The Pundit Says That XRP Holders Deserve Billionaire Status. Here’s Why?

XRP investors have endured one of the longest and most challenging periods in the digital asset market, marked by legal hurdles, poor market performance, and regulatory uncertainty. Nevertheless, many have demonstrated a level of perseverance that cryptocurrency commentator John Squire believes is remarkable. According to Squire, "If patience were a token, those holding XRP would have become billionaires by now." His comment came at a time when XRP seems to finally be regaining momentum after years of decline.

Many years of market pressure have shaped the journey of XRP After a historic price increase of over 65,000% from March 2017 to January 2018, the price performance of XRP has significantly decreased. After reaching a peak of $3.80 at the beginning of 2018, this digital asset has shown a continuous downward trend, hitting a low of $0.1140 in March 2020. This represents a 97% decline from its all-time high. Despite a spike in price of 177% in November 2020, XRP faced new downward pressure the following month when the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Ripple. This development caused a drop of over 65% just in December 2020, marking the largest monthly decline in the history of this digital asset. The SEC lawsuit not only affects price performance but also creates liquidity restrictions for investors in the United States. Some major exchanges in the United States and Canada have suspended XRP trading following the lawsuit. While most top digital assets took advantage of the price surge in 2021, XRP did not reach its previous highs and was actually sidelined. It only rose to $1.96 in April 2021, still far below its peak in 2018 and unable to join the ranks of the best-performing coins in that market cycle. Retaining investors despite the market downturn The highlight of this period is the remarkable consistency in investor interest. Data from Santiment shows that there were about 986,000 holders of XRP in January 2018. Instead of decreasing when market conditions worsened, the number of holders continued to rise. The total has exceeded one million in a short period and continues to increase, even amid the instability caused by the SEC lawsuit. From January 2018 to December 2022, XRP gained over 3.53 million new holders. A significant part of that growth occurred right after the lawsuit was filed, particularly in November and December 2020. While the market slowed down after the collapse of Terra in May 2022, the previous increase in the number of holders signaled strong support for the digital asset even as price action remained weak. A potential turning point after many years of decline From November 2024 to January 2025, XRP surged nearly 600%, becoming the highest-performing cryptocurrency among major coins in what CNBC described as a market-wide rally led by Trump. For some, this rally was long overdue. Although it has garnered attention, long-term holders see it as just the beginning of a much broader bull run. Among those predicting higher increases is cryptocurrency analyst BarriC. In a recent post, he emphasized that he is not interested in selling at modest prices, stating, "I did not buy $XRP at $0.10 to be completely liquidated at $2," highlighting that the $100 target is his long-term focus. This view is shared by others who believe that the current trajectory of XRP reflects the patterns seen in the 2017 bull cycle. Recognition of endurance John Squire's comments on the patience of XRP holders highlight a crucial aspect of the community's experience over the past seven years. Despite unfavorable conditions, many continue to invest. The recent price increase may mark the beginning of a new phase. But for those who have waited through legal battles and continuous price declines, faith is a reward that has yet to materialize.