Ripple Labs is intensifying its focus on the U.S. market in response to what is being dubbed the “Trump effect,” which is believed to be fostering a more favorable environment for cryptocurrency in the U.S. With Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency, many expect the crypto market to see significant growth, and U.S.-based firms are already experiencing positive shifts.

Ripple, which provides payment solutions and the RLUSD stablecoin through the XRP Ledger, has reported an uptick in U.S. deals and hiring activities ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20. The company credits this surge to the promises made by the incoming administration, which it anticipates will lead to a more crypto-friendly regulatory landscape.

Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple, took to X to highlight the company’s optimism, stating, “2025 has arrived, and the Trump bull market is real. For Ripple, this is especially meaningful after the SEC, under Gensler, effectively stalled our growth in the U.S. for years. The optimism is palpable and well-earned.”

Garlinghouse further emphasized that Ripple has secured more U.S. deals in the last six weeks of 2024, following the election, than in the previous six months combined. He credited this growth to the “Trump effect,” noting that the new administration’s campaign promises and early priorities are already benefiting the crypto industry.

In a shift from its previous focus on offshore expansion under President Biden, Ripple is now focusing heavily on U.S.-based hiring. According to Garlinghouse, 75% of Ripple’s open positions are now based in the U.S. The company is also showing its support for Trump’s inauguration by pledging $5 million worth of XRP tokens to the event.

The belief that a crypto-friendly Trump administration could benefit U.S.-based companies, such as Ripple (associated with XRP) and Uniswap (UNI), has gained traction among traders. Both companies are more involved in boosting token holder value, which has fueled market optimism.

Since Trump’s election, XRP has surged by more than 300%, significantly outperforming other major cryptocurrencies, largely driven by the positive market sentiment surrounding U.S. regulations.

XRP continues to gain momentum, with an 11% price increase last week, driven by $1.3 billion in trading volume on South Korean exchange Upbit. Historically, high trading volumes from South Korean exchanges have been a strong indicator of potential price volatility, often skewing positively.

As of Monday afternoon in Asia, XRP was trading just above $2.40, showing little change over the past 24 hours, in line with the broader market trends.