XRP has broken through the $3 mark for the first time since 2018, capturing the attention of crypto investors worldwide. As of the latest data, XRP trades at $3.17, up 9.2% in the past 24 hours and over 30% in the past week—significantly outperforming the broader cryptocurrency market. This surge brings XRP dangerously close to its all-time high of $3.40, set back in January 2018.
The rally didn’t happen in isolation. Several macro and project-specific catalysts have aligned to fuel this momentum.
Market Catalysts Behind the Rally
A key driver has been renewed optimism around U.S. regulatory sentiment toward cryptocurrencies. On January 15, the SEC filed an appeal in the long-running Ripple lawsuit, seeking to challenge a prior court ruling that favored Ripple Labs. However, market sentiment interprets this move not as a legal threat, but as a last gasp from a fading regulatory regime. With expectations of a more crypto-friendly SEC under future leadership, investors are pricing in favorable outcomes for Ripple and other major digital assets.
Additionally, inflation data has provided tailwinds. Recent CPI and PPI reports showed core PCE inflation coming in below expectations, reinforcing hopes of upcoming rate cuts. This macro environment has boosted risk appetite across financial markets, especially in high-growth sectors like crypto.
👉 Discover how market cycles influence altcoin surges like XRP’s current breakout.
XRP’s Unique Price Pattern: “Years of Sideways, Months of Moonshots”
Since its launch in 2013, XRP has developed one of the most distinctive price behaviors in the crypto space—characterized by extended periods of consolidation followed by explosive, parabolic rallies.
Let’s break down its historical performance:
2017–2018 Bull Run: Three Explosive Surges
- First Surge (March–April 2017): After over 700 days of sideways movement, XRP jumped from $0.005 to $0.054 in just one month—a 10x gain.
- Second Surge (April–May 2017): Following a 50% correction, it rallied again from $0.37 to $0.40 in half a month—another 11x increase.
- Third Surge (December 2017–January 2018): After a 60% drop and months of consolidation, XRP launched from $0.24 to its peak of $3.40 in under a month—an astonishing 14x rise.
In just ten months, XRP delivered three separate rallies exceeding 10x returns—earning its reputation as a “bull market rocket ship.”
2020–2021 Cycle: Sustained Momentum
After crashing from its peak and trading between $0.14 and $0.25 for nearly three years, XRP reawakened during the next bull cycle:
- Late 2020: Rose from $0.25 to $0.69 (+176%) in 20 days.
- Early 2021: Recovered from $0.21 to $0.62 (+195%) over two months.
- March 2021: Climbed from $0.41 to $1.84 (+346%), though it never surpassed that level.
While less explosive than 2017–2018, this cycle still featured multiple rapid triple-digit gains.
2024–2025 Breakout: From Dormancy to Dominance
After bottoming around $0.30 in mid-2022 and consolidating near $0.40 for over a year, XRP reignited in late 2024:
- November 2024: Began a powerful rally from $0.50.
- By early 2025: Reached $3.17—an increase of nearly 6x in just over two months.
This latest move echoes past patterns—long dormancy, followed by sudden ignition.
Centralized Control: Is XRP Market Manipulation?
One reason XRP can sustain such predictable price action is its highly centralized supply.
Of the total 100 billion XRP tokens:
- Ripple Labs initially held 80 billion.
- Founders Jed McCaleb, Chris Larsen, and Arthur Britto received 9B, 7B, and 4B respectively.
- Today, approximately 57 billion XRP are circulating.
Wallet distribution data reveals extreme concentration:
- Top 10 addresses hold over 40% of supply—6 of them belong to Ripple.
- Top 100 addresses control 71.82%, including large holdings by exchanges like Upbit (5.9%), Binance (2.5%), and SBI Holdings (0.31%).
Such centralization enables coordinated price influence.
Internal documents from the SEC lawsuit revealed Ripple’s strategic market operations:
- A dedicated "XRP Market Team" monitors price and trading volume.
- Ripple pays exchanges to list XRP and rewards them for hitting trading volume targets.
- Executives like Brad Garlinghouse and Chris Larsen actively participate in market strategy decisions.
For example, in Q3 2020, Ripple disclosed purchasing **$45 million worth of XRP**, coinciding with its sharp rise from $0.25 to $0.69.
👉 Learn how centralized token models impact investment risk and reward potential.
The Utility Question: Does XRP Have Real Use?
Ripple promotes XRP as a bridge currency for cross-border payments via its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) product—where banks convert fiat into XRP for fast international transfers.
But real-world adoption remains limited:
- Only ODL uses XRP; other Ripple products (xCurrent, xVia) operate without it.
- High transaction costs and lack of banking integration have hindered growth.
- No public revenue figures confirm significant ODL usage.
In contrast, Ripple’s income from selling XRP tokens is well-documented:
- In 2019, 80% of Ripple’s revenue came from token sales, according to third-party analysis.
- Over the past year alone, Ripple reduced its holdings by 3.22 billion XRP—worth over $1.6 billion at average prices.
This suggests that token monetization, not product revenue, drives the business model.
FAQ: Your Burning Questions About XRP Answered
Why does XRP keep surging while other altcoins lag?
XRP benefits from strong centralized coordination, strategic news releases, and exchange partnerships that amplify buying pressure during favorable market conditions.
Is XRP a good long-term investment?
That depends on your risk tolerance. Its history shows explosive gains during bull runs, but also severe drawdowns. Regulatory clarity could unlock further upside—but centralization poses ongoing risks.
Could an XRP ETF be approved?
Ripple executives believe so. With Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs now live, XRP is seen as a potential candidate—especially if Ripple wins its SEC case or gains political support.
How does Ripple influence XRP’s price?
Through controlled token releases, exchange incentives, strategic buybacks, and timed announcements—creating artificial demand during key moments.
Why hasn’t XRP surpassed its 2018 high yet?
Market cap constraints and lingering regulatory uncertainty have capped previous rallies. A clean legal outcome could be the final catalyst needed.
What triggers the next leg of XRP’s rally?
Watch for: positive SEC case developments, ETF filings, major banking partnerships using ODL, or increased institutional accumulation.
Final Thoughts: Will History Repeat?
XRP’s journey reflects a unique blend of technology narrative and market engineering. While it lacks the decentralized ethos of Bitcoin or Ethereum, its ability to deliver explosive returns during bull markets is undeniable.
The pattern remains consistent: prolonged consolidation → strategic hype buildup → explosive breakout.
With XRP now above $3 and momentum building, investors are watching closely to see if it can finally break its all-time high—and whether this rally will be another short-lived "pump" or the start of a new chapter.
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