Ripple Is Thriving. XRP Holders Aren't. Here's Why.
Key Points
Ripple just completed a $750 million share buyback at a $50 billion valuation and has deployed nearly $3 billion in acquisitions this year -- yet XRP is down 58% from its all-time high.
Ripple's new stablecoin, RLUSD, is increasingly replacing XRP as the bridge asset in its payment systems, fundamentally weakening the token's value proposition.
With 1 billion XRP unlocking monthly and 60% of circulating supply held at a loss, the token faces persistent selling pressure that Ripple's corporate success won't solve.
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Ripple just completed a $750 million share buyback, valuing the company at $50 billion -- up 25% from its $40 billion valuation just months ago.
The company is growing fast, deploying nearly $3 billion this year to expand its reach and transform the business. The company purchased the prime brokerage Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, the treasury management platform GTreasury for $1 billion, and Rail, a stablecoin payments company, for $200 million.
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After clearing key regulatory hurdles, Ripple has inked new partnerships with major financial institutions. And most recently, it was invited into the central bank of Singapore's key pilot program exploring stablecoin-powered trade finance.
By any corporate measure, Ripple is executing at a level few crypto companies ever have.
Image source: Getty Images.
So what's the deal with XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)? The token is down 58% from its July high and hasn't posted a green month since September. How can Ripple, the company behind XRP, be expanding while the token price falls?
Why Ripple's growth is not XRP's growth
The narrative around XRP has always been simple and clear -- the more demand for Ripple's products, the more demand for XRP. The problem is that this was based on a faulty understanding of how the Ripple ecosystem worked. And unfortunately, that problem has gotten worse.
Ripple's growth is increasingly decoupled from XRP's, thanks to the introduction of RLUSD, Ripple's stablecoin.
The payment systems that relied on XRP as a bridge asset linking two fiat currencies, say, U.S. dollars and euros, can now use RLUSD in its place. This offers most of the speed and cost benefits without the risk of holding a volatile token like XRP.
The supply problem that won't go away
Ripple still unlocks 1 billion XRP every month -- roughly $1.4 billion at current prices. The company typically relocks 70% to 80%, but that still leaves 200 to 300 million tokens hitting potential circulation every 30 days. Approximately 38 billion XRP remain in escrow as of 2026.
Meanwhile, roughly 60% of XRP's circulating supply is held at an average cost basis of around $1.44. Every time the price pushes toward that level, it runs into a wall of holders looking to break even and get out.
What this means for XRP investors
Ripple is expanding rapidly, building a serious global financial infrastructure. Unfortunately, this is not -- and in my opinion, will not -- translate to much success for XRP holders.
Ripple's website now reads "Integrate stablecoin payments into your business." The fact is, the company is actively pushing RLUSD and, by extension, pushing XRP aside.
Should you buy stock in XRP right now?
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Johnny Rice has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends XRP. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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