XRP News Today: Google's Private Ledger Challenges XRP's Cross-Border Edge

XRP is currently experiencing a downward trend in the cryptocurrency market, particularly as Solana and other emerging projects gain traction. Alphabet's recent launch of the Google Cloud Universal Ledger (GCUL), a Layer-1 blockchain optimized for cross-border payments, has introduced a potential competitor to the XRP Ledger. Although GCUL is still in beta testing and not expected to launch until 2026, it already highlights concerns for XRP investors. GCUL, unlike the public and permissionless XRP Ledger, is a private, permissioned blockchain, which aligns better with the preferences of financial institutions that often prioritize reduced liability and risk. Additionally, the absence of a token for GCUL suggests a potential shift toward using stablecoins for value transfers, which could mitigate volatility concerns compared to XRP’s fluctuating value. This dynamic may erode XRP’s perceived utility, which could impact its price in the long term [1].

Meanwhile, Solana is showing strong signs of upward momentum. The price of Solana’s native token, SOL, has surged by over 36% since mid-August, reaching an intraday high of $210. Technical analysis suggests that the price may break through the $330 resistance level, potentially leading to a parabolic rise toward $1,057. This potential trajectory is supported by a bullish megaphone pattern on the weekly chart, along with a rising RSI from 49 to 61, signaling growing bullish momentum. Furthermore, Solana’s open interest has hit a record high of $13.68 billion, indicating heightened speculative interest and a belief among traders that the price could continue climbing. The approval of the Alpenglow upgrade, which significantly reduced transaction finality time and increased throughput, has also bolstered investor confidence [2].

In parallel, BlockDAG has emerged as a formidable force in the blockchain ecosystem, raising nearly $400 million in its presale phase. The project has sold over 25.7 billion tokens at $0.0013 each, with early buyers entering at $0.001 already experiencing substantial gains. BlockDAG’s hybrid DAG and Proof-of-Work architecture, combined with EVM compatibility, enables high transaction speeds of up to 10,000 TPS. The platform’s ecosystem is rapidly expanding, with 3 million users on its X1 mobile mining app and 19,594 hardware rigs sold across multiple product lines. Developers are also contributing to the ecosystem, with over 4,500 building more than 300 decentralized applications. This growing infrastructure positions BlockDAG as a high-growth project with the potential to disrupt the market [3].

While established players like Stellar and Ethereum continue to maintain their positions, their growth is constrained compared to newer entrants like BlockDAG. Stellar’s price remains near $0.39, supported by its role in cross-border payments, though its recent trading activity has slowed, and its speculative upside appears limited. Ethereum, despite its dominance in decentralized finance and strong staking inflows, faces a cap on exponential growth due to its large market cap. Analysts project Ethereum’s price to range between $7,500 and $12,000 in 2025, but this is considered more of a long-term, stable trajectory rather than the high returns sought by investors. In contrast, BlockDAG’s rapid adoption metrics and strong technical foundation provide a compelling alternative for those seeking rapid ROI [3].

The evolving landscape of blockchain technology underscores the increasing competition among platforms vying for market share. While projects like XRP and Ethereum offer stability and proven utility, the emergence of Solana and BlockDAG demonstrates the potential for disruptive growth. Investors must weigh these factors carefully as they navigate the rapidly changing crypto market.

Source:

[1] Is Google Developing an XRP Killer? (https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/09/05/is-google-developing-an-xrp-killer/)

[2] Solana Open Interest Hits $13B All-time High (https://cointelegraph.com/news/solana-charts-1000-sol-price-target-open-interest-all-time-highs)

[3] BlockDAG Nears $400M Presale Leaves Ethereum and ... (https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/news/binary-news-network/-0-001-0-0013-blockdag-nears-400m-1997063835.html)