Standard Chartered Predicts 500% XRP Gain by 2028

Standard Chartered, a prominent multinational bank, has made a bold prediction regarding the future price of Ripple's cryptocurrency, XRP. The bank anticipates that XRP will reach $12.5 before the conclusion of Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. president. This forecast is based on a combination of factors, including favorable regulatory developments, increased institutional adoption, and the growing number of use cases for the cryptocurrency.

According to Standard Chartered, XRP is expected to experience a significant price rally over the next few years. The bank's forecast includes a steady increase in XRP's value, with projections of $5.50 by 2025, $8 by 2026, $10.40 by the end of 2027, and ultimately $12.50 by 2028. This would represent a 500% increase from its current price of $1.99. If this prediction holds true, XRP could surpass Ethereum to become the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

Geoffrey Kendrick, the head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered Bank, highlighted several key drivers for XRP's anticipated growth. One significant catalyst is the recent announcement by Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has withdrawn its appeal in the ongoing XRP legal battle. This development is seen as a positive sign following Donald Trump’s historic election win, which is expected to be pro-crypto.

Additionally, the investment bank anticipates that the SEC will approve XRP ETFs in the third quarter of 2025, potentially leading to inflows of $4-$8 billion in the first year. XRP's core function, which involves facilitating international and cross-currency transactions, aligns with the fastest-growing use of digital assets, similar to stablecoins. Kendrick noted that the transaction volumes for stablecoins have increased by 50% over the past year and are expected to rise tenfold in the next four years.

Ripple is also exploring the tokenization sector, with projects such as tokenized U.S. Treasury bill funds and its USD-pegged stablecoin RLUSD. These initiatives, along with the positive regulatory environment and increasing institutional interest, suggest that XRP will move in tandem with its larger peer, Bitcoin (BTC), which Standard Chartered predicts will reach $500,000 by the end of 2028.

Despite these positive factors, XRP faces challenges, including a relatively small developer ecosystem compared to its peers and a low-fee model that limits value capture. However, Kendrick believes that the aforementioned tailwinds could offset these shortcomings, leading to a significant increase in XRP's value and market position.