3 Reasons to Watch XRP in 2026

Every year, expectations are high for XRP (CRYPTO: XRP). Despite the fact that XRP has never traded higher than a price of $3.84, investors continually expect this high-risk, high-upside cryptocurrency to soar in price.

Well, this could be the year that it finally happens. Three important catalysts are on the horizon that could help to send the price of XRP soaring in 2026.

New spot ETFs

Let's start with the launch of the new spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in November 2025. They've already pulled in more than $1 billion from investors, and have seen positive net inflows almost every day they've been available. In other words, they've been a smash hit with investors, leading to a mini-rally in XRP to start off the year.

But $1 billion could be just the start. Last year, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) suggested that as much as $8 billion could eventually flow into these ETFs, as a result of all the pent-up demand from institutional investors. If that's the case, then the price of XRP has nowhere to go but up.

New blockchain acquisitions

At the same time, Ripple (the company behind the XRP token) has been actively acquiring new companies in order to build out the XRP blockchain ecosystem. Last year, Ripple spent nearly $2.5 billion on a handful of acquisitions, including a splashy $1.25 billion for Hidden Road, a global institutional prime brokerage.

Image source: Getty Images.

The thinking here is that 2026 will be a consolidation year for Ripple and XRP. All of those acquisitions will be stitched together into an end-to-end financial product for institutional investors, and all of this will likely be powered by XRP.

It's not yet clear how all this will work, but one thing is certain: These acquisitions will open up many more use cases for the XRP token. Purely on the basis of supply and demand, that should help to stoke the price of XRP.

New asset tokenization initiatives

The XRP blockchain is attempting to become "the blockchain" for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. To make that a reality, Ripple has already partnered with a number of top financial institutions on RWA projects.

The asset tokenization project that got everyone buzzing last year was a behind-the-scenes collaboration with BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), the world's largest asset manager. BlackRock's tokenized fund for U.S. government debt can now be traded and managed on the XRP blockchain.

While asset tokenization is still in its infancy, it promises to be a multi-trillion-dollar market opportunity. If Ripple can corner even a tiny segment of this market, it could send the price of XRP soaring.

Can XRP hit a new all-time high?

Just keep in mind: Despite all the plans from Ripple to create a new blockchain-based financial infrastructure for the world, XRP has never once traded higher than a price of $3.84. Right now, XRP is trading 45% below its all-time high from eight years ago.

That being said, there's a lot to like about XRP this year. If even one of these catalysts delivers, XRP investors could have a lot to celebrate in 2026.

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Dominic Basulto has positions in XRP. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase and XRP. The Motley Fool recommends BlackRock. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.