- XRP’s legal battle changed its market journey, leaving investors questioning what a full bull cycle could have delivered.
- A Bitcoin growth model reveals XRP’s unrealized potential, while utility could become its next major valuation driver.
- After years of uncertainty, XRP enters a new phase where adoption and chart strength may define its future.
The long-running legal battle between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission may have cost XRP its chance to fully participate in the cryptocurrency market’s 2021 bull run, according to a new analysis from market commentator Jungle Inc.
The argument comes as investors reassess XRP’s growth prospects following years of regulatory uncertainty and a changing institutional landscape for digital assets.
In a post on X, Jungle Inc. said XRP “never got its 2021 cycle,” contending that the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple arrived just as Bitcoin and the broader crypto market entered a powerful rally. While many digital assets surged to new highs during that period, XRP spent much of the cycle facing legal challenges that clouded investor sentiment and limited market participation.
With the lawsuit largely resolved and institutional access to crypto continuing to expand, the commentator argued that XRP may now have a clearer path to price discovery than it did during the previous market cycle.
Bitcoin Comparison Reveals a Wider Gap
A research note from Jungle Inc. Crypto explored a hypothetical scenario using Bitcoin’s historical growth multiples. The study applied Bitcoin’s 3.49x gain from 2017 to 2021 and its 1.83x gain from 2021 to 2025 to XRP’s 2018 peak of $3.84.
Under that model, XRP could have reached roughly $13.40 during the 2021 cycle. Additionally, the same calculation produced a current-cycle valuation near $24.50. By comparison, XRP peaked at $1.96 in 2021 and approximately $3.66 in 2025.
Moreover, the report showed that the hypothetical $24.50 level stands nearly 6.7 times above XRP’s actual 2025 peak. However, the study did not present the figure as a forecast. Instead, it highlighted the different paths taken by Bitcoin and XRP over the same period.
Related: XRP Price Prediction: XRP Sentiment Hit 8-Month Lows
Analysts See Utility Driving Future Value
Meanwhile, another analyst believes XRP may eventually break free from traditional crypto market cycles. According to his view, XRP’s future value could depend more on utility than speculation.
He described the concept as “utility based pricing,” where transaction volume drives valuation. Consequently, XRP could rely less on exchange trading and more on settlement activity across global financial networks.
Additionally, he argued that widespread use of XRPL infrastructure could eventually separate XRP’s performance from Bitcoin and Ethereum. In that scenario, transaction flows would play a larger role than market sentiment.
Technical Signals Point to a Critical Zone
Further analysis from X Finance Bull focused on XRP’s current chart structure. He noted that XRP was trapped below the $0.70 to $0.80 range for nearly two years before breaking higher in late 2024.
Source: X
However, momentum later faded, and XRP declined from its January 2026 peak toward the $1.04 region. Despite the pullback, the analyst believes price has entered an important support area.
Related: XRP Exchange Flows Suggest an Ongoing Battle for Dominance Between Bulls and Bears
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