C hris Larsen is an American business executive and angel investor who is a pioneer in the financial technology (fintech) and cryptocurrency industries. He is best known as the co-founder and executive chairman of Ripple Labs, the company that developed the Ripple payment protocol and its associated cryptocurrency, XRP. Before entering the crypto world, he had already founded several successful fintech companies.

In 1996, he co-founded the online mortgage lender E-Loan, and in 2005, he co-founded Prosper Marketplace, the first peer-to-peer lending marketplace in the United States. In 2012, he co-founded Ripple with the ambitious goal of using blockchain technology to create a more efficient and low-cost system for international payments for banks and financial institutions. The value of his large personal holdings of XRP tokens has, at times, made him one of the wealthiest people in the world. He is a vocal advocate for financial innovation and consumer-friendly financial services.