XRP (XRP) Price Prediction 2025, 2026 – 2030
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XRP 
XRP +1.74% is likely to reach between $2.07–$2.38 in 2026, and $3.53– $10.01 in 2030. At the time of writing (December 17, 2025), XRP is priced at $1.91, with a 24-hour change of +1.74% which is up from the previous day.
Following the conclusion of the SEC case and a $125 million settlement, XRP surged past $3.30. Elon Musk’s AI model now predicts a rise toward $3.75–$5.00, citing institutional adoption and regulatory clarity as key catalysts for further growth.
Here, we’re going to dive deep and explain the post-lawsuit state of Ripple and XRP, make an XRP price prediction for the next 10 years, look at what XRP and Ripple are (and how they differ), and discuss what affects the price of XRP and how to buy it in 5 simple steps.
ℹ️ This page contains Ripple price forecasts and key metrics that are updated daily, while the underlying analysis is reviewed monthly. Projections are based on historical data, current trends, and advanced estimation tools, but may change as market conditions evolve.
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XRP (Ripple) Price Prediction Overview
According to our research, XRP could retrace to $3.00 in 2026 and exceed $10 by 2030. Throughout this article, we’ll explore our XRP price prediction in detail, highlighting our price estimates for the coin over the coming years. Below, you will find a brief overview of these estimates:
- End of 2025: Our analysis estimates that the XRP price could hit No price prediction available for the specified year. by the end of 2025. As institutional adoption continues to grow and the Trump administration focuses on supporting the Web3 industry, these factors could combine to push XRP towards the upside.
- End of 2026: Continuing its move, we predict XRP will climb to a peak price of $2.38 by the end of 2026, unless a broad market downturn hits the sector.
- End of 2030: The uptake of cryptocurrencies should continue to surge as pro-crypto regulations around the globe give investors a useful framework to operate in, and more merchants accept cryptocurrencies as payment for goods and services. In this case, XRP is most likely to attract a lot of institutions looking to get set up in the crypto space, boosting XRP’s price to a potential $10.01 by 2030 in the process.
| Year | Potential Low | Average Price | Potential High |
| 2026 | $2.07 | $2.22 | $2.38 |
| 2030 | $3.53 | $6.11 | $10.01 |
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XRP Latest Events
Here are some recent events concerning Ripple and XRP:
- October 20, 2025: XRP-backed Evernorth announces SPAC, raises $1 billion to create the largest XRP treasury.
- September 18, 2025: The first U.S. spot ETF for XRP, XRPR, launches.
- August 22, 2025: The court approved the dismissal, formally closing the case and removing regulatory uncertainty.
- August 7-8, 2025: XRP price surged over 10% following the announcement of the lawsuit’s conclusion.
- August 7, 2025: The SEC officially ended its lawsuit. Ripple agreed to a $125M penalty; the institutional sales injunction remained.
- August 6, 2025: Ripple and the SEC jointly moved to dismiss all appeals, ending the five-year legal battle.
- June 2025: Appeals paused under new SEC leadership. Negotiations over the $125M fine and injunction terms began.
- April 9, 2025: The first leveraged XRP ETF launched in the United States.
- March 25, 2025: Ripple Labs settled its lawsuit with the SEC, agreeing to pay a reduced fine of $50 million.
- January 21, 2025: XRP’s price surged by 5% after US President Donald Trump appointed Mark Uyeda as the acting Chair of the SEC.
- January 20, 2025: Gary Gensler’s resignation took effect.
- August 8, 2024: A federal judge imposed a $125 million fine on Ripple, reiterating her view that Ripple’s programmatic sales of XRP to retail clients through exchanges did not violate federal securities laws. The market sees this as hugely positive news for Ripple and XRP.
XRP Price Predictions 2026-2035
Below, we look at what the future holds for XRP, looking to answer the question “Will XRP go up?” and, as we do so, making XRP price predictions for each year between now and 2034. As you will see from the table below, we do believe that XRP has a strong future ahead.
