After Circle rejected Ripple's $5 billion acquisition proposal, rumors are circulating that Ripple has tried again. Despite claims that Ripple was attempting to offer Circle $20 billion, there is no concrete evidence to support this.
Commentators pointed out that a $20 billion offer is completely nonsensical, as Circle's IPO was previously valued at around $5 billion. While uncertain, this rumor seems to have less impact on the market compared to other recent false claims.
Ripple, a $20 billion offer to Circle?
Circle, the world's second-largest stablecoin issuer, gained significant attention when it rejected Ripple's proposal on Wednesday. Circle's IPO was delayed due to tariff confusion, and analysts have raised concerns about the company's finances.
This led to particular attention to the rejection and sparked community speculation.
Last night, rumors began to circulate. Ripple's CEO Brad Garlinghouse had made a new proposal to Circle. Specifically, several prominent social media accounts claimed that Garlinghouse made a new $20 billion offer.
The rumor gained new attention as crypto media began reporting on it. However, Garlinghouse has not yet spoken publicly.
Users immediately urged caution, reminding the community that nothing has been confirmed. Meanwhile, there are several indications that Ripple's Circle proposal is not credible.
For example, while Circle's IPO has not yet begun, it still provides useful market data:
"Notably, Circle's IPO valuation is around $5 billion. (The valuation Ripple referenced when making an acquisition offer.) It's unlikely that Ripple would offer Circle $20 billion. Many people say $5 billion is a low offer because Circle holds $60 billion in collateral... However, Circle does not own that collateral." – Dominic Kwok, co-founder of EasyA, statement.
While uncertain, this rumor appears to have minimal impact on the market. Recent false claims have had excessive influence on the crypto industry. The rumor about Trump's tariff suspension caused significant confusion.
Similar statements about XRP ETF approval and OpenAI's Worldcoin integration were also not true. Nevertheless, they clearly had an impact.
Of course, it remains difficult to draw clear conclusions. Would many people believe Ripple's Circle proposal? Did retail traders harbor doubts about this claim?
We hope the crypto community passes through this period of credibility. If the market continues to move on misinformation, momentum could be disrupted.
