Ripple (XRP) Price Predictions 2024, 2025, 2030, 2040, 2050 / Axi (2024)

What is Ripple and XRP?

Ripple

RipplePay was founded in 2004 by Ryan Fugger, a Vancouver-based web developer, who envisioned it as a peer-to-peer financial network that challenged existing banking institutions. Predating Bitcoin (the first major cryptocurrency), RipplePay aimed to facilitate secure global payments and empower people and communities to develop their own virtual currencies.

Later, in 2011, early bitcoin pioneer and founder of the Mt. Gox exchange Jed McCaleb, together with Chris Larsen, contacted Fugger with the idea of transforming RipplePay into a digital currency system based on network members consensus.

They introduced XRP as an alternative to Bitcoin, addressing the energy-intensive nature of bitcoin mining. This system combines Cobalt, which provides a secure way for everyone to agree even if some parts fail, and the Ripple Protocol Consensus Algorithm, a method designed specifically for making quick and reliable agreements.

While Ripple’s token XRP also uses the public XRP Ledger to store transaction details, the payment network does not use mining to validate and record new transactions. Rather, in order to maintain the transaction ledger and establish consensus quickly, the XRP Ledger requires reliable validator nodes.

Subsequently, Fugger turned over the project, resulting in the formation of OpenCoin, which eventually became Ripple Labs.

Ripple evolved into what we know today in 2012. McCaleb, Arthur Britto, and David Schwartz (the mastermind behind the XRP Ledger and current Ripple CTO) developed the core consensus network, resulting in the rebranding of RipplePay, with the primary goal of revolutionising cross-border payments.

Ripple's technology offers a solution for banks and financial institutions by replacing ‘slow and outdated’ traditional international systems like SWIFT, enabling the immediate settlement of transactions that might otherwise take days.

Unlike many other cryptocurrencies, Ripple's blockchain technology is used directly to facilitate transactions between banks, avoiding the need for intermediary financial institutions and thereby minimising transaction costs and delays. According to current CEO Brad Garlinhouse “we believe that crypto and fiat are complimentary”. It's worth mentioning that the Ripple ecosystem can handle transactions with currencies other than XRP.

While Ripple focused on having financial institutions use the ledger for cross-border payments and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) management, XRP's functionality extends beyond that. Its integration with digital wallets showcases its usefulness in personal finance. Furthermore, discussions around XRP and Web3 technologies point to possible uses in the world of digital collectibles, gaming, and the broader digital economy, positioning XRP as a key actor in the future of finance.

Ripple aims to make things easier for banks and other businesses to use XRP by providing new tools (such as Liquidity Hub) and technical updates that make it easier to manage XRP and participate in the Ripple network.

This could eventually lead to more money flowing through the system and more efficient operations for everyone involved. Ripple's technology is now being integrated by over 100 financial institutions across the globe, indicating its rising acceptability and potential to democratise international payment processing.

XRP

XRP Tokenomics

Ripple's currency, XRP, was pre-created (pre-mined) at launch in 2013 with a total quantity of 100 billion, eliminating the need for mining to generate new currencies.

The founders received 20%, with Ripple receiving the remaining 80%. Ripple locked up 55 billion XRP in escrow accounts on the XRP Ledger in December 2017. These accounts act like a holding place where XRP is not freely circulating in the market. Each month, 1 billion XRP is released from escrow to ensure predictability.

The remaining XRP is placed into a new escrow account with a new month added to the release schedule.

XRP has a slightly deflationary nature, with transaction costs burned to prevent spam attacks. Projections suggest the XRP supply might last up to 70,000 years due to this deflationary mechanism, though this depends on future developments. While XRP burning has a deflationary effect, it is likely to have a minimal impact on the price in the short to medium term. Ripple has a thorough plan to enhance XRP's circulating supply while preserving liquidity.

Ripple Labs founders Chris Larsen and Jed McCaleb have been involved in selling their XRP holdings, which has significantly impacted the price of the cryptocurrency. McCaleb, who received a significant amount of XRP for starting the company, agreed in 2014 not to liquidate his 9 billion XRP holdings. However, when he announced his intention to sell it all over a two-week period, the price of Ripple fell by 40%.

Chris Larsen also donated 7 billion XRP to the Ripple Foundation for Financial Innovation to help underbanked consumers worldwide. The sale of XRP by the founders, particularly McCaleb, demonstrates the influence that large sell-offs by key figures can have on the cryptocurrency's market value.

At the time of writing in June 2024, over 55.4 billion XRP were in circulation.

Ripple’s Legal Battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

In December 2020, the U.S. SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple, stating that the sale of XRP was equivalent to selling unregistered stocks and that Ripple conducted an unregistered securities offering exceeding $1.3 billion through XRP sales. This lawsuit significantly impacted the XRP market and its price. Ripple has continuously refuted the charges.