| Year | Potential Low (ROI) | Average Price (ROI) | Potential High (ROI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $2.23 (16.58%) | $2.54 (33.17%) | $2.86 (49.75%) |
| 2027 | $2.56 (33.89%) | $3.30 (72.72%) | $4.14 (116.48%) |
| 2028 | $2.89 (51.44%) | $4.17 (118.06%) | $5.76 (201.80%) |
| 2029 | $3.22 (68.69%) | $5.12 (167.85%) | $7.74 (305.39%) |
| 2030 | $3.53 (85.00%) | $6.11 (219.91%) | $10.01 (424.07%) |
| 2031 | $3.81 (99.71%) | $7.09 (271.31%) | $12.44 (551.35%) |
| 2032 | $4.05 (112.20%) | $7.99 (318.54%) | $14.85 (677.38%) |
| 2033 | $4.24 (121.86%) | $8.75 (357.90%) | $17.00 (789.87%) |
| 2034 | $4.36 (128.21%) | $9.28 (385.90%) | $18.64 (875.73%) |
| 2035 | $4.41 (130.90%) | $9.55 (399.76%) | $19.55 (923.42%) |
XRP Price Prediction for 2025
2025 turned out to be a big year for XRP because its long legal fight finally ended. In August, Ripple agreed to pay the SEC a $125 million fine, much less than the original $2 billion demand. The court also confirmed that programmatic sales and sales on secondary markets of XRP are not securities. This lifted a huge cloud of uncertainty hanging over the token for years.
You can see the effects in the market. XRP’s price jumped past $3 after the news, and trading volume shot up by over 200%. That jump wasn’t just retail excitement; it came from institutions getting back into XRP, too.
This all happened alongside broader crypto trends like the Bitcoin halving and the arrival of crypto ETFs, which brought more traditional capital into the space. In April 2025, Teucrium launched the first leveraged XRP ETF, and in September, REX-Osprey launched the first spot ETF, which surpassed $100 million in AUM in under a month.
Looking ahead, XRP isn’t just riding on speculation. Ripple continues to sign partnerships with banks and payment providers, which means people are actually using XRP for real-world transactions. That kind of utility tends to support prices better than hype alone.
Our current XRP price prediction for 2025 is fully laid out in the table below:
| Month | Potential Low | Average Price | Potential High |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | $1.93 | $1.96 | $1.98 |
| February 2026 | $1.96 | $2.01 | $2.05 |
| March 2026 | $1.98 | $2.05 | $2.12 |
| April 2026 | $2.01 | $2.10 | $2.20 |
| May 2026 | $2.03 | $2.15 | $2.27 |
| June 2026 | $2.05 | $2.20 | $2.34 |
| July 2026 | $2.08 | $2.25 | $2.41 |
| August 2026 | $2.10 | $2.29 | $2.49 |
XRP Price Prediction for the Next 30 Days
As XRP continues being one of the top performers in the crypto world, it comes as no surprise that we see XRP’s outlook as being positive in the near future.
| Date | Potential Low | Average Price | Potential High |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 18, 2025 | $1.91 | $1.91 | $1.91 |
| December 19, 2025 | $1.91 | $1.91 | $1.92 |
| December 20, 2025 | $1.91 | $1.91 | $1.92 |
| December 21, 2025 | $1.91 | $1.92 | $1.92 |
| December 22, 2025 | $1.91 | $1.92 | $1.93 |
| December 23, 2025 | $1.91 | $1.92 | $1.93 |
| December 24, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.92 | $1.93 |
| December 25, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.92 | $1.94 |
| December 26, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.92 | $1.94 |
| December 27, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.92 | $1.94 |
| December 28, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.95 |
| December 29, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.95 |
| December 30, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.95 |
| December 31, 2025 | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.95 |
| January 1, 2026 | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.96 |
| January 2, 2026 | $1.92 | $1.93 | $1.96 |
| January 3, 2026 | $1.92 | $1.94 | $1.96 |
| January 4, 2026 | $1.92 | $1.94 | $1.97 |
| January 5, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.94 | $1.97 |
| January 6, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.94 | $1.97 |
| January 7, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.94 | $1.98 |
| January 8, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.94 | $1.98 |
| January 9, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.94 | $1.98 |
| January 10, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $1.99 |
| January 11, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $1.99 |
| January 12, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $1.99 |
| January 13, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $2.00 |
| January 14, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $2.00 |
| January 15, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $2.00 |
| January 16, 2026 | $1.93 | $1.95 | $2.01 |
XRP Price Prediction for 2026
2026 might be the calm after the storm of dizzying peaks seen in 2025 — and we may see higher prices sustained for longer, as regulatory bodies around the globe continue to implement frameworks for cryptocurrencies to exist within.
For XRP, this improved regulatory dynamic is a good sign, because as more countries implement pro-crypto regulations, more financial institutions will be open to using Ripple’s services via the XRP Ledger. Therefore, we should continue seeing growth in the Ripple ecosystem during 2026, as international value transfers increasingly become the main utility of the XRP Ledger and the XRP cryptocurrency.
By the end of 2026, we can also expect the development and testing of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to have grown significantly in some nations, and we may even see the rollout of CBDCs in some territories. Ripple already offers CBDC services and is currently in talks with over 20 countries regarding implementing CBDCs. These advancements represent good news for Ripple and XRP and should help combat any downward price pressure caused by macroeconomic instability.
