Key Takeaways
- XRP is gaining traction through real-world adoption.
- Analysts remain divided.
- Technical and on-chain data suggest early stabilization, but momentum remains fragile.
XRP is drawing renewed attention from analysts and investors as a series of developments across Asia and traditional finance spark fresh debate over whether the token could stage a sustained rally.
The crypto, currently trading around $1.41 after retreating from its 2025 peak, is being buoyed by signs of expanding real-world use and deeper integration into payment systems, alongside increasingly optimistic long-term price forecasts.
Rakuten Brings XRP Into the Mainstream
Last week, Japan’s e-commerce and fintech conglomerate Rakuten began integrating XRP into its payments ecosystem, opening the door for roughly 44 million users to spend the token across a network of more than 5 million merchants.
The move allows users to transact with XRP but also to acquire it using Rakuten’s widely used loyalty points and store it within Rakuten Wallet.
By embedding XRP into one of Japan’s largest consumer platforms, the initiative effectively links the token to a rewards system with more than $23 billion worth of points in circulation.
Ripple Expands
Separately, SBI Ripple Asia has secured regulatory approval to issue prepaid payment tokens on the public XRP Ledger, marking another step toward real-world financial use cases.
The company was registered as a third-party prepaid payment instrument issuer under Japan’s Payment Services Act in late March and completed its platform rollout in early April, Forbes reported.
Meanwhile, Ripple itself has been investing heavily to connect its blockchain network to traditional finance.
The company spent approximately $2.4 billion in 2025 acquiring several crypto firms, including prime brokerage Hidden Road.
Analyst’s Bullish XRP Price Case
Alex Carchidi, a contributing crypto analyst at The Motley Foolnoted that XRP’s path back to its all-time high of $3.65—reached in July 2025—would require a gain of more than 120% from current levels.
Such a move would push its market capitalization toward roughly $184 billion, a target he described as ambitious in the current market environment but achievable during a broader crypto bull cycle.
“The main question is about what would be driving the move,” Carchidi wrote, pointing to growing evidence that XRP is increasingly being used for “real financial work.”
He argued that deeper integration into financial plumbing could support long-term value, making a return to previous highs plausible.
ChatGPT’s Bullish XRP Price Forecast
Forecasts generated by ChatGPT suggest XRP could see substantial upside under favorable market conditions, with some scenarios projecting it could reach as high as $8.
Such estimates are based on assumptions of accelerating adoption in cross-border payments, deeper integration of the XRP Ledger into financial systems, and a return of broad risk appetite across crypto markets.
This factors on “Ripple’s expanding partnerships in Asia and growing institutional connectivity,” it said.
Adding: “However, the projections are contingent on a full market recovery and continued execution by Ripple, and do not account for potential regulatory or macroeconomic headwinds.”
Grok Projection
A similar sentiment has emerged from Elon Musk’s Grok AI model, which also outlined bullish long-term scenarios for XRP, including the possibility of prices approaching $8.
Grok said XRP’s path to higher valuations “isn’t about hype cycles anymore — it’s about whether it actually gets used at scale.”
The model added that “price targets like $8 only make sense if XRP becomes embedded in real payment flows, not just traded on exchanges.”
It noted that “utility, not speculation, will decide whether XRP revisits its highs and pushes beyond them.”
Grok also cautioned that “without sustained transaction growth, bullish projections quickly fall apart.”
Still, it said the recent developments suggest XRP is “moving closer to being financial infrastructure rather than just another crypto asset.”
Standard Chartered Lowers XRP Price Forecast
Standard Chartered has trimmed its price projections for major cryptos, including XRP, citing a weaker near-term backdrop for digital assets.
In a note published in February, Geoffrey Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital assets research, said declining risk appetite and continued selling pressure from exchange-traded funds could drive another leg lower across crypto markets before a recovery later in 2026.
The bank cut its end-2026 price target for XRP to $2.80, a sharp reduction from its previous $8 forecast.
It also lowered its 2027 estimate, while leaving longer-term projections unchanged.
Standard Chartered made similar revisions to Bitcoin, reducing its end-2026 target to $100,000 from $150,000.
Kendrick said the crypto could fall to around $50,000 or slightly below in the near term, describing that range as a potential “buy zone” for long-term investors.
The downgrade comes as XRP has struggled to maintain upward momentum following a recent pullback.
CCN’s XRP Price Near-Term Outlook
Last week, Victor Olanrewaju, an analyst at CCN, said XRP may be finally be showing early signs of stabilizing after months of sustained downside pressure, though he stopped short of calling a full bullish reversal.
“For the first time in months, XRP’s price structure is starting to look different,” he wrote.
Olanrewaju pointed to a breakout from a descending channel on the monthly chart, describing it as a key shift that could mark the end of the prolonged pattern of lower highs.
He added that reduced selling pressure and the defense of support around $1.34 suggest buyers are beginning to regain footing.
On-chain data also indicates that selling pressure may be easing.
The analyst noted that earlier spikes in exchange inflows—largely driven by large holders—coincided with price weakness, as XRP fell toward the $1.33 level.
More recently, those inflows have declined, a shift he said aligns with the token’s modest recovery.
From a technical perspective, he highlighted improving momentum indicators, including a bullish crossover on the MACD and a rising relative strength index.
If momentum continues, Olanrewaju said the next upside targets could emerge around $1.61 and $1.92.
A failure to hold current levels, however, could see the token slip back below the $1.30 support zone.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt’s work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.