XRP has failed to make holders rich like bitcoin and ether. Here’s why
Reported by CoinDesk · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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Summary
XRP is trading around $1.33, about 62.5% below its January 2018 peak of $3.55, unlike Bitcoin, Ether, and several other major cryptocurrencies that have surpassed their previous highs. Analysts attribute this underperformance to a sharp increase in circulating supply, weak fund inflows, declining trading activity, Ripple’s focus on payments rather than popular crypto sectors, and prolonged regulatory uncertainty stemming from the SEC lawsuit against Ripple. XRP briefly surpassed its old high in July 2025 before crashing again.
Why it matters
The source highlights that XRP's continuous lag behind other leading cryptocurrencies indicates challenges in investor demand and adoption, particularly given its limited involvement in booming crypto sectors like DeFi and memecoins. It also demonstrates the impact of regulatory issues on token performance, but the article does not explicitly state the broader market or user consequences beyond XRP's specific price and demand trends.
Key context
XRP’s circulating supply increased by 63% from 38.7 billion in 2017 to 63.1 billion, diluting its value per token despite stable market capitalization. Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC over XRP’s classification as a security ended in August 2025 after various rulings and penalties, influencing trading suspensions on platforms like Coinbase and contributing to XRP’s price stagnation. Meanwhile, XRP-focused institutional funds have underperformed compared to Bitcoin and Ether ETFs, attracting only $1.8 billion since debut versus billions for others.
Key numbers and entities
XRP is priced at approximately $1.33, down 62.5% from its 2018 peak of $3.55. Bitcoin is quoted at $80,955.28, up 314% from its December 2017 peak, Ether at $2,445.71 (up 66%), Dogecoin up 322%, and Binance Coin up about 2,800%. XRP’s circulating supply rose from 38.7 billion to 63.1 billion tokens. XRP funds have attracted $1.80 billion since debut, far lagging Bitcoin and Ether ETFs. Ripple paid a $125 million penalty to the SEC, with the case resolved in August 2025.
What remains unclear
The article does not specify detailed future prospects for XRP or how Ripple might alter its strategy going forward. It also does not provide a comprehensive explanation of the broader impact of these dynamics on the overall crypto market or user adoption outside XRP’s price and demand metrics. Additionally, it is unclear how exactly investor sentiment might evolve post-appeal drop and the potential effects of fund holdings and token distribution trends mentioned by analysts.