These positive considerations mean that our XRP price prediction for 2026 includes a bullish valuation for XRP, with a high of $2.38, a low of $2.07, and an average price of $2.22.
XRP Price Prediction for 2027
As we gaze further into the future it becomes more difficult to predict XRPs’ price. However, in 2027, we expect the continued uptake of digital currencies, including CBDCs, and blockchain technology.
XRP is well placed to fare well as the institutional use of cryptocurrencies grows, with Ripple at the helm, steering institutional money onto the chain, creating more and more value transfer utility and, as a consequence, increasing demand for XRP.
2027 is also when it is expected that the final distribution of tokens from Ripple’s huge, 55 billion XRP escrow cache is expected to happen. This will mean that the full supply of XRP will finally be circulating in the digital economy.
With this, XRP can now take on its true deflationary status, as transaction fees continue to be burned on the network. However, it is worth noting that Ripple continues to re-lock a part of the supply in each month that it unlocks, which is likely to extend this date out into 2027 or even into 2028.
As a result, 2027 is likely to be a year when XRP witnesses continued growth and adoption, adding overall upward pressure to the token price, not necessarily resulting in new highs for XRP, but a tighter trading range. That’s why our 2027 price prediction features a high of No price prediction available for the specified year., a low of No price prediction available for the specified year. and a median price of No price prediction available for the specified year..
XRP Price Prediction for 2028
2028 is the date for the 5th Bitcoin Halving. While many would say that Bitcoin and the markets will continue to follow previous cycles, the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies and increased utility that we cannot predict yet is likely to have partially broken the effectiveness of these cyclic predictions.
The now regular use of digital assets might even fuel a buying spree for Bitcoin before the Halving Event. Still, XRP and other cryptocurrencies might have decoupled from the price of Bitcoin and be on their own trajectory.
We can also look to the continued adoption of CBDCs, RippleNet, and the XRP Ledger, along with the continued deflating of the XRP token supply to put upward pressure on the price of XRP.
This leads us to predict highs of $5.76 for XRP in 2028, along with greater price stability and a median price of $4.17, and a low of $2.89.
XRP Price Prediction for 2029
If the cyclic nature of Bitcoin continues to be true, 2029 will see new ATHs for Bitcoin and digital assets—yet these are not predicted to be the same aggressively large gain as witnessed in years past.
Despite its partial decoupling from the Bitcoin price a couple of years ago, the price of XRP will still be dragged upward, reaching highs of $7.74, hitting a low of $3.22, and having a median price of $5.12.
XRP Price Prediction for 2030
While 2030 is when we will likely see the fallout of the previous year’s Bitcoin Halving, this will be nowhere near as severe as before, with global regulatory frameworks for digital assets firmly in place and adoption and utility at an all-time high.
Ripple, using the XRP Ledger, could greatly improve global remittance, an industry that is expected to be valued at $213 billion by this year—alongside the other financial products and utilities that have been brought to the XRP Ledger between now and 2030.
While it is impossible to predict the pace at which digital currencies and their utilities will grow and evolve our XRP price prediction concludes with what would be deemed a successfully stable XRP price prediction for 2030, with a high of $10.01, a low of $3.53, and an average price of $6.11.
Historical Performance of Ripple
| Coin Name | Xrp |
|---|---|
| Xrp Price | $1.91 |
| Xrp ATH | $3.84 (January 4, 2018) |
| Xrp Price Change 24h | ▲ 1.7400% |
| Xrp Price Change 7d | ▼ -8.09% |
| Xrp Market Cap | $190.99B |
| Circulating Supply | 99.99B |
The XRP Ledger was launched in 2012, and data for the XRP token on CoinMarketCap starts from August 4th, 2013, where XRP tokens were priced at $0.005875—less than a penny.
From there, the token almost doubled in price over 6 weeks before spiking over two weeks at the end of November, climbing 408% to a high of $0.04855.
Through the start of 2014, the value of XRP declined, falling back below the $0.01 mark at the end of March, and continuing to fall to hit its all-time low of $0.002802 in July.
From here—excluding a spike above $0.02 at the end of 2014 and one above $0.01 in June of 2015—XPR continued to trade hands below the penny valuation, in a range between $0.0042 and $0.009, until the Bitcoin Halving induced and ICO boom fueled bull run kicked off in early 2017.
2017: The Year of XRP
XRP started 2017 priced at $0.006523, a little more than double its all-time low. From here XRP climbed steadily, first peaking in May, at $0.3949, and briefly flipping Ethereum to become the second largest coin by market cap for a short period.
