XRP, one of the most closely watched cryptocurrencies, is once again at the heart of heated debate and speculation as it navigates a turbulent 2025. In recent weeks, the digital token has seen both bullish forecasts and stern skepticism, regulatory milestones and persistent controversy, leaving investors and observers to wonder: Is XRP poised to become the backbone of global finance, or is it still mired in familiar doubts?
On August 27, 2025, XRP was trading at about $2.92, according to CoinMarketCap. By August 29, it had nudged up to $3.01, a modest 0.21% increase on the day. While this price action might seem unremarkable in the volatile world of crypto, the narrative swirling around XRP is anything but dull.
Fueling the fire is a bold prediction from crypto commentator Pumpius, who has argued that XRP could one day reach a staggering $10,000 per coin. Pumpius’s vision? The XRP Ledger, he claims, could become foundational infrastructure for a global shift toward digital identity systems tied to biometric data. As governments and corporations look to tighten identity frameworks for financial access, Pumpius believes trillions of dollars in tokenized assets could flow through XRP, making it a universal settlement asset. “The potential for XRP isn’t just in payments,” he insists. “It’s about becoming the backbone of digital identity and global settlement.”
But not everyone is convinced. Analyst Jaydee has flatly rejected such lofty forecasts, calling even a $1,000 target “a stretch given current fundamentals and market dynamics.” Jaydee warns that outsized predictions risk misleading retail traders into holding out for windfalls that may never materialize. Instead, he counsels, “Sustainable profits come from disciplined strategies and well-timed exits, not waiting for improbable gains.”
This division is hardly new in the XRP community, but it’s become more pronounced as the token’s profile rises. According to DailyCoin, Ripple (XRP) has been one of the best-performing altcoins in 2025, thanks in part to regulatory wins and rumors of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the horizon. Yet, a closer look at market data reveals an intriguing trend: XRP is becoming increasingly scarce on centralized exchanges, especially Coinbase.
As of August 28, 2025, Coinbase held just 249,161,825 XRP coins—a dramatic 57% drop in one month. Since the second quarter of 2025, Coinbase’s XRP holdings have plunged from about 970 million tokens (across 51 wallets) to just 16 wallets, a 69% reduction. This drop caused Coinbase to fall out of the top 10 largest Ripple coin holders. Meanwhile, trading volumes on Coinbase hovered around $112 million, dwarfed by the billions in 24-hour XRP futures trades seen on Binance, Bybit, and Bitget.
What’s behind this exodus? Some analysts point to regulatory uncertainty, especially following the SEC-Ripple lawsuit resolution in August 2024. Others speculate that Ripple’s push for enterprise use cases and on-demand liquidity is shifting XRP’s focus away from retail exchange holdings, which could explain the shrinking reserves on Coinbase. Interestingly, DailyCoin also reported a recent multi-million XRP whale deposit entering Coinbase, suggesting that institutional interest hasn’t vanished entirely despite retail outflows.
Amid the trading and reserve drama, controversy continues to dog XRP’s reputation. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT, a respected figure in crypto circles, launched a blistering critique against XRP investors on Twitter, calling them “exit liquidity for insiders.” He declared, “I am not currently assisting the XRP community and will mock anyone who sends me a private message.” For ZachXBT, XRP investors “bring nothing of value to the industry, except exit liquidity for insiders.”
These comments have reignited old debates about XRP’s legitimacy and utility. According to InvestX.fr, the controversy reflects a broader schism in crypto: projects with real-world utility versus those seen as vehicles for speculation. ZachXBT’s stance places XRP in the latter category, alongside tokens like Cardano and Hedera, and his words have resonated as a warning against speculative projects.
Yet, Ripple’s supporters are quick to point out the company’s partnerships with financial institutions and its cross-border payment technologies. Despite skepticism, Ripple’s legal victories against the SEC and the possibility of an XRP ETF have buoyed hopes for mainstream adoption. The question remains: Is XRP a speculative play or a foundational asset for the next era of finance?
Looking ahead, 2025 could prove pivotal for XRP. As reported by AINVEST, the U.S. Congress is expected to pass the Clarity Act in September, which would define XRP as a commodity under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This move could remove a major legal barrier, opening the door for pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and ETF providers to legally hold and trade XRP. Analysts believe the Clarity Act could spark multiple ETF filings, dramatically expanding institutional and retail access to the token.
The third quarter of 2025 is shaping up to be a period of quiet but significant institutional onboarding. Major players like Bank of America and Morgan Stanley are reportedly preparing to test XRP for real settlement flows in FX swaps and treasury transfers. Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD—backed by U.S. Treasuries—is also expected to launch under the GENIUS Act, with XRP serving as the bridge asset. Meanwhile, SWIFT is rumored to be conducting live trials that could integrate XRP into cross-border transactions involving central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and tokenized assets.
By November, Ripple plans to integrate XRP into its Liquidity Hub, a service enabling enterprises to use XRP without direct custody. This initiative is expected to expand on-demand liquidity across Europe and the Middle East. Tokenized U.S. Treasuries and gold are projected to begin moving on the XRP Ledger, signaling the emergence of a new, asset-backed financial system.
The most anticipated milestone is the potential approval of a U.S. Spot XRP ETF in December 2025. With regulatory clarity and industry support, analysts believe the odds of approval have risen sharply. Such an ETF would make XRP accessible to a wider range of investors, including pensions, registered investment advisors, and retail traders. There’s even speculation about a broader multi-token payment ETF, with XRP as a central component.
Looking further ahead to January 2026, XRP could enter what some are calling the “World Financial Reset.” In this scenario, XRP’s role would shift from a speculative asset to a global settlement layer for tokenized currencies, gold, and debt. Smaller central banks might begin holding XRP as a reserve asset, and trade finance corridors could pair XRP with other blockchain networks. Ripple’s access to banks, central institutions, and even World Bank pilots is likely to further entrench XRP as a foundational piece of the global financial system.
As the XRP Ledger evolves into a hub for CBDCs, stablecoins, and sovereign tokens, the world’s financial system could, in theory, be pegged to digital rails—with XRP at the core, much like gold under Bretton Woods. Whether this vision materializes or not, one thing is clear: XRP’s story is far from over, and the coming months may define its place in the digital economy for years to come.
