Ripple CTO Explains Coinbase Event Contract Lawsuits and XRP Lending Plans for 2026

On Dec. 17, Coinbase announced a partnership with prediction markets operator Kalshi to let U.S. customers trade event contracts, and on the following Friday it said it had filed lawsuits in states including Connecticut, Michigan and Illinois over related gambling law issues. Ripple CTO David Schwartz then joined an X discussion, clarifying how event contracts are classified as derivatives, while XRPL’s protocol-native lending system targeting institutional credit markets is expected to move into validator voting in late January 2026.