XRP then receded and found support at $0.15 and resistance at $0.25. This resistance, however, only lasted until the beginning of December, where XRP climbed from $0.2326 on December 6th to hit its all-time high (ATH) of $3.84 on January 4th, 2018—a gain of 1,550% in under 1 month and over 58,000% since the beginning of 2017. A surge that had many raising questions about Ripple Labs and its controversial relationship with the XRP Ledger.
2018–2021: When it Gets Difficult for XRP
After the bull market highs at the end of 2018, when Bitcoin was also peaking around $20,000, the next few years proved difficult for a lot of the crypto market, XRP included—and the extra scrutiny brought on by its close relationship with the supposedly separate Ripple Labs didn’t help matters.
The price of XRP declined steeply at the beginning of 2018, losing 78% of its value in less than a month, to dip below $1. XRP continued to steadily decline for over a year, before finding support at the $0.3 mark in late 2019.
However, this only lasted so long, and in the latter half of 2019 XRP, out of step with the majority of the crypto market, started posting lower highs and lower lows, and the longtime support of $0.3 now started acting as resistance. XRP continued trending downward into 2020 where it eventually found a local low of $0.1405 on March 12th, 2020, as the whole world struggled with the Covid-19 virus.
From here the price of XRP climbed incrementally upward. Before following a market-wide rally at the end of 2020 to peak at $0.6645 on November 30th—gains of 373% from its March low.
Then, on December 22nd, the SEC charged Ripple and two of its executives with selling unregistered securities, causing XRP to lose 50% of its value by the beginning of January 2021.
2021–September 2024: Ripple and XRP Bounce Back
Despite this awful news at the turn of 2021, XRP joined in the bull run at the start of that year, hitting highs of $1.5635 in May as Bitcoin began posting then-new ATHs above $60,000.
Ripple dropped in step with the rest of the market, and then rose again later in the year, not as high as before, as Bitcoin posted its ATH above $68,000.
The price of XRP continued to drop in lockstep with the market, finding new support at $0.60 throughout 2021 and into 2022.
In early 2022, however, XRP broke through this support and bounced off strong support of $0.30 in June. From here, it trended upward throughout 2022 and into 2023, posting higher highs and higher lows, finding resistance at $0.50.
The next big price move for XRP then came in July of 2023, as a US Judge ruled that XRP was not sold as a security, resulting in a 73% spike in price to a local high of $0.8162.
The price then declined and bounced off support at $0.5. It was then announced in October that the SEC was dismissing charges against the Ripple executives, and this helped the price climb again, peaking just above $0.7.
From here, the price retracted, finding support at $0.60 throughout November and December before dipping below this level in early 2024 and declining to hit support at $0.50 in early February.
From this point, the XRP price climbed and has regained a price level above $0.60.
October 2024 – January 2025: XRP ETFs, US Presidential Elections, and XRP’s Push Towards Its All-Time High
Between October 2024 and January 2025, XRP experienced a substantial price surge, climbing from approximately $0.50 in early November to a peak of $3.40 by mid-January. This represented a gain of roughly 580% in under three months, marking one of its strongest performances since 2017.
The rally was largely influenced by the outcome of the U.S. presidential election, which resulted in an administration more favorable toward digital assets. This shift boosted overall market sentiment and drew increased attention to XRP.
Broader cryptocurrency trends also significantly shaped XRP’s trajectory. Fluctuations in Bitcoin’s price, shifts in trading volume, and general market sentiment all contributed to its volatility during this period. Despite these external factors, XRP’s ability to maintain its value above key support levels indicated growing confidence among holders.
In summary, this phase was defined by impressive price appreciation driven by political developments and improved market conditions, though the lingering overhang of regulatory questions tempered it.
The blend of bullish momentum and underlying caution characterized XRP’s journey through these months, highlighting its sensitivity to both crypto-specific trends and broader financial market dynamics.
January 2025 – Present: SEC Lawsuit Resolution
From January to August 2025, XRP traded between $2.50 and $3.50. It dipped about 5.5% in July but recovered in early August, staying around $3. This stability showed the market was waiting for something big, and it got it.
In August, the SEC and Ripple finally ended their legal battle. Ripple paid a $125 million fine, and both sides dropped their appeals. This news pushed the price up and brought back institutional traders. You could see this in the trading volumes, which jumped right after the announcement.
The market reacted with a mix of optimism and practicality. Technical charts showed potential for growth, with some signals pointing to possible rebounds. The settlement gave XRP a clearer path forward, shifting focus from legal worries to actual market developments. This change helped build a more stable foundation for XRP, moving it away from its earlier reputation for volatility.
