XRP News Today: XRP Surges 10% Above $3 Mark, Ripple CTO Urges Focus on Utility

Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, has provided a significant perspective on the recent developments in the cryptocurrency market, particularly focusing on XRP’s rise above the $3 mark and Ethereum’s reclaiming of $3,000. In a series of posts on X, Schwartz addressed the enthusiasm surrounding these price movements while urging the community to look beyond market speculation and focus on long-term utility.

At the time of writing, XRP is trading at approximately $2.90, slightly below the $3 milestone it recently surpassed. The token’s move above $3 sparked a wave of excitement among investors, with some comparing its performance to Ethereum, which also climbed past $3,000. Responding to the buzz, Schwartz remarked, “It’s nice to see ETH over $3,000 again.” When asked about XRP’s price, he responded with measured optimism: “I always feel good when prices are high because I hate to think that people are losing money. But I’m truly not sure how much focus on price is the right amount, especially since price doesn’t seem to correlate very much with other good things like solving real-world problems.”

Schwartz clarified that short-term price movements don’t always reflect an asset’s intrinsic value. “Price doesn’t seem to correlate with true value, utility, or ability to solve real-world problems in the short term. It’s certainly possible that it does over longer terms,” he explained. His comments serve as a reminder that real innovation and real-world adoption are what ultimately drive lasting value in crypto, not just market hype or temporary spikes. This view echoes Ripple’s mission to enable real-time, low-cost international payments powered by XRP. With use cases expanding in tokenization, settlement, and decentralized finance, XRP’s value proposition extends well beyond price charts.

In response to a question about Bitcoin’s current use case, Schwartz acknowledged the limited number of real-world problems that cryptocurrencies are solving today. However, he emphasized Bitcoin’s foundational strength. “The hope for Bitcoin is that its solid Layer 1 and early start will secure it a position as a currency of choice in an evolving digital asset ecosystem, even if most of its transactions don’t take place on Bitcoin’s Layer 1.” He stressed that Bitcoin can still derive significant value from its use across secondary layers, exchanges, and financial services platforms, despite the limitations of its base protocol.

Schwartz drew a parallel between Bitcoin’s off-chain utility and XRP’s evolving role across different blockchain environments. “A good analogy is XRP being used as a currency on the EVM sidechain. It’s not a direct use of XRP on XRPL, but it’s still part of the utility and value of XRP as a currency,” he explained. His point highlights XRP’s broader relevance in a multi-chain ecosystem where value and function extend beyond native networks. Whether used on XRPL, sidechains, or in cross-border liquidity flows, XRP continues to build momentum through real-world integration.

XRP’s recent price surge above $3 marks an important psychological milestone for its supporters. But as Ripple’s CTO points out, price should not be the sole focus. Real value comes from solving problems, creating utility, and enabling new financial possibilities. Whether through Layer 1 innovation or cross-chain adoption, both XRP and Bitcoin are shaping a digital future that goes far deeper than daily price action.