More than two years later, in July 2023, the court issued a mixed verdict. While XRP sales on exchanges and through algorithms weren't considered securities, the judge ruled differently for Ripple's direct sales to institutions. The SEC reacted strongly in March, seeking over $2 billion in fines and penalties from Ripple. As of May 2024, a critical court case is taking place involving access to Ripple's legal records pertaining to XRP transactions. The result of this hearing could significantly impact the case.

The ongoing legal battle has cast a shadow over Ripple. The SEC's criticism of Ripple's unreleased stablecoin as an "unregistered crypto asset" further highlights the regulatory ambiguity surrounding the company. Furthermore, some cryptocurrency exchanges delisted XRP in response to the initial lawsuit, though some major players have since relisted it following court rulings.

Ripple and MoneyGram, a US money transfer company, had a significant partnership in June 2019, investing $50 million to use RippleNet and XRP for cross-border payments. However, in February 2021, MoneyGram terminated the partnership due to the class-action lawsuit.

MoneyGram later announced a new partnership with Stellar, despite Ripple claiming the partnership demonstrated real-world XRP usage. The partnership's collapse was attributed to regulatory uncertainty and high costs for MoneyGram.

Recent Ripple and XRP developments

In a major development, Ripple announced its plans to launch a USD-backed stablecoin later in 2024. The stablecoin will first debut on the XRP Ledger and the Ethereum blockchain, with plans to expand across various blockchains and DeFi platforms.

It is unclear whether the introduction of a stablecoin will limit the native cryptocurrency XRP's function or increase its usefulness and liquidity. XRP will operate as a bridge asset for the stablecoin, helping to increase transaction liquidity and efficiency. A stablecoin might increase acceptance of the Ripple ecosystem since some financial institutions are hesitant to embrace such volatile assets.

It is worth noting that XRP's speedier transaction confirmation times, typically around 3-5 seconds, can mitigate the volatility associated with transfers compared to Bitcoin, which can take much longer to confirm.

Despite a thriving community and high-profile legal disputes, Ripple's product adoption has yet to realise its full potential. A reliable alternative to Tether and Circle could potentially diversify revenue streams, especially in light of a possible SEC fine.

The stablecoin market is expected to reach a market cap of nearly $3 trillion by 2028. With competition from existing stablecoins such as USDC and Tether, Ripple's integrated financial solutions will probably need to adapt to other blockchains to stay competitive. While the XRP Ledger has advantages, broader adoption might require interoperability with other popular blockchains.

Ripple also anticipates strategic partnerships and growth, including integrating XRP into a third-person battle royale game with Futureverse and improving the blockchain user and developer experience across wider applications. Furthermore, Ripple is integrating AI into its offerings to expand the functionality and capabilities of its blockchain platform across various sectors.

What affects the price of XRP/USD?

Market sentiment plays a major role, with positive developments like Ripple's technological advancements or the anticipation of an XRP ETF fuelling buying sprees. Conversely, regulatory actions, broader market movements in Bitcoin and Ethereum, or even social media buzz can trigger negative sentiment.

Traditional financial events also contribute to the overall sentiment. Financial institutions, large investors, and the RippleNet network have a direct impact on the internal value of XRP. New functionalities beyond RippleNet could further increase its appeal.

Finally, a positive resolution in the ongoing SEC lawsuit could significantly boost investor confidence and potentially raise the price. By monitoring these various factors, traders can gain valuable insights into market sentiment and potential future price movements for XRP.

Historical price performance*

* References to forecasts and past performance are not reliable indicators of future results.  

XRP/USD historical performance

Introduced in 2012, XRP traded at a fraction of a cent until the end of 2017. Beginning in 2018, increased interest in cryptocurrencies and Ripple's partnerships with major financial institutions caused its price to skyrocket, reaching $3.80 on several cryptocurrency exchanges.

Following 2017's apogee, the entire cryptocurrency market endured a protracted bear market, during which XRP fell below $1. During the Bitcoin rally in April 2021, Ripple's price rose above $1 again.

Since early 2018, XRP's price has decreased by more than 85 percent from its peak.

The estimated circulation supply exceeds 55.4 billion units, which is slightly higher than fifty percent of the maximal supply of 100 billion. In addition to lengthy court disputes with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the coin's price had been dragged down for eight years by one of the company founders' continuous sales of 9 billion XRP holdings, which he had been selling since departing in 2014.

Recent stabilisation may indicate a more mature market, though it's important to consider that cryptocurrency prices can be influenced by unexpected news and market shifts.

Lowest and highest prices yearly, since 2017 

Previous cycles highs and lows 

XRP price predictions 2024-2050

The prices and forecasts displayed in this table and the sections that follow originate from third-party data and aim to offer an overview of current market sentiment.

* Price prediction not provided from this source for this year

XRP price forecasts for 2024

Starting in 2024, XRP's price predictions paint a mixed picture. While some sources, like Binance user consensus, anticipated a price of $0.519 by June, XRP had already surpassed that mark by March, reaching $0.745.

Coinpedia, however, warns of a potential bearish trend within a weekly triangle pattern, with a chance of a breakout reaching as high as $2.23.