The Current State of Ripple
XRP now trades around $1.91 with a $190.99B market cap, ranking among the top cryptocurrencies.
The company continues expanding RippleNet’s cross-border payment services and has launched its RLUSD stablecoin, which has reached a market cap of about $900 million. Institutional trading volumes have surged post-settlement, reflecting renewed confidence.
While operating under some institutional sales restrictions, Ripple emerges from its legal challenges positioned for growth with clearer regulations and expanding utility.
Market Position and Performance
Ripple (XRP) now ranks among the top five cryptocurrencies with a market cap near $190.99B and a price around $1.91.
Despite some short-term volatility, XRP shows upward momentum with strong trading volume exceeding $6 billion daily. The expansion of RippleNet and the launch of its RLUSD stablecoin further support its utility and long-term growth prospects beyond speculative trading.
Ripple’s Lawsuit vs. The SEC
Here’s a full breakdown of the SEC’s case against XRP:
- December 2020: The SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple Labs, CEO Brad Garlinghouse, and co-founder Chris Larsen.
- March 2021: XRP holders contested the SEC’s case, claiming that XRP is not a security. As a response, the SEC requested an immediate hearing. Judge Netburn made a distinction between XRP vs. BTC and ETH in terms of currency value and utility.
- April 2021: SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce published the Token Safe Harbor Proposal 2.0.
- June 2021: The SEC’s deadline to disclose crypto trading policies was extended. Ripple filed a motion requesting the SEC disclose its internal crypto trading policies two months later.
- January 2022: Judge Netburn granted the SEC until Feb 17 to appeal the decision regarding sensitive government documents regarding Ripple.
- Late 2022: Both the SEC and Ripple filed motions for summary judgment, as well as final submissions to the summary judgment motions. In the meantime, Library ($LBRY) lost a similar case against the SEC, resulting in a decline in XRP’s value.
- January 2023: Ripple received support from numerous organizations, including Coinbase.
- March 2023: Ripple filed a Supreme Court letter to Judge Torres, with the Judge issuing an initial ruling towards XRP, excluding expert testimony from the summary judgment process in Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC.
- April 2023: John E. Deaton shared a video dating from 2018, featuring Tim Draper and Gary Gensler discussing potential lawsuits and the influence on financial regulators. SEC Chair Gary Gensler testified at a congressional hearing.
- May, June 2023: Judge Torres rejected the SEC’s motion to keep the Hinman speech sealed. The SEC seemingly removed Hinman’s biography from its website, and the Hinman documents were expected to be released.
- July 2023: Judge Torres ruled that XRP is not a security in the case of programmatic sales. He also ruled that XRP meets the definition of security for institutional investor sales. This decision prompted various crypto exchanges to relist Ripple’s token on their platforms.
- August, September 2023: Judge Torres granted the SEC’s request to file an interlocutory appeal. With the SECs appeal underway, Ripple filed its response, stating that the SEC lacked any legal grounds for the appeal.
- October 2023: Judge Torres dismisses the SEC’s request for an interlocutory appeal. With Ripple obtaining its license to operate in the US, the trading volume of XRP nearly doubled. Additionally, the SEC voluntarily dismissed charges against Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen.
- March, April, May 2024: The SEC filed a proposal for final judgment, demanding $2 billion in penalties against Ripple. Ripple asked for $10 million in penalties as a response.
- August 2024: Judge Torres also directed Ripple to pay $125 million in penalties, related to the institutional sales, with 1,278 transactions found to have violated Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933.
- October 2024: The SEC officially filed an appeal to the previous ruling.
- November 2024: SEC Chair Gary Gensler announced his resignation, effective January 20, 2025.
- January 15, 2025: the SEC filed an appeal challenging the July 2023 ruling by Judge Analisa Torres.
- January 17, 2025: Ripple filed a cross-appeal challenging the $125 million penalty imposed for institutional sales violations, seeking to reduce or overturn the ruling.
- January 21, 2025: Mark T. Uyeda was appointed as an acting chair of the SEC by President Donald Trump.
- March 25, 2025: Ripple Labs’ lawsuit with the SEC was finally closed, as the former paid a fine of $50 million.
- May 2025: Judge upheld the $125M fine and institutional sales injunction against Ripple.
- August 6, 2025: Ripple and the SEC jointly moved to dismiss all remaining appeals.
- August 7, 2025: SEC officially ended the lawsuit; Ripple agreed to pay $125M.
- August 15, 2025: Deadline for SEC to submit final case closure status report.
What Is XRP? What Is It Used For?
XRP is the native currency of the XRP Ledger, created by the founders of Ripple Labs Inc., which is designed to facilitate the fast and efficient transfer of funds between different currencies across geographical and regulatory borders.
