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David Schwartz thinks XRP can do it. The former Chief Technology Officer at Ripple went on record during a recent X Spaces discussion saying XRP could one day surpass Bitcoin by market capitalization — a scenario that would require XRP to hit roughly $24.70, an 18-fold jump from where it currently sits at $1.34.
That’s a massive gap. Bitcoin’s market cap is around $1.55 trillion right now, with the coin trading near $77,269. XRP, by contrast, has a market value of about $85 billion. With a circulating supply of 62.88 billion tokens, the math is pretty simple: to match Bitcoin dollar-for-dollar in total market value, XRP needs to be priced at approximately $24.70. Schwartz didn’t put a timeline on any of this. No specific valuation targets were offered either. He was clear that these are his personal views — not any kind of official forecast from Ripple, where he stepped back from his day-to-day role late last year.
The gap is enormous.
What Schwartz Actually Said
The X Spaces session got interesting fast. Someone asked Schwartz directly whether XRP could ever overtake Bitcoin in market cap, and he didn’t dodge it. He said yes — possible — but framed it carefully. His view is that XRP’s rise wouldn’t come by eating Bitcoin’s lunch. It would happen alongside a broader expansion of the entire crypto market, with multiple assets appreciating together rather than one cannibalizing the other. That’s a pretty important distinction. It’s not a zero-sum argument. It’s more of a rising-tide framing, where widespread adoption lifts everything, including XRP, fast enough to close the gap with Bitcoin.
And it’s worth being clear about what he didn’t say. Internet rumors circulated suggesting Schwartz had laid out a multi-trillion-dollar target for XRP’s market cap. That’s been debunked. It didn’t happen. The actual comments were far more measured, and the false version spread quickly enough that it became its own story — which probably says something about the state of crypto information right now.
Schwartz didn’t specify timelines. No price targets beyond the math implied by the question itself.
Bitcoin ETF Outflows Add Noise
The broader market isn’t exactly cooperating with bullish narratives at the moment. U.S. Bitcoin ETFs saw net outflows of $120.24 million on Wednesday — a second straight session of losses. That’s not catastrophic, but it’s not nothing either. Outflows two sessions in a row probably reflect some kind of shift in short-term sentiment among institutional players, though the exact cause isn’t clear yet.
What’s murky is how any of this connects to XRP specifically. Schwartz didn’t address the ETF situation, and no one from Ripple weighed in on whether those outflows change anything about the longer-term picture. The outflow numbers are real, but drawing a straight line from Bitcoin ETF redemptions to XRP’s trajectory would be a stretch.
Still, the broader uncertainty matters. Crypto investment sentiment can flip fast, and XRP’s path to $24.70 — if it ever gets there — runs straight through a market that’s notoriously hard to predict.
XRP’s current price is $1.34. Its market cap sits at roughly $85 billion. Bitcoin’s is $1.55 trillion. The numbers don’t lie about how far XRP has to go.
There’s also the question of market confidence. Price is one thing, but getting XRP to a level where it genuinely rivals Bitcoin in market cap probably requires a kind of institutional and retail buy-in that hasn’t materialized yet. Schwartz seems to believe it can get there. He’s been around long enough — as one of the original architects of the XRP Ledger — to have a view worth taking seriously, even if it’s a personal one and not a roadmap.
The misinformation angle is worth sitting with for a second. The fact that a false multi-trillion-dollar claim spread so quickly around something Schwartz said in a casual X Spaces chat is kind of a perfect example of how crypto narratives get distorted. One misread comment, a few reposts, and suddenly there’s a “prediction” that never existed. Schwartz himself had to push back on it.
XRP trades at $1.34. Bitcoin needs to stay near $1.55 trillion in market cap for the $24.70 figure to hold as the crossover price — and that number shifts every time Bitcoin moves.
Hub: XRP price, news, and analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
What price does XRP need to reach to surpass Bitcoin’s market cap?
Based on XRP’s circulating supply of 62.88 billion tokens and Bitcoin’s current market cap of approximately $1.55 trillion, XRP would need to reach around $24.70 per token.
Did David Schwartz predict a multi-trillion-dollar market cap for XRP?
No — those rumors were debunked. Schwartz said XRP surpassing Bitcoin is possible through faster growth, but he set no specific price targets or timelines and called it his personal opinion.
Why It Matters
The assertion that XRP could surpass Bitcoin highlights the ongoing debate within the cryptocurrency community regarding the future potential of alternative tokens compared to the established market leader. As the market continues to evolve, shifts in regulatory landscapes, technological advancements, and investor sentiment will play crucial roles in determining whether such a dramatic valuation shift is feasible. This discussion also underscores the broader implications for market dynamics, as XRP's rise could challenge Bitcoin's dominance, prompting renewed interest and investment strategies among market participants.
