finance with new technology. Her focus is on practical solutions like scaling payments and launching stablecoins, which puts Ripple at the center of important changes in the crypto industry.

Profile

Who Is Monica Long?

Monica Long is President of Ripple, a leading company in blockchain-based payments. She is recognized for her work in building Ripple’s business and for helping shape how blockchain is used in global finance.

Background and Early Career

Monica Long graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Her academic background is in communications and business, giving her a strong foundation in marketing and strategy.

She started her career working in marketing and product development at other technology companies before joining Ripple. Early roles focused on innovation, helping her gain experience in launching new products and leading teams.

Colleagues describe Long as dedicated and forward-thinking. Her focus on practical solutions and impact has been a common theme since the beginning of her career.

Path to Joining Ripple

Monica Long joined Ripple in 2013 when the company was still in its early stages, with around 10 employees. Her initial position involved leading marketing and communications efforts.

As Ripple grew, Long took on more responsibility, helping launch On-Demand Liquidity (ODL), which is now one of Ripple’s main products for cross-border payments. Her promotion to President was a key step in her career, and reflected her key contributions to business growth and product strategy.

Today, she oversees RippleNet and RippleX, which are business areas focused on global payments and blockchain tools for developers.

Professional Values and Leadership Style

Monica Long values impact and measurable results over hype. She is known for being strategic and focusing on building real-world use cases for blockchain, rather than following trends.

Her leadership style combines clarity, open communication, and a strong commitment to the company's mission. She is recognized for supporting collaboration between business, engineering, and product teams.

Overall, employees and industry peers see her as a steady leader who navigates challenges with clear decision-making. 

Ripple

Monica Long’s Rise at Ripple

Monica Long has played a key role in Ripple’s growth, starting from early positions to leading the company as president. 

Early Roles and Responsibilities

Monica Long joined Ripple in 2013 when the company had about 10 employees.

She began as the Director of Communications, focusing on shaping Ripple’s message and building relationships inside and outside the company. Her early work supported Ripple’s brand and helped explain its mission to make global payments faster and more secure.

Long quickly proved her skills in both marketing and project coordination. She led the team through new product launches and managed partnerships with financial institutions. By doing so, she helped establish Ripple as a trusted name in blockchain payments.

Transition to General Manager

As Ripple grew, so did Monica Long’s duties. She became the General Manager, where she oversaw RippleX and RippleNet, the company’s main business units.

RippleX focused on supporting blockchain developers, while RippleNet provided a global payments network for banks and businesses. Under Long's management, these programs saw major growth in both users and transaction volume.

Her guidance made Ripple’s services more reliable and easy to use. Monica worked closely with cross-functional teams, making sure technology and business units stayed aligned. She also played a major role in expanding Ripple’s real-world use cases, such as cross-border payment solutions.

Becoming President

Monica Long was named President of Ripple after nearly a decade with the company. In this top position, she leads Ripple’s push into new areas like crypto liquidity, settlement, and custody services.

As president, Long oversees Ripple’s response to legal and regulatory changes. She has also helped steer the company through important industry developments, such as launching stablecoins and scaling payment solutions.

Long’s leadership continues to drive growth and foster innovation. She now guides Ripple as it connects traditional finance with blockchain technology and helps shape the future of global payments.

Leadership and Strategic Impact

Monica Long plays a key role in guiding Ripple’s direction as President. Her approach places a lot of emphasis on strong values, practical decision-making, and close cooperation with Ripple’s top executives.

Leadership Philosophy

Monica Long’s leadership rests on clear goals, effective communication, and adaptability. She focuses on creating teams that are both innovative and efficient. By encouraging open dialogue, she helps Ripple stay flexible in a fast-changing technology market.

She is known for prioritizing impact over hype. Monica puts customer needs and practical solutions first, aiming to drive real-world adoption of blockchain technology. She is also dedicated to inclusion, often supporting diversity in hiring and leadership positions.

Her style blends transparency with accountability. She values input from others, giving team members space to share ideas and challenge the status quo. This approach has helped Ripple foster a unified culture even as it faces industry hurdles.

Monica Long

Influence on Ripple’s Growth

Under Monica’s leadership, Ripple has expanded its reach in the financial services sector. She has helped launch new products and services that make global payments faster and more reliable. Her push for innovation includes efforts to bridge digital assets with traditional finance.

Monica’s strategic insights have also guided Ripple through important industry changes. She played a major role during legal battles, helping the company keep its focus on core business goals. Ripple’s strong financial health and recent growth are linked to her careful planning and steady leadership.

She also sets priorities for new ventures, like stablecoins and acquisitions. Monica keeps a close eye on market demand and aligns Ripple’s resources to seize new opportunities. This has helped Ripple grow its customer base and partnerships around the world.

