Elemental Royalty Corp., a Canadian gold royalty company, announced it will give qualified shareholders the option to receive their dividends in Tether's gold-backed digital token, XAUT, instead of traditional fiat currency. The news was shared via a CoinMarketCap social media post on February 18, 2026, highlighting a growing intersection between precious metals and blockchain technology.
The announcement introduces a novel method for dividend distribution, leveraging a stablecoin pegged to physical gold. This move is seen as a step toward broader institutional adoption of digital assets, offering shareholders exposure to gold through a blockchain-based token. The decision reflects a trend of traditional finance entities integrating cryptocurrency solutions for corporate actions.
Concurrently, the crypto community is engaged in a heated debate over an extremely bullish price prediction for XRP. An anonymous analyst known as CryptoBull forecasted that XRP could reach $70 by June, based on the Elliott Wave theory and a comparison to its 2017 bull run. Currently trading around $1.49, such a move would represent a 4,700% increase, pushing XRP's market capitalization to nearly $4 trillion—surpassing Bitcoin's all-time valuation records.
This prediction has polarized the community. Supporters cite XRP's history of volatile rallies, while critics highlight the immense liquidity and unprecedented institutional participation required for such a surge. They note the current market is larger, more regulated, and has higher liquidity demands than in 2017, making the short-term timeline unrealistic. Despite the skepticism, the discussion underscores XRP's ongoing relevance, bolstered by increasing regulatory clarity, growing cross-border payment partnerships, and a vibrant community.