Blockchain company Ripple launched its cryptocurrency, XRP (XRP -4.88%), in 2013. Like many coins, XRP has gone through major ups and downs, but it's now the third-largest cryptocurrency.
Five years ago, XRP traded at a price of $0.28. You could've bought 3,571 tokens for $1,000. The current price is $2.98 (as of Aug. 26), meaning that $1,000 investment would now be worth $11,178. While XRP probably won't replicate those results over the next five years, there's reason to believe it can continue outpacing the crypto market.
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Institutional investors and corporations could drive more growth for XRP
XRP could be the next cryptocurrency to gain traction with big money investors, namely institutional investors and corporations. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is planning to rule on XRP ETF applications in October, and betting markets currently put the approval odds at over 80%.
Bitcoin and Ethereum have benefited from ETF approval, with cumulative inflows of $54 billion and $13 billion, respectively. Although it can take time for inflows to ramp up, ETF approval would be positive news for XRP, since it should lead to more money invested in the cryptocurrency.
Public companies are also starting to add XRP to their corporate treasuries. Most notably, Trident Digital Tech Holdings announced plans to raise up to $500 million to buy XRP as a strategic reserve asset. Several other companies have also announced smaller XRP investments.
The rise of Bitcoin and Ethereum treasury companies has been good for those cryptocurrencies. Case in point, Ethereum is up 75% since June 30, when Bitmine announced its Ethereum treasury strategy.
Don't expect a repeat performance
It's important to have realistic expectations when investing in cryptocurrency. XRP is much bigger now than it was five years ago, so growth will likely slow down. It's also volatile and almost sure to go through more wild price swings. It's still one of the better crypto investments, but it should only be a small part of your portfolio to avoid taking on too much risk.