Collaboration with Key Leaders

Monica works closely with Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Executive Chairman Chris Larsen. Together, they set long-term goals and make major company decisions. Monica’s ability to turn strategy into action supports Ripple’s bigger vision.

She stays connected with leaders in both technology and finance. By fostering relationships inside and outside the company, Monica ensures Ripple keeps up with new trends and regulations. This teamwork shapes Ripple’s direction and helps to strengthen its market position.

Monica’s regular communication and shared responsibility with other executives keeps Ripple moving toward shared targets. Her partnerships with key leaders build trust and strengthen Ripple as a unified organization.

Key Innovations Led by Monica Long

Monica Long has played a major role in pushing Ripple’s technology forward, with a focus on liquidity solutions and international financial connections. Her leadership has resulted in new tools that make cross-border payments faster and more reliable for businesses and institutions.

On-Demand Liquidity (ODL)

Under Monica Long’s guidance, Ripple advanced its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) service. ODL uses XRP as a bridge currency to help financial institutions move money across borders quickly, without needing to hold local currency in accounts overseas.

This approach cuts costs and removes the problem of tying up funds in multiple countries. Many payment providers have benefited from faster settlement times and reduced operational complexity.

Institutions now have an easier time meeting customer needs for real-time global payments. ODL adoption has increased, helping Ripple stand out in the competitive world of digital payments.

Payments

LiquidityHub Development

Monica Long also led efforts to launch and scale LiquidityHub. This platform gives businesses access to digital assets like XRP to meet their liquidity needs.

LiquidityHub helps users find the best prices and sources for their transactions. This is important for institutions looking for efficient ways to buy, sell, or exchange digital assets for fiat currency.

The product was developed to address growing demand for reliable liquidity management. It allows enterprises to support digital payments and improve their treasury operations, giving them more control over how they manage digital assets in changing markets.

Global Expansion of RippleNet

Monica Long drove RippleNet’s expansion, helping to bring more banks and payment service providers into the network. RippleNet connects institutions worldwide using Ripple’s blockchain technology, simplifying cross-border transfers.

Her leadership focused on making sure new partners in regions like Asia-Pacific and Europe could join easily and safely. This strengthened Ripple’s presence in key markets and improved international payment connections for member institutions.

The growth of RippleNet increased the number of payment corridors available, making cross-border payments simpler, cheaper, and more transparent for users.

Monica Long’s Industry Influence and Recognition

Monica Long has played a key role in shaping Ripple’s growth and presence in the crypto industry. Her vision and actions have advanced blockchain adoption and brought her recognition as a leader in financial technology.

Thought Leadership in Crypto

Monica Long has provided strategic guidance at Ripple since joining in 2013. She focuses on practical uses for crypto beyond hype, helping Ripple move from a small startup to a leading blockchain company for cross-border payments.

She emphasizes regulatory clarity and real-world applications for crypto assets. Monica often speaks at events and panels, sharing insights on linking crypto technology with traditional finance systems.

Her leadership prioritizes scaling secure and efficient payment systems. Colleagues and industry experts cite her ability to balance innovation and compliance as central to Ripple’s progress and growing influence.

Contributions to Blockchain Adoption

Monica Long directs Ripple’s vision to make blockchain solutions accessible for businesses and banks. Under her direction, Ripple has launched important products that help financial institutions handle international transfers faster and cheaper.

She fosters partnerships with global banks, setting examples for how blockchain can fit traditional payment networks. Monica has also acted as a bridge between technical teams and business leaders, making blockchain features easier to understand for many audiences.

Her actions support Ripple’s efforts to launch stablecoins and tokenize value, which have expanded practical blockchain use cases.

Recognition and Awards

Monica Long has received multiple industry honors for her leadership and impact. She was named one of the Bay Area’s Most Influential Women in Business in 2020, reflecting her respected status in fintech. She is also often mentioned in lists highlighting women executives in crypto and blockchain. 

Monica’s work continues to earn praise from peers, business publications, and technology communities. Her influence stretches across both the crypto world and traditional finance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Monica Long's role at Ripple?

Monica Long is the President of Ripple. She oversees Ripple’s main business units, including RippleNet and RippleX.

How has Monica Long contributed to Ripple's growth and innovation?

She has led the launch and development of Ripple’s payment products. Monica Long helped Ripple process billions in transactions and expanded its reach in traditional finance and crypto.

What is the professional background of Monica Long?

Monica Long has a history in marketing and technology. Before Ripple, she worked in communications and media roles at other technology companies.

How does Monica Long's leadership impact Ripple's strategic direction?

Under Monica Long's guidance, Ripple focuses on expanding real-world use cases and launching new crypto-enabled services. She leads the company’s efforts in areas like liquidity, settlement, and custody.

In what ways does Monica Long engage with the cryptocurrency community?

Monica Long supports open-source blockchain development through RippleX. She is active in speaking about blockchain trends and connecting Ripple with the broader crypto and finance industries.