Publication date: July 10, 2025

XRP is one of the oldest cryptocurrencies on the market. It remains a subject of debate among investors. While many other crypto currencies today focus on DeFi, gaming or tokenization of real assets, XRP sticks to its original purpose: improving international payments. The question is whether that focus will still be enough in 2025 to compete at the top.

In our previous article on XRP, we discussed at length the difference between Ripple (the company) and XRP (the token) and the impact of the lengthy court case with the U.S. SEC. That case has since concluded, and it's time for a new state of affairs. What has changed since the end of 2024 and where are the opportunities and risks now? Read back our previous article here.

What is XRP?

XRP is the digital currency associated with RippleNet, a network designed for fast, inexpensive, and efficient international payments. Unlike many other cryptocurrencies, XRP has a clear use case within the financial sector. The token is used as a bridge currency between different fiat currencies and should eliminate the need for expensive pre-funding.

For years, Ripple has focused on partnering with banks and payment processors. Yet many of these parties are now using Ripple's technology without necessarily deploying XRP, raising questions about the future role of the token itself.

Recent developments

The most significant development in recent months is that the legal battle with the U.S. regulator SEC has finally come to an end. The legal battle between Ripple and the SEC began in December 2020, when the regulator sued the company for illegally selling XRP as an unregistered security, allegedly raising more than $1.3 billion from institutional investors. An important twist followed in July 2023: Judge Analisa Torres ruled that XRP is not a security when sold to retail investors through exchanges, but is a security when sold to institutional investors. This ruling was widely considered a partial victory for Ripple and led to a sharp rise in XRP's share price.

In the months that followed, the case escalated further. The SEC demanded a $2 billion fine in spring 2024, to which Ripple made a $10 million counteroffer. A ruling followed in August in which Ripple was fined $125 million for 1,278 institutional sales that violated the Securities Act. Ripple then filed a counter-appeal on Jan. 17 to reduce or reverse the $125 million fine. A final settlement was reached on March 25, 2025: Ripple paid a $50 million fine, and the case was officially closed.

Since then, things have remained quiet around XRP. Hardly any new collaborations have been announced and the price is moving sideways, with little volatility. While the legal outcome is seen as positive, the lack of adoption remains a concern for investors.

Price development of XRP

The chart below shows the price movement of XRP over approximately one year. After an explosive rise in November 2024, during which the price increased from approximately $0.50 to above $3.00, the price has been consolidating within a symmetrical triangle pattern over the subsequent months. This structure, along with the earlier rally, forms a classic bullish flag pattern, a technical signal that often indicates the continuation of an upward trend. The chart shows that XRP has been fluctuating between increasingly narrow support and resistance lines for some time, indicating declining volatility and increasing pressure.

The green and gray arrows in the chart mark possible scenarios in the event of a breakout from this pattern. An upward breakout (green arrow) could potentially push the price toward the area above $4.00, while a downward breakout (gray arrow) could lead to a pullback toward $1.50. Technically, the longer the consolidation phase continues, the more powerful the eventual breakout, regardless of direction. At the time of writing, XRP appears to be breaking out just above the resistance line, which is often interpreted by technical analysts as a bullish signal. If this momentum holds, it could be the beginning of a new upward phase.

Still, analysts are divided on further price movement. Optimists, including CryptoNews and Bitget, foresee a rise to $2 to $5 by the end of 2025. This expectation is based on factors such as increasing institutional adoption, possible approval of an XRP ETF and further legal clarity surrounding Ripple and the SEC. In some scenarios, price targets reach as high as $4.94 by 2026, provided XRP manages to gain a key role within cross-border payments.

Skeptics, on the other hand, point to the lack of innovation within the XRP ecosystem and the limited adoption of the token itself. Combined with stiff competition from faster networks such as Solana, Sui, and stablecoins, XRP remains vulnerable in their eyes.

The low volatility in recent weeks underscores that a major price move is likely imminent. The coming weeks will therefore be crucial: if XRP can maintain its current positive momentum, a new price rally is within reach. If not, a correction to lower levels is imminent.

What could drive up the price of XRP?

• Expansion of ODL use: If Ripple succeeds in getting more partners to actually use XRP for On-Demand Liquidity, this could significantly increase demand.
  
  
• ETF speculation: Rumors of a possible XRP ETF have been circulating for some time. Should this make serious progress, it could quickly provide a share price boost.
  
  
• New collaborations: institutional adoption or integration into new payment networks could restore confidence in XRP.
  
  
• General market rally: In a broader bull market, XRP usually benefits as an established altcoin.