In 2022, a total of $150 trillion was transferred in cross-border transactions, $2.2 trillion was paid in fees on these transfers, and the majority of these transactions took 2–5 days to settle in the recipient’s bank account. Quite an astounding set of facts considering we live in a global digital economy and value efficiency and cost effectiveness in almost everything we do.
The XRP cryptocurrency, and the ledger it was built on, are designed to change this and enable low cost (0.0003 at the time of writing) and near-immediate settlement (3–5 seconds) for cross-border payments and transactions—specifically those between two different currencies.
The XRP Ledger facilitates such transfers by using the XRP currency as an intermediary between the two different currencies at opposite ends of the transaction, one is converted into XRP and that is then converted into the other currency on the other end—all in less than 5 seconds. XRP Ledger has also been designed to do so at the capacity required by today’s digital society, with the ability to scale to process 1,500 transactions per second.
Ripple Vs XRP: What’s the Difference?
The names Ripple and XRP are typically used interchangeably by members of the crypto space, however, they are actually entirely separate entities.
- XRP: The currency of the public, permissionless, and open sourced XRP Ledger, which was launched in 2012 by three developers. It can be built on by anyone, and the XRP ecosystem is currently home to over 1,500 apps and exchanges.
- Ripple: A.k.a. Ripple Labs Inc., a company founded later in 2012, by the same three developers and Chris Larsen, former co-founder of multiple consumer financial services websites.
What is Ripple Labs?
Ripple Labs uses the XRP Ledger to facilitate cross-border payments between financial companies and the consumers who use their services. It was originally called Opencoin, but rebranded to Ripple Labs in 2015.
Ripple Labs has partnered with over a hundred financial institutions and remittance providers around the globe, many of which you may be familiar with:
- Western Union
- Banco Santander
- Bank of England
- Bank of America Merril Lynch
- NAB National Australia Bank
- JP Morgan
- HSBC
- Singapore Exchange
So, while Ripple Labs attempts to distance itself from the XRP Ledger, there seems to be a close-knit relationship between the two since their inception. This is further visible in the tokenomics of the XRP Ledger.
XRP Tokenomics
Overall the total supply of XRP is 100 billion. This amount of tokens was pre-mined at the inception of the XRP Ledger and distributed as follows:
- 20% (20 Billion XRP Tokens) were distributed to the creators and core team.
- 80% (80 Billion XRP Tokens) were gifted to Ripple Labs.
This, understandably, has been the cause for much concern, debate, and discussion in the crypto-verse and beyond. Of their 80 Billion tokens, Ripple has locked 55 billion in escrow using smart contracts on the XRP Ledger. These are released over the course of 55 months at a rate of 1 billion per month.
The last of these token releases will, currently, happen in April 2027. However, this date is largely expected to change, as with each token release Ripple returns a large amount of the tokens to escrow to maintain control over the market supply of XRP and, possibly, to prevent a significant drop in its price.
Interestingly, Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, admitted in an interview with the Financial Times that Ripple would not be profitable were it not for the sale of XRP tokens.
Note that, while small, 0.00001 XRP, all transaction costs on the network are burned, resulting in a steady reduction of the supply of XRP.
XRP Ledger Consensus
Unlike the majority of blockchains, which use proof-of-work (PoW) or proof-of-stake (PoS) to achieve decentralized consensus, and utilize mining or staking to reward network validators for validating the network, the XRP Ledger uses a federated consensus mechanism.
This federated consensus mechanism utilizes trusted validators to achieve consensus on the validity of a transaction. It is this use of trusted validators—who gain their trusted status, which is measured by a variety of metrics, over time—that allows the network to settle transactions in a matter of seconds.
Each validator on the network keeps its own list of trusted Unique Node List (UNL), which it believes won’t defraud it. For new validators, Ripple offers a default UNL, dUNL, list of 35 validators to help them join the network, but validators are still free to choose their own UNL.
Currently, the XRP Ledger has over 190 validators, and 80% of these validators must agree on the validity of a transaction for it to be settled on the network. This concept of trusted lists leads XRP to be considered to be more centralized than other major blockchains, which is why many crypto maxis don’t deem XRP to be a proper cryptocurrency.
In addition to this, there are no validator rewards for securing the network. This is because you must run essentially the same server to participate in the network, i.e. send and receive transactions, and adding a validator to this is a minimal load addition. Users of the network must establish trust lines with gateways to the network to be able to offer, hold, and transact in XRP.
What Else Can Be Done on the XRP Ledger Network?
