Could XRP Become a Top 2 Cryptocurrency?

Towards the end of 2024, the token’s value roughly quadrupled after years of sluggish progress and legal ambiguity. Multiple  Cryptocurrency investors freely acknowledged that they were unaware of the change. Some were left wondering whether this rally was a one-time occurrence or the first indication of a more significant gathering planned for 2026.

Why XRP’s 2024 Move Startled Everyone

In contrast to Bitcoin or Ethereum, short-term traders have mostly lost interest in XRP. Most people did not notice it because of retail hype, moderate price movement, and regulatory pressure.

The late-2024 acceleration was notable because of this. It happened quickly, violently, and without warning. The rally deviated from the typical retail-driven or meme-coin trends. Rather, it seems to be more related to long-term infrastructure positioning, banking use cases, and institutional narratives.

 

XRP long-term price prediction 2026

Because of this, some experts, like Abs and Paul Barron, think XRP may be preparing for another significant cycle around 2026.

Ethereum vs. XRP: An Increasing Comparison

Although it has had difficulty converting technological advancements into robust price performance, Ethereum is still the second-largest digital asset. Concerns have been raised regarding whether ETH’s value capture mechanism is deteriorating after it dropped nearly 45% from its high near 4USDT,950.

Ethereum’s excessive dependence on Layer-2 networks, which enhance scalability but detract from transaction value from the primary ETH currency, is one problem. The issue becomes straightforward as more activity moves off-chain: Does Ethereum still reap the same benefits?

Supporters of XRP contend that the XRP Ledger has an advantage in this situation.

Timeframe	Approx Price (USD)	Notes
Early 2024	$0.50	Quiet price action
Late 2024	$2.05	Big rally begins
Early 2025	$2.5–$3.5	Continued strength
Mid‑2025	$3.66	New multi-year highs
Late 2025	$1.85–$2.15	Consolidation
Jan 2026	$2.0	Current level

 

XRP institutional adoption and use cases

XRP is often examined from a different perspective than the majority of retail-driven cryptocurrencies.

The main contention is that XRP should be considered a financial infrastructure rather than a speculative coin. Ripple is still promoting XRP as a bridge asset for tokenized finance, stablecoins, banks, and international payments.

Proponents identify three key motivators:

• Expanding institutional and bank collaborations
• In the future, more spot XRP ETFs
• Adding more use cases to the XRP Ledger, such as smart contracts and DeFi

Vision or Fantasy in the $10,000 XRP Debate?

According to one research that has generated a lot of discussion, XRP may eventually hit $10,000 per coin.

This claim’s reasoning is not supported by conventional crypto market math. Rather, it is assumed that XRP will become firmly ingrained in institutional finance, global liquidity flows, and settlement systems.

This viewpoint, according to its detractors, overlooks fundamental supply dynamics and market realities. Infrastructure assets do not act like retail tokens, according to supporters.

Even while these pricing objectives may not be achievable in the near future, they draw attention to a more serious problem: XRP is being evaluated according to standards that might not accurately reflect its intended use case. Bitcoin has solidified its reputation as “digital gold.” To prove its worth, it does not need frequent updates or new applications.

But Ethereum is in a more precarious situation. In order to maintain its supremacy over quicker, less expensive, and more scalable networks, it must constantly change. Despite having great technical leadership, Ethereum’s price has not kept up. Concerns about centralized influence, where a single tweet or leadership dispute may affect market trust, are also becoming more prevalent.

The Greatest Risk and Strength of XRP

On the one hand, it has advances in regulations, real-world integration, and well-defined institutional aims. However, acceptance by banks, regulators, and financial institutions—groups that go carefully and slowly—is crucial to its success.

The potential of XRP is not only dependent on hype, in contrast to meme currencies or retail-driven assets. As a result, it may be more resilient over time but less explosive in bull markets.

Frequently asked questions

1. Is it feasible for XRP to overtake all other cryptocurrencies?

It is feasible, but institutional acceptance is more important than excitement. Ethereum may face competition if banks, payment processors, and other financial organizations start using XRP more often for international transactions.

2. What makes XRP more valuable than Ethereum and Bitcoin?

The usefulness of XRP as a bridge asset in financial systems, as opposed to speculation, determines its value. Future ETFs, financial alliances, and XRP Ledger use cases like DeFi and smart contracts are important motivators.

3. What is the probability of the $10,000 XRP claim?

Extremely speculative. This presupposes that XRP will become an essential component of the world’s financial system. Although this goal is theoretically feasible in the long run, supply limitations and adoption rates make it impractical in the short term.

4. What dangers does XRP have?

Slow-moving institutions are essential to XRP’s development. Its potential benefits might be limited by adoption delays, changes in regulations, or competition from existing settlement networks. It does not benefit from retail excitement as meme currencies do.

5. How do the difficulties of XRP and Ethereum compare?

For scalability, Ethereum mostly relies on Layer-2 solutions, which may take value away from the primary coin. In contrast, XRP’s ledger emphasizes direct institutional use, which might result in more stable real-world demand.

Conclusion

Interest in XRP’s long-term potential has increased after its late-2024 rise. XRP differs from conventional Cryptocurrency speculation due to its institutional emphasis, even if estimates of $10,000 per token seem impractical in the foreseeable future.

Depending on bank and financial institution acceptance, its upside is slower but could be more long-lasting. XRP is still a distinctive option for investors looking to get exposure to a cryptocurrency asset linked to actual financial infrastructure, but patience is essential.