XRP has shed more than half its value over the past 52 weeks, sliding from an autumn peak of $3.08 to a summer 2026 low under $1.00 before a rebound lifted it to around $1.42. A Motley Fool analysis argues the slide reflects a structural problem: the way Ripple's payment network uses XRP works against sustained buying pressure, and Ripple's own stablecoin now threatens the token's remaining role.
XRP has shed more than half its value over the past 52 weeks, falling from an autumn peak of $3.08 to a summer 2026 low under $1.00 before a rebound brought it to around $1.42 as of Sept. 15. Ripple continues to expand its enterprise footprint worldwide, yet the token tied to its network still trades like a distressed asset.
The high-velocity trap
Ripple's cross-border payment platform is designed for instant execution, so capital does not linger in XRP form. It is acquired in one country, sent elsewhere, converted into local currency, and liquidated almost immediately. That high velocity lets large transaction volumes clear through a relatively modest pool of floating XRP, which keeps the payment system efficient but does not create the sustained buying pressure long-term holders look for.
XRP also is not equity. It generates no earnings or dividends, and it carries no claim on Ripple Labs' enterprise software revenue.
RLUSD changes the game
Ripple's own fiat-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, complicates the picture further. If institutional clients can settle cross-border corridors using a dollar-pegged token that removes foreign-exchange volatility, XRP's role as a liquidity bridge faces structural disintermediation, with the token risking a back-end role limited to covering small transaction fees.
According to Motley Fool analyst Anders Bylund: "I don't think XRP is a great investment anymore." He said he is planning to sell his own XRP holdings and would rather wait for a potential Ripple initial public offering to buy stock in the company directly instead.
The token's day's range sat at $1.25 to $1.31, within a 52-week band of $0.99 to $3.13, with a market cap near $81 billion and volume of 3.9 billion tokens.
Source: The Motley Fool
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