While Ripple Labs might be focusing on using the XRP Ledger for enhancing cross-border payments and, potentially, for helping banks implement CBDCs, there are others building on the XRP Ledger.
Developers can build on the XRP Ledger in Java, Python, and Javascript, three of the world’s most popular programming languages. Over 1,500 apps and exchanges have purportedly already been built on the network, in some of the most popular categories, including:
- Games
- DeFi
- NFTs
- Wallet
Users of these apps and exchanges will use XRP to pay transaction fees and have a compatible wallet. Notably, the XRP ecosystem does not compare in size to that of any of the other top blockchains, which have extensive and diverse ecosystems.
Factors Influencing Ripple’s Price
When making an XRP price prediction there are numerous factors that need to be considered, some of these can have price effects that move it both up and down, while others may not even happen but must be weighed in by price analysts.
🧑⚖️ Ripple Lawsuit
As of August 2025, the SEC lawsuit against Ripple has been fully resolved. The court’s earlier ruling that XRP sales to retail investors do not constitute securities transactions was upheld. Ripple agreed to a $125 million fine for its institutional sales violations, bringing finality to the case.
💸 Escrow Releases
Each month 1 billion XRP is released from Ripple’s escrow, and some of it hits the market, with the rest of it being returned to escrow. So far, Ripple has controlled these token releases to ensure that it doesn’t impact the price of XRP too much, but that’s not to say this will always be the case
🌐 Adoption of RippleNET
RippleNET, built on the XRP Ledger, offers near-instant cross-border payment solutions. Increased adoption by banking partners boosts demand for XRP, enhancing its utility and value.
🗺️ Adoption of CBDCs
Ripple is actively working with 20 countries on Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). If these projects succeed, the resulting activity on the XRP Ledger would drive significant demand for XRP tokens.
💻 Crypto Markets and Bitcoin
All tokens track closely the price movements of Bitcoin and XRP and will continue to do so until the market matures enough for tokens to initiate price action from their own use cases.
📁 Crypto Regulations
The ability of Ripple to implement its solution in countries around the world depends on their stance on cryptocurrencies and the regulations they eventually put in place. The more countries that offer favorable crypto regulation, the more of Ripple’s partners who will be happy to use RippleNET and increase the demand for XRP.
🌎 Global Economic Climate
A global recession could reduce cross-border transactions, lowering demand for Ripple’s services and XRP. However, increased distrust in traditional banks during such times could boost cryptocurrency adoption overall, affecting XRP’s position in the market.
👥 Cryptocurrency Adoption
Cryptocurrencies can, and already are, performing the services that Ripple is offering—Ripple is just tying the functionality into the legacy financial system. Similar to the point made above, if crypto becomes the norm over the existing system, then XRP, with its ties to the “old system”, is likely to fall out of favor.
📈 Growth of XRP Ecosystem
While developers can build on top of the XRP Ledger, very few are doing so (even though it is said that 1500 apps and exchanges are built on it). Cryptocurrencies and the technology behind them are still in their infancy, and this could all change, and XRP could have a blossoming ecosystem.
However, with the centralization concerns raised by many in the crypto ecosystem, this is unlikely to happen.
Ripple Price Predictions by Other Experts and Analysts
XRP’s prolonged presence in the CoinMarketCap top 10, and Ripple’s now-resolved troubles with the SEC, mean that many analysts have weighed in and provided their XRP price predictions. Here we’ve summarized some of the most notable ones for you.
Chris Macdonald XRP Prediction
Chris Macdonald, a Motley Fool and Yahoo Finance contributor, predicts that XRP could reach $10 in 2026. This could be due to XRP gaining strong institutional demand, and the regulatory tide shifting in favor of digital assets.
Fencer XRP Prediction
The popular Fencer market analyst on Crypto Basic has suggested that XRP’s price is projected to reach between $8.50 and $9 by Q4 2025, supported by the likely approval of XRP ETFs and Ripple’s expanding partnerships with financial institutions.
Michael Saylor XRP Prediction
Famously known for being a Bitcoin bull, the head of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), predicted that XRP would go to $0 on the PBD Podcast. The reason he cites is that XRP is allegedly a security.
Crypto Patel XRP Prediction
The Crypto Patel technical analyst predicted on X that XRP could hit a valuation of $10 by 2026, mirroring its 2017 pump and gaining 40,000% in the process. They cite 4 targets of $0.90, $1.95, $4, and $7 between now and then.
How to Buy Ripple?
As one of the most visible cryptocurrencies due to its market position, XRP is available on almost every exchange and market imaginable—it is also available from select stock brokers through the 21Shares Ripple XRP ETP (Exchange Traded Product).
