XRP, the digital asset developed by Ripple, is increasingly being positioned as a potential game-changer in the world of cross-border payments. With growing interest in blockchain-based financial solutions, new projections suggest that if XRP captures even a modest portion of SWIFT’s massive daily transaction volume, its value could surge into the double digits.

Ripple executives have long envisioned XRP as a practical solution to the inefficiencies plaguing the traditional financial system, particularly the SWIFT network. SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, processes approximately $5 trillion in daily transactions. Despite its long-standing dominance, critics argue that SWIFT is outdated, slow, and expensive—often requiring human intervention to complete transactions and incurring delays that are out of step with the speed of modern financial markets.

Ripple’s leadership has never been shy about its ambitions. In a 2018 interview with Bloomberg, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse stated that Ripple was actively positioning itself as a more efficient alternative to SWIFT. He pointed out that hundreds of financial institutions had already adopted Ripple’s payment solutions, reflecting a growing appetite for innovation in the space. At a Swiss National Bank conference in 2019, Garlinghouse further emphasized the need for automation and reliability, highlighting that nearly 6% of SWIFT’s daily transfers needed human involvement—an inefficiency Ripple aims to eliminate.

Chris Larsen, Ripple’s co-founder, echoed this sentiment in 2020 during an appearance on the Block Stars podcast. He described XRP and the XRP Ledger as a modern and scalable solution that could outperform legacy systems, branding SWIFT as inefficient and ill-equipped to handle the growing demands of global finance.

To understand the financial implications of such a transition, one must look at the scale of the opportunity. SWIFT’s $5 trillion daily throughput presents a vast market. If XRP were to handle just 15% of that, it would be managing around $750 billion in transactions every day. That’s no small feat for any asset, let alone a cryptocurrency that has been embroiled in regulatory battles and market volatility.

An AI-assisted analysis using ChatGPT considered what might happen if this volume translated into real, sustained demand for XRP. The analysis assumed that only 10% of that $750 billion—approximately $75 billion—would need to be held in XRP at any given time to facilitate smooth liquidity and settlement. In crypto markets, it’s typical for daily volume to represent between 5% to 10% of an asset’s market cap. Using this framework, a $75 billion daily demand could justify a market cap between $750 billion and $1.5 trillion.

Given XRP’s circulating supply of around 58.39 billion tokens, this valuation would place its price in the range of $12.84 to $25.68. That’s a significant leap from its current price of around $2.07, representing an increase between 520% and 1,140%.

Of course, these projections are speculative and depend on numerous variables. Regulatory developments, institutional adoption, liquidity provisions, and competition from other blockchain networks all play a role in shaping XRP’s future. Furthermore, real-world transaction volume doesn’t always translate directly into long-term demand for a digital asset, especially if it’s only used temporarily as a bridge currency.

Nonetheless, Ripple continues to secure high-profile partnerships and is making strides in various regions, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. Its technology is already in use by payment providers and banks seeking faster, cheaper cross-border settlement options.

While the dream of replacing or rivaling SWIFT might have seemed far-fetched a few years ago, it’s becoming increasingly realistic as the financial world modernizes. The integration of blockchain in mainstream finance is accelerating, and XRP is well-positioned to benefit—assuming it continues to build trust, scalability, and compliance.

If Ripple succeeds in capturing even a small portion of SWIFT’s massive transaction volume, XRP could undergo a transformative rise in valuation. The possibility of a $25 XRP may no longer be a fantasy, but a long-term target shaped by utility, demand, and strategic execution.