Standard Chartered has initiated formal analysis on XRP, projecting a significant price rally driven by its emerging dominance in global payments and asset tokenization. In a recent report, Geoffrey Kendrick, the bank’s global head of digital assets research, forecasted that XRP could soar by approximately 500%, reaching a price target of $12.50 by the end of 2028. He further predicted that XRP’s market capitalization would surpass Ethereum’s within that same timeframe.
“We expect XRP to overtake Ethereum’s market cap by late 2028,” Kendrick stated. “This would position XRP as the second-largest non-stablecoin crypto asset globally.”
The report also emphasized the regulatory landscape and its influence on XRP’s potential. Kendrick believes the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is likely to greenlight an XRP spot ETF by Q3 2025, potentially drawing between $4 billion and $8 billion in capital during its first year on the market.
He added, “The regulatory ‘tariff mess’ is nearing resolution,” noting that Bitcoin’s resilience amid market turbulence signals more upward momentum for the broader crypto sector. Kendrick attributes XRP’s expected growth to a blend of favorable regulatory shifts, rising institutional involvement, and a growing number of practical applications.
He also referenced a comment from Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse about the SEC’s decision to abandon its appeal in the XRP lawsuit, connecting the development to Donald Trump’s election win—suggesting the political shift could further support XRP’s ascent.
Describing XRP’s utility, the global head of digital assets research stated:
XRP’s blockchain, the XRP Ledger [XRPL], is a payments chain and may become a tokenization chain.
He drew a comparison to Stellar’s infrastructure and added that Stellar is currently the second-largest player in the tokenization market.
XRP Price Path Forecasted by Standard Chartered, Institutional Momentum Builds
Standard Chartered’s Geoffrey Kendrick projects XRP will climb to $5.50 by the end of 2025, rise to $8.00 in 2026, and ultimately peak at $12.50 by 2028—maintaining that level into 2029. These projections are underpinned by an expected Bitcoin price of $500,000 by 2028 and suggest that XRP will continue appreciating even amid elevated inflation rates, with Kendrick estimating a 6% return for XRP versus just 0.8% for Bitcoin. Although XRP’s ecosystem faces challenges such as a smaller developer community and ultra-low transaction fees, Kendrick believes the previously cited growth catalysts will outweigh these limitations.
XRP is also making strategic inroads into the U.S. institutional finance space. This week, a 2x leveraged ETF based on XRP futures debuted on NYSE Arca, granting investors enhanced exposure without direct spot ownership. In parallel, Coinbase submitted a filing to the CFTC to offer nano XRP futures, shortly after Bitnomial Exchange launched physically settled XRP futures contracts.
Ripple’s recent $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road signals a pivotal expansion into global prime brokerage. The move integrates the XRP Ledger with cross-asset settlement capabilities across traditional financial markets. Ripple CTO David Schwartz described the acquisition as a “defining moment,” while CEO Brad Garlinghouse noted that XRP is increasingly gaining a foothold in institutional channels. Simultaneously, Ripple and the SEC have filed a joint motion to pause ongoing litigation as they finalize a historic $50 million settlement, potentially closing the chapter on one of crypto’s longest-running legal battles.
Get free access to our lifetime VIP membership. Join us here.
Leave a Reply