Don't write XRP off just yet - 2025 could be Ripple's year

AS I write, Ripple (XRP) is worth about $180 billion and is Number 3 in the cryptocurrency pecking order.

Tether (USDT) is next one down at around $140 billion, followed by Solana around $116 billion. So Ripple is a really big deal, and just might realise some of its ambitions in 2025.

More importantly, Ripple has been fighting the SEC since 2020, and has pretty much won, even getting a verdict in its favour last year, only to have the SEC appeal at the last minute a couple of weeks ago.

That may all be academic as the NEW Trumpian SEC may simply decide to cease action and there is a distinct feeling that this may happen. There was a closed meeting on January, the outcome of which is yet to be revealed, so things may already be resolved.

(NEWSFLASH: The case has disappeared from the SEC website though others remain for the time being. No one knows what this means but for absolutely sure someone at the SEC has removed the reference to the case and Ripple. There is no doubt everyone wants this out the way, because that would give both clarity and certainty to quite a lot, and give a boost to the whole crypto industry).

Ripple has lots more going for it. It has just been granted a further two licences in Texas and New York.

That brings the total areas it is entirely legal in to more than 50, and cements its position as the number one payments solutions provider across the USA. In addition, Texas is a big deal in the crypto world and New York is where a huge number of digital entities are located.

These are significant wins. In a sense the most important thing this shows is Ripple’s ability to navigate all the existing legislation and regulations, and the tenacity to get there. Going forward, these two states alone may result in a cascading effect.

What it shows too is that regulators are happy with Ripple’s tech and oversight. In addition, the potential upcoming clarity on Ripple’s stablecoin (RLUSD) will drive liquidity and adoption. 

Ripple’s people have deep connections with president Trump, and have aligned themselves with his “bring it home” policies. Ripple have stated that more than 75% of their workforce is US based, and there is no question but that Ripple is an American cryptocurrency.

Without a doubt, the US administration will look much more favourably on Ripple than on any non-US based cryptos. As an aside, Eric Trump is suggesting that there might be tax breaks for AMERICAN cryptocurrencies, and Ripple qualifies there absolutely.

All these things make it look as if 2025 could be Ripple’s year. Although the outcome of the SEC case is not yet certain, Ripple continues to increase its reach and regulatory clarity, cementing itself into a significant digital payments provider.

The token itself has had a stellar end to last year and start to this, but its use case and regulatory clarity in many areas shines through and points to a real-world use case that actually works and has meaning.

In terms of usage it ranks right up there with Ethereum. Ripple continues to sign up banks or quasi-banks to use their token.

Japanese banks in particular have gone in very strongly with Ripple’s ethos – to improve cross-border payments and remittances, and reduce costs massively. There are others though, in USA, Canada, India and Brazil taking the same path. As an added bonus, Ripple’s tech will increase blockchain adoption worldwide as it gains traction.

Finally, Brad Garlinghouse – CEO of Ripple – may not be wide of the mark when he hinted at a US crypto reserve of a range of different coins and tokens.

Obviously, the hint was XRP would be in there (in the immortal words 'he would say that wouldn’t he?') but, given Brad and other Ripple insiders links to the White House, this whisper might just be a bellow.

Ripple’s overwhelming stand-out point though is that it started with a vision and has resolutely stuck to it. Sticking to it’s knitting may yet make it Number One.