XRP concluded 2025 with a nearly 12% loss, mirroring a broader market downturn that saw total crypto market capitalization fall from an October peak of $4.27 trillion to around $2.93 trillion by year-end. However, sentiment among experts has turned more positive as 2026 begins, with several prominent figures highlighting XRP's potential for recovery and a shift in underlying market dynamics.
Santiago Roel Santos, CEO of Inversion, expressed strong confidence in XRP during an appearance on the Empire podcast. He stated, "XRP has a credible path to retesting its all-time high," arguing it holds more upside potential than peers. Santos emphasized that Ripple can leverage XRP's lower valuation to support strategic initiatives, including acquisitions and ecosystem expansion, a flexibility he contrasted with Ethereum, which he suggested faces valuation concerns.
This view is echoed by market observers like Brad Kimes of Digital Perspectives, who noted the evolving tone around XRP and the potential for growing institutional interest as regulatory clarity improves.
Concurrently, Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, challenged traditional market cycle thinking. "Cycle thinking is losing relevance," Hougan stated, arguing that new structural drivers like institutional demand from spot Bitcoin ETFs and the growth of tokenization are setting a new pace. He expects 2026 to bring more stable and less volatile price action, with institutional inflows arriving gradually throughout the year, which could benefit utility-focused assets like XRP.
In a separate but related commentary, a long-time crypto participant known as Remi urged the community to look beyond short-term price obsession and extreme predictions. While dismissing specific four-digit price targets as unrealistic in the near term, his outlook is not bearish. He frames XRP as a long-term infrastructure play tied to a gradual shift in the traditional financial system, advocating for patience. Remi, who began accumulating XRP at prices as low as $0.14, suggested that holding through periods of stagnation could be key, even speculating that holding 1,000 XRP could yield significant wealth if his multi-decade view materializes.
Together, these perspectives paint a picture of 2026 as a year defined by structural market shifts—driven by institutional adoption, regulatory developments, and real-world utility—rather than speculative cycles. For XRP, its current valuation and Ripple's strategic posture are seen as potential catalysts for outperformance in this new environment.
