XRP traded around $2.09 as of writing, up more than 10% over the last seven days. The move reflects renewed market interest as long-term projections from banks and Ripple leadership circulate ahead of 2026. Price action has remained volatile, yet attention has shifted toward how institutional signals could shape XRP’s trajectory over the next two years. Standard Chartered Outlines a $8 XRP Scenario Standard Chartered has delivered one of the most widely cited forecasts. Geoffrey Kendrick, the bank’s head of digital assets research, estimates XRP could reach $8 by 2026, which implies a gain of roughly 330% from recent levels. Kendrick links the projection to regulatory clarity following Ripple’s legal resolution with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and to the approval of spot XRP exchange-traded funds in the United States. ETF data supports the institutional narrative. According to SoSoValue, U.S. spot XRP ETFs recorded total net inflows of about $1.14 billion by late December. Kendrick frames these flows as evidence of sustained demand from traditional investors who previously avoided the asset. Market indicators, however, still reflect mixed conditions, as momentum metrics such as MACD signal short-term divergence despite strong inflows. Brad Garlinghouse Points to Institutional Acceleration Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has highlighted ETF demand as a defining signal for XRP’s next phase. Speaking at Binance Blockchain Week, Garlinghouse said XRP ETFs raised more than $700 million within weeks of launch. He described the surge as pent-up institutional demand following years of regulatory uncertainty in the U.S. Garlinghouse emphasized that the policy shift remains underpriced, given the U.S. accounts for roughly 22% of global GDP. He noted that major firms, including Franklin Templeton, BlackRock, and Vanguard, have entered the crypto space after long periods of caution. He also dismissed concerns around short-term ETF outflows, arguing that crypto’s current share of the global ETF market, estimated at 1–2%, leaves significant room for expansion by 2026. Ripple’s Regional Leadership Signals Confidence Ripple’s Senior Executive Officer for the Middle East and Africa, Reece Merrick, has echoed optimism heading into 2026. In a New Year message, Merrick reflected on strong performance in 2025 and expressed excitement for what lies ahead. His comments followed Ripple’s scheduled release of one billion XRP from escrow at the start of 2026, spread across three transactions tracked by Whale Alert. The unlock aligns with Ripple’s long-standing escrow framework and coincides with the company’s expanding stablecoin operations. Ripple’s stablecoin recently surpassed a $1 billion market cap and secured approvals across key Middle Eastern financial hubs, which has reinforced the firm’s presence in regulated markets. Tom Lee’s Macro Outlook Fuels Broader Speculation Fundstrat’s Tom Lee has added a macro layer to XRP discussions through his broader crypto outlook. Lee has projected Bitcoin at $1 million and Ethereum at $62,000 in a scenario that could lift total crypto market capitalization toward $20–25 trillion. While Lee has not issued a direct XRP forecast, analysts often view such projections as supportive of large-cap altcoins tied to institutional adoption and tokenized finance. XRP continues to trade above key technical levels near $1.90, with resistance observed between $2.09 and $2.22. As 2026 continues to mature, investors appear focused on whether regulatory progress and ETF growth can translate long-term projections into sustained market structure. Will these signals converge, or will volatility define the path forward?
