XRP has failed to make holders rich like bitcoin and ether. Here’s why
XRP has significantly underperformed compared to major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether since its 2017 peak. Analysts attribute this to a massive increase in circulating supply, which dilutes the value of individual tokens despite the total market capitalization remaining relatively stable.
Why it matters
Understanding tokenomics and supply dilution is critical for retail investors evaluating long-term asset performance in the volatile cryptocurrency market.
Take XRP (XRP), the payments-focused cryptocurrency native to the XRP Ledger and the world’s fifth-largest digital asset by market value.
The token is still trading well below its 2017 cycle high, while most other major cryptocurrencies have climbed far above theirs. In 2017, crypto broke into the mainstream , pulling in new users and investors during the frenzied run that carried into the first week or two of 2018.
XRP currently trades around $1.33, down 62.5% from its early January 2018 peak of $3.55. In other words, an XRP buyer from that peak is still underwater nearly nine years later. (XRP did briefly top its old high, reaching $3.66 in July 2025 before crashing.)
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