DAVOS, Switzerland. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said the initial public offering (IPO) is seen as a “natural evolution for the company,” possibly even this year.

“I think that within the next 12 months you will definitely see IPOs in the crypto space and blockchain. I'm not sure we want to be first, but we certainly don't want to be last either, so I expect us to be among the leaders, not the laggards, ”said Garlinghouse.

He also said his cross-border payment company had contacted the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about the regulatory status of his coin.

“We have been talking with the SEC for some time now,” he said. "I feel like training for regulators is part of my job and I think it's been a really constructive process." According to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, this is the first time the company has spoken publicly about both of these points.

Garlinghouse made the comments at a Ripple-sponsored session at The Wall Street Journal at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. A San Francisco-based startup that is working with the financial services industry to reconfigure the global cross-border payment system recently raised $200 million at a stunning $10 billion valuation.

The blockchain firm also announced on Wednesday that its sales dropped significantly in the latest quarter.