Can XRP Beat Bitcoin? Larry David’s Take

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Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market cap, is at a make-or-break moment-like a Seinfeld episode where the payoff is either a standing ovation or a shrug. 2026 could decide its long-term future. And yes, that’s a lot of pressure for a digital coin that wears sunglasses at night.

With BTC crashing to below $60K and missing major price targets, analysts say XRP could become No. 1, if Bitcoin can’t hit $150K by the end of 2026 or even slides to $1,000 in the next five years. What is this, a lottery? And where’s the sense of symmetry?

Here’s Why!

Bitcoin Needs to Hit $150K in 2026

The latest market chatter started after Bitcoin couldn’t hold its lofty price levels and fell like a bad toupee. In the last cycle, Bitcoin peaked near $126,000. After that, it dropped to around $60,000 before clawing back toward the $70,000 range. It’s a rollercoaster with a clipboard-nobody quite knows what to do with it.

That marks a drawdown of more than 50% from the peak at one point. The big drop worried many traders and created more fear and uncertainty in the crypto market. Fear and uncertainty? That’s the business that never sleeps, right?

Looking at the long-term chart from 2011 to 2026, Bitcoin has moved inside an upward trend channel for over 12 years. Right now, the price is near an important support level. Analysts say Bitcoin needs to break above $150,000 this year to stay inside its long-term trend. Translation: stop tripping and step up, or the graph might start dating someone else.

But, if Bitcoin fails to reach $150,000, the price could drop heavily and, in an extreme case, fall back toward the $1,000 level. Great. A $1k Bitcoin. It’s not exactly the dream of a crypto romance, is it?

Although, veteran trader Peter Brandt described the recent fall as a sudden “slip-style” move that surprised traders. He suggested that if weakness continues, Bitcoin could still find a stronger bottom near the low $40,000 area instead of collapsing to extreme low predictions. A bottom near $40k-that’s not a pep talk, that’s a weather report with less sunshine.

XRP Aiming to Become the No.1 Cryptocurrency

Some XRP supporters believe XRP could rise to the No. 1 spot in the crypto market in the next 6 years. They say XRP has strong advantages like fast payments, low fees, and growing use by banks and financial firms. It’s the dream where the understudy finally gets the lead role, only without the autograph signings.

However, surpassing Bitcoin is not easy. Bitcoin’s current market cap is around $1.38 trillion. You don’t just hop over that on a whim; you’d need to close the gap in a big way.

For XRP to reach that level, its price would need to rise to nearly $23 per coin, considering a XRP circulating supply of 60 billion. Right now, XRP is trading around $1.44, which shows how big the gap still is. It’s like showing up to a party with a sandwich and discovering the main course is a five-course meal-dak in the head, but doable with time and a lot of faith.

So while XRP has potential, becoming the number one cryptocurrency would require a very large and long-term price move. And a little luck, maybe a lot of it.

XRP Price Outlook

As of now, XRP price is trading near $1.45, sitting at a key support zone. The chart shows XRP recently tested $1.30, which acted as strong demand and triggered a bounce. It’s the classic “dip, bounce, repeat” routine, like a guy who keeps trying the same deli order and hoping for a better result.

Long-term charts reveal XRP spent nearly 7 years in accumulation, a pattern that often appears before major breakouts. So yes, a long winter of waiting could lead to a spring, if the calendar stops messing with us.

For bullish momentum, XRP needs to hold above $1.53 and break the downtrend line. If that happens, the next targets are $2.00, $2.27, and $2.75. And if not? Well, there’s a floor around $1.07 that might become a new reality-like stepping on a rug you hoped would stay in place.

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2026-02-10 13:02