Ripple Co-founder Buys Napa Estate for $13.5M
Crypto billionaire and Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen has purchased a Napa Valley estate for $13.5 million. The deal marks the largest residential sale in the region in the past two years. Larsen, a prominent philanthropist in the Bay Area, adds the sprawling property to his personal real estate portfolio.
The Calistoga property acquired by Chris Larsen spans 46 acres and was a former luxury wine-country compound that once operated as a boys' school. The estate includes five separate homes, four vineyards, three sports courts, and a private lake. The purchase was officially made by Triple Gem Estate LLC, an entity managed by Larsen's wife, Lyna Lam. Previously, the estate was on and off the market, initially listed for $18.5 million in September 2022 and later relisted for $14.95 million in the spring of 2025 before the final sale. The property's vineyards primarily grow Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and the main house features a wine cellar with a capacity for at least 5,000 bottles and a tasting area. This acquisition adds to Larsen's real estate portfolio, which is valued at an estimated $1.8 billion. The Ripple co-founder's overall net worth was reported to be approximately $15.3 billion as of November 2025, placing him among the world's 200 wealthiest individuals. Larsen's wealth is significantly tied to his 18% stake in Ripple and his holdings of 2.7 billion XRP. The company he co-founded, Ripple, was valued at $40 billion following a $500 million funding round in late 2025 from investors connected to Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities. The Napa Valley real estate market has seen a 7.4% year-over-year increase in median home prices, reaching $913,000, with the luxury segment having a median list price of $3.85 million. However, sales of ultra-luxury estates over $10 million are rare, with only three such transactions recorded between July 2024 and July 2025. Recent developments for Ripple include a strategic push to diversify funding for the XRP Ledger blockchain to foster a healthier ecosystem. Additionally, as of March 1, 2026, a partnership with the wallet Xaman aims to provide XRP holders with a one-click experience to access decentralized finance (DeFi) vaults. This move is intended to unlock more utility and liquidity for XRP within the DeFi space.