A key factor for 2024 is the ongoing lawsuit between Ripple and the SEC. According to Techopedia, a Ripple win could significantly boost XRP's price, with an average of $1.80 by year-end. However, they caution that the price could swing between $0.30 and $3.10, depending on the court's ruling.

The WeStarter XRP forecasts for 2024 are more cautious, with a high of $0.99 and a low of $0.75, averaging around $0.83 for the year.

Overall, 2024 seems to be a year of possibilities for XRP, with the SEC case acting as a major turning point depending on its outcome.

XRP price forecasts for 2025

Looking ahead to 2025, XRP's price predictions offer a range of possibilities. Optimists like Coinpedia and YouTube analyst Zach Humphries envision significant growth, with forecasts reaching as high as $3.38 or even $3.81. Coinpedia points to XRP's potential in cross-border payments and existing partnerships as drivers for this growth, while acknowledging potential risks like global crises.

Techopedia takes a more moderate approach, predicting an average price of $3 based on a Fibonacci retracement forecast. They recognise both XRP's potential (clear use case and partnerships) and concerns about centralization and initial distribution.

Tokenmetrics provides a data-driven perspective, outlining a bearish scenario with a price near $0.31 if market dominance shrinks, and a bullish scenario with a price reaching $0.64 if market cap expands significantly.

Finally, Coincodex presents a range between $0.34 and $1.67, with a more conservative technical analysis suggesting a price settling around $1.20 by 2025. Analyst David Cox offers a similar prediction, with a high of $1.53 and a low of $1.06. Binance user consensus, on the other hand, projected a more modest price of $0.543 for June 2024, suggesting a potentially slower climb for XRP in the earlier part of the year.

XRP price forecasts for 2030

Fast forward to 2030, and XRP price predictions diverge dramatically. Coinpedia paints an optimistic picture, with a price range of $15.02 to $13.80, fuelled by Ripple's growing global recognition and adoption. Techopedia also sees potential for growth, estimating XRP could reach a maximum of $9 by 2030, potentially becoming a bridge currency due to its near-zero settlement times and the rise of central bank digital currencies.

However, other sources offer a more conservative outlook. Tokenmetrics outlines a bearish scenario where XRP could struggle to surpass $1.06, even with a $10 trillion crypto market cap. Coincodex presents a similar range between $0.43 and $1.74, reflecting a more cautious approach in line with Binance's user consensus rating, which projected a price of $0.693 for XRP in June 2024.

With a more optimistic outlook, WeStarter projects that XRP will reach a new all-time high of $3.18 in 2030, with an average price that is higher than $3.10. They anticipate a settled SEC lawsuit and multiple bull rallies driving the price higher. In contrast, AMBCrypto projects a high of $0.61 in 2024 and a maximum of $2.01 in 2030 for the near term.

2030 presents a picture of XRP's long-term potential, but with a wide range of possibilities depending on factors such as market adoption, the SEC lawsuit, and the emergence of new technologies.

XRP price forecasts for 2040

Venturing into 2040, predictions for XRP become even more speculative. With a maximum price of $5.96 and an average price exceeding $4.90, WeStarter offers an optimistic outlook. This optimism aligns with their CEO's belief that XRP could reach $5 by 2025. WeStarter also cites positive technical analysis supporting this growth trajectory.

It's important to remember, however, that these are long-term predictions made over 15 years into the future. The cryptocurrency market can be highly volatile, and unforeseen events could significantly impact XRP's price.

XRP price forecasts for 2050

Looking even further into the future, 2050's predictions for XRP become even more uncertain. WeStarter forecasts a possible high of $7.80, with an average price exceeding $7.10. These predictions depend on favourable outcomes in the ongoing lawsuits against Ripple. However, these long-term predictions are highly speculative, given the anticipated significant changes in the cryptocurrency environment between now and 2050, a span of more than 25 years.

Conclusion

Ripple's technology, which offers near-instantaneous settlements and minimal transaction costs, enables smaller banks to bypass bigger institutions for international payments. This has the potential to democratise access to the global financial network while drastically lowering the cost of cross-border transactions.

The ongoing development of Ripple's infrastructure, as well as strategic relationships with financial institutions, are expected to broaden the use case for XRP beyond currency exchange. As Ripple integrates with more institutions, XRP is well-positioned to potentially lead the digital transformation of global financial payments.

Overall, while XRP price predictions offer a range of possibilities, its future performance will depend heavily on external variables, including the outcome of the SEC lawsuit, regulatory decisions in general, and market adoption trends.

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References to forecasts and past performance are not reliable indicators of future results.  

The images shown are for illustration purposes only. Data is sourced from third party providers.  

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be financial product advice or any investment recommendation. It is not to be construed as a recommendation; or an offer to buy or sell; or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security, financial product, or instrument; or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without taking your objectives, financial situation and needs into account. Axi makes no representation and assumes no liability with regard to the accuracy and completeness of the content in this publication. Readers should seek their own advice.  

Alex Macris