That all said, the way we recommend purchasing XRP is through one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges, and we recommend Binance. It is the world’s biggest exchange, with over $10 trillion in average daily trading volume and support for over 400 coins and tokens across 1400+ markets.
Here we’ll go through the steps of buying XRP on Binance, from setting up an account to purchasing your XRP tokens—all possible in 5 easy steps.
Step 1: Set up a Binance Account
For those who don’t have one already, follow this link to Binance, enter your email address or phone number, and accept the terms and conditions and privacy policy to begin the setup process.
Complete the setup by entering the confirmation code and creating a strong password.
Step 2: Complete KYC Process
To use Binance users must first complete the KYC process. This requires providing personal information, a government issued ID (passport or driver’s license), taking a selfie, and filling out a questionnaire. If you have everything to hand this can be done in under 7 minutes.
Note that this process requires using the Binance App on a smartphone in addition to a web browser.
Once completed, identity verification can take up to 48 hours, sometimes longer.
Step 3: Fund Your Account
Once you’ve verified your identity click the yellow “Deposit” button in the header and select how you want to fund your wallet you can fund it by depositing crypto, buying crypto through Binance, buying crypto peer-to-peer, or depositing funds in one of over 30 fiat currencies.
Whichever method you use, follow the instructions ensuring that you enter the right address or account number, and that you enter the correct transfer amount before confirming your transaction.
Step 4: Search for XRP on Binance
There are multiple ways to find XRP on the Binance exchange, however, the fastest way is to head to the magnifying glass in the header, search for XRP, and find the trading pair you will be using—XRP trades on over 10 markets on Binance, against fiat currencies and other top cryptocurrencies.
Step 5: Buy XRP
On the market page for XRP you’ll be presented with a wealth of trading tools and charts. On the bottom of this page is the purchase box.
In this box select “Market” in the top left-hand corner, this means that you’ll be paying the market price for your XRP and that your order will execute immediately. Next enter the amount you want to spend on XRP and click the “Buy XRP” button at the bottom to execute your trade. The funds will appear in your account as soon as the trade is finished—which should be almost immediately.
If you want to buy a particular number of XRP tokens then you can click the dropdown menu in the “Total” box and change it to “Amount” to enter the number of XRP tokens you want to buy.
Ripple Price Prediction: Conclusion
XRP has been a member of CoinMarketCap’s top ten cryptocurrencies ranked by market cap since the rankings started, losing ground only to stablecoins, Binance’s token, Ethereum, and Solana—an excellent record.
While the resolved SEC lawsuit and $125 million fine have flipped sentiment to bullish, critics still view XRP’s close ties to Ripple and traditional banking as contradicting crypto’s core values by reinforcing centralized systems rather than advancing decentralization.
But, with its deep connections to Ripple, and the services Ripple is looking to provide to their partners in the money remittance sector and central banks—in the form of instant transfers and CBDCs—many predict XRP has a bright future ahead of it.
While both of these opinions may be right in their own way, our XRP price prediction, after analyzing the different avenues the future could take, is a largely positive one, predicting steady growth and adoption of this cryptocurrency, alongside Ripple’s services and the implementation of regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies.
FAQs
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References
- $100 Billion Controversy: XRP’s Surge Raises Hard Questions for Ripple (CoinDesk.com)
- Ripple Labs Notches Landmark Win in SEC Case Over XRP Cryptocurrency (Reuters.com)
- SEC Asks Judge to Dismiss Charges Against Ripple Co-Founder, CEO (Bloomberg.com)
- Ripple Must Share Financial Statements Requested by SEC, Court Rules (CoinDesk.com)
- XRP Ledger Metrics (XRPScan.com)
- XRP Ledger Blog (XRPL.org)
- CBDCs and Stablecoins (Ripple.com)
- Ripple Enhances CBDC Platform (Ripple.com)
- CBDC Transactions to Exceed $213bn by 2030, as Pilots Accelerate Rapidly (JuniperResearch.com)
- AWS Partner Profile: Ripple (Amazon.com)
- The XRP Ledger (GitHub.com)
- XRPL Ecosystem (XRPL.org)
- An Explanation of Ripple’s XRP Escrow (Ripple.com)
- Network State (XRPScan.com)
- Mark T. Uyeda Named Acting Chairman of the SEC (sec.gov)
- Ripple Labs says it settles with US SEC, will pay reduced $50 million fine (Reuters)
- XRP Price Prediction From September to December 2025: Bull or Bust? (Watcher)
- Expert Predicts XRP Price by Q4 2025 if Chainlink Reaches $250 to $400 (The Crypto Basic)
- Why XRP Could Hit $10 in 2026 (Yahoo Finance)
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