Ripple donated the “Skull of Satoshi” to the Bitcoin community, with CEO Brad Garlinghouse noting that BTC and XRP “have more in common than we think.”

Ripple’s Skull Message: BTC and XRP Have More in Common Than You Think

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expressed support for greater unity among cryptocurrency communities on Tuesday in a post shared on social media platform X. His comments accompanied news that Ripple has donated the “Skull of Satoshi” to the Bitcoin community, where it will now be displayed permanently at the Bitcoin Museum in Nashville. Garlinghouse wrote

The Skull of Satoshi was originally built to call attention to blockchain energy usage, and today it’s a symbol and reminder of Bitcoin’s incredible staying power to many around the world (including me!).

The Skull of Satoshi is an 11-foot-tall art installation created by Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong in collaboration with Greenpeace USA. It was unveiled in March 2023 as part of the “Change the Code, Not the Climate” campaign, which aimed to highlight the environmental impact of bitcoin mining. Built from discarded electronic components, the sculpture includes red laser eyes and smokestacks, and was designed to critique bitcoin’s use of the energy-intensive proof-of-work consensus mechanism while calling for a shift to more sustainable alternatives.

Although it was conceived as a critical statement, the bitcoin community largely embraced the artwork, reframing it as a symbol of bitcoin’s strength and resilience. Von Wong later acknowledged that his initial portrayal of bitcoin’s environmental issues lacked complexity, stating that his views had been “overly simplistic.”

In his post, Garlinghouse emphasized the need for collaboration across blockchain projects: “As crypto and blockchain technologies become widely used, respected and understood – it’s past time that we set aside our differences and work together to move the industry forward.” The Ripple CEO added:

I hope this gesture continues to remind folks that we ( BTC, XRP, and other crypto communities) have more in common than we think.

The Bitcoin Conference confirmed the donation, posting on X: “Special guest at Bitcoin 2025 – the Skull of Satoshi, donated by Ripple to the Bitcoin community. The Skull will now have a permanent home at the Bitcoin Museum in Nashville.”