XRP News Today: XRP Price Could Surge 10,000× to $20,000 on Tokenization Boom

XRP, a digital token, has sparked a new wave of debate among crypto enthusiasts as some analysts predict it could reach $20,000 per coin, a staggering 10,000× increase from its current price of around $2. This bold forecast was initially proposed by game developer and XRP supporter Chad Steingraber in 2022, who outlined a plan involving big banks and tokenized assets. The idea has recently resurfaced on social media, reigniting discussions about the potential future of XRP.

Steingraber's theory, dubbed "The Chad Steingraber Theory," envisions a future where stablecoins and central bank digital currencies are issued on the XRP Ledger. Each new token launched on this platform would require XRP to settle transactions, potentially driving up daily demand. Currently, only a few tokens are on the XRP chain, but Steingraber anticipates this number growing into the hundreds. If even 100 new coins adopt XRP settlements, the demand could surge by billions of dollars annually.

The theory consists of three main components: assets built on the XRP Ledger, XRP becoming a reserve asset to power these utilities, and XRP being removed from public supply by institutions. Steingraber suggests that banks could treat XRP as a reserve asset, storing it in private ledgers to back their own digital currencies. This move could significantly reduce the supply of XRP on open markets, as many institutions have already expressed interest in including XRP in their reserve piles.

XRP's total supply is capped at 100 billion tokens, with approximately 20 billion remaining in public hands after accounting for locks, burns, and lost keys. If major institutions lock away most of this supply, the circulating amount could shrink to under 100 million, potentially leading to a supply shock. Steingraber predicts that prices could skyrocket from cents to thousands of dollars within hours once companies start acquiring XRP in large quantities.

However, there are significant hurdles to overcome. XRP is currently embroiled in a legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which could deter banks from engaging with the token. Additionally, rival blockchain networks like Ethereum and Solana already host tokenized assets and see billions in daily volume. XRP would need to demonstrate superior speed or functionality to attract major players.

Steingraber's forecast relies on three critical factors: robust growth in tokenization, banks using XRP as reserves, and a genuine supply squeeze on public markets. If any of these conditions fail to materialize, the $20,000 target becomes increasingly unlikely. Nevertheless, the theory provides an intriguing narrative for XRP traders, who will closely monitor legal developments and ledger activity to gauge the theory's viability.