XRP has stumbled into 2026 with all the grace of a drunk hedgehog 🦔, somehow gaining 20% this year and leaving Bitcoin and Ethereum looking a bit… meh. The rally has catapulted XRP back into the top cryptos by market value, and now everyone’s arguing whether it’s still a “thing” or just the crypto equivalent of that one uncle who never leaves the party.
XRP is basically joined at the hip to Ripple, who originally sold it as the Superman of cross-border payments faster than a speeding bullet 💨 and cheaper than a Tesco meal deal. That pitch worked wonders in the 2017-2018 crypto circus, where XRP soared to dizzying heights before crashing back to earth like a pigeon in a jet engine.
The OG XRP Dream 🌈
Back in the day, XRP was supposed to be the neutral middleman for banks, saving them from the ancient horrors of slow and pricey legacy systems. Its speed and low fees were its superpowers, and investors swooned 🥰.
For years, this fairy tale kept the XRP community buzzing louder than a caffeine-addicted bumblebee 🐝.
What Actually Happened 🕵️♂️
Crypto analyst Ellio Trades (who probably spends too much time on Twitter) says most of those early dreams have gone the way of Blockbuster. Banks, it turns out, are control freaks 🎮. Instead of adopting XRP, they’ve been cozying up to Ripple’s messaging tech or issuing their own stablecoins. (Think USDC, but with fewer memes.)
Ripple has signed hundreds of partnerships, but mostly for their tech, not XRP. It’s like getting invited to a party for the snacks, not the host.
Stablecoins: The New Kids on the Block 🕺💵
Enter stablecoins, the crypto world’s answer to digital Monopoly money 💸. These dollar-pegged tokens are now a $300 billion juggernaut, processing $27 trillion in transactions in 2024 alone. (That’s more than your average credit card network, FYI.)
Stablecoins let you transfer value without the rollercoaster ride of volatility, unlike XRP, which requires currency conversions faster than you can say “lost in translation.”
Ellio reckons this has made XRP’s original bridge asset thesis about as relevant as a flip phone 📱 in 2026.
Ripple’s Growing, But Where’s XRP? 🧐
Ripple’s been busy expanding into custody, financial infrastructure, and launching its own stablecoin. Analysts say this makes Ripple stronger as a company but leaves XRP looking like the awkward third wheel 🚲 at a couples’ dinner.
Some think XRP’s 2026 rally is proof it’s still got it. Others think Ripple’s growing success has left XRP in the dust, like a forgotten Tamagotchi in the back of a drawer.
“Ripple the company will be fine. They’re swimming in cash 💰 and partnerships. XRP might find some niche use, but the global bridge dream? Dead as a dodo 🦤. It’s over,” Ellio declared, probably while sipping a latte ☕ and scrolling through memes.
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2026-01-18 13:12