Admittedly, 2025 turned out to be a huge disappointment for XRP (XRP 1.40%) investors.
The year started off with a bang, and XRP eventually hit a 52-week high of $3.65 in July. However, things collapsed from there. Today, XRP trades for a bargain price of a little more than $2.
But there's still reason to think that XRP could go on a big rally this year, eventually hitting a long-run price of $10 or higher. If that's the case, then buying XRP today could set you up for life.
Factors in XRP's favor
In theory, everything seems to be going in XRP's favor right now. The long-running Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit against Ripple (the company behind the XRP token) finally settled in August, bringing much-needed regulatory clarity.
In addition, new spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched in November, making it easier than ever for institutional investors to buy XRP. In the first 50 days alone, more than $1 billion flowed into these ETFs.
Right now, comprehensive new crypto legislation known as the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is steadily working its way through Congress. This legislation follows on the heels of last year's Genius Act, and is further proof that the pro-crypto agenda of the Trump administration still has momentum.
Image source: Getty Images.
Moreover, on top of all that, Ripple pulled off more than $2.7 billion in acquisitions last year, and raised more than $500 million from investors at a $40 billion valuation. A large chunk of that money will go into building out the financial infrastructure for XRP and its blockchain ledger. That means more use cases for the XRP coin, as well as much more transaction activity on the XRP blockchain.
That's a lot going in XRP's favor, and a big reason I think a return to form in 2026 could be in the cards. At the very least, XRP looks ready to regain its 52-week high of $3.65 from last year. If that happens, it would represent a mouthwatering return of more than 70%.
XRP to hit $6 and pass Ethereum?
That's nice, of course, but it's not enough to set you up for life. For that to happen, XRP has to go absolutely ballistic. At the very minimum, it would need to hit a price of $6. At that price, XRP would have a higher valuation than Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency on the planet.
CRYPTO: XRP
Key Data Points
Admittedly, that's a big ask. In its entire history, XRP has never once passed the $4 mark. But there are plenty of analysts and strategists who think it might actually happen. Standard Chartered, for example, predicted last year that XRP would hit a price of $8 this year before cruising to a price of $12.50 by the end of 2028.
And it's not hard to find much higher price targets for XRP. Some analysts, for example, think that the long-run price of XRP should be closer to $100.
Just keep in mind: Those predictions are usually predicated on some radical change happening to the global financial system, in which XRP suddenly takes on a much more important role. For example, last year, the popular narrative was that XRP would eventually supplant SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) as the premier network for cross-border payments by banks and other financial institutions.
Keep your expectations for XRP in check
XRP is exactly the type of high-risk, high-upside cryptocurrency capable of generating life-changing wealth. The only problem is that, for more than a decade, it has overpromised and underdelivered. I can't emphasize this enough: During this time, XRP has never once traded higher than a price of $3.84.
So keep your expectations in check in 2026. A lot needs to go right for both Ripple and XRP. For now, I'm keeping my eye on inflows into the new spot XRP ETFs. As long as these remain positive, there's no reason XRP can't soar in value this year, making a lot of investors rich in the process.
