XRP News Today: XRP Gains 7% in Week, Eyes 8% Rise to Overtake Tether

XRP, the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has shown moderate growth recently, with a current market cap of approximately $138.97 billion and a price of $2.35. The cryptocurrency has appreciated by nearly 7% in the past week, aligning with the broader market's upward trend. Bitcoin's recent surge past $100,000 has sparked renewed investor interest, benefiting various altcoins, including XRP.

For XRP to overtake Tether (USDT), which currently holds the third position with a market capitalization of $149.76 billion, it must rise by about 8% to $2.56. This goal appears feasible in the near term, given XRP's recent performance. However, the XRP community has set a more ambitious target: surpassing Ethereum to become the second-largest cryptocurrency.

Despite XRP’s significant price recovery since late 2024, Ethereum has maintained its position as the second-largest cryptocurrency. Since November 2024, XRP has gained around 385%, peaking at $3.30 in January 2025. Ethereum, however, has also experienced notable growth, including a 33% increase over the past week, pushing its price above $2,400 for the first time since March. This has widened the gap between Ethereum’s market cap and XRP’s.

Ethereum’s current market cap stands at $282 billion, meaning XRP would need to add $152 billion to its market cap to surpass it. This requires a more than twofold price increase. At its present market value of $138.97 billion, XRP trades at $2.35. For its market cap to match Ethereum’s $282 billion, XRP must rise to approximately $4.82, assuming its circulating supply remains constant. This represents a 105% increase from its current price, setting a new all-time high for the asset.

Several analysts have previously forecasted a price target of $5 for XRP. In early 2025, technical analyst Dark Defender cited an ABC corrective pattern for predicting a rally to $5 or even $8. Another analyst, Vincent Van Code, made a similar projection in December 2024, though that price level was not reached by February as anticipated. XRP previously ranked as the second-largest cryptocurrency in 2017 but was surpassed by Ethereum during its prolonged underperformance. Reclaiming this spot is uncertain, depending on both XRP’s growth and Ethereum’s future performance.

While XRP’s rise to the second position is theoretically possible, it would require a substantial increase in market valuation and investor confidence. A price of $5 is achievable under these conditions, but XRP must maintain upward momentum while Ethereum’s market cap remains relatively stable or grows less rapidly. For now, XRP’s challenge lies in its price trajectory and in outperforming Ethereum’s continued growth.