It depends on the speed of institutional adoption…Can XRP really go up to $2,950?

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Analysts are suggesting that XRP (Ripple), currently priced at $1.42, could skyrocket to $2,950 if large-scale institutional adoption by banks materializes, drawing significant market attention.

According to crypto media outlet Watcher.Guru on April 23 (local time), analyst Kenny Nguyen pointed out that XRP's price at its current level barely reflects its institutional utility. He argued that if it were to be actively used in the global banking system, its price structure could change entirely. XRP's current price is around $1.42, with typical 2026 forecasts ranging from $2.50 to $5.00.

Real-world use cases confirmed in the Asian financial sector support this logic. At the 'XRP Tokyo 2026' event held in Tokyo, Japan, major financial institutions reported that international remittances using XRP resulted in a 60% cost reduction compared to the existing SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) system, and settlement times were shortened from several days to less than 4 seconds. Mitsubishi UFJ and SBI Holdings are currently exploring the expansion of 12 new currency pairs, which continuously increases liquidity demand within the XRP network.

The core of Nguyen's $2,950 scenario is the financial concept of 'slippage'. When large institutions move funds worth $2 billion, price fluctuations can lead to massive losses. To prevent this, the liquidity pool in the market itself must be significantly expanded. He analyzed that even if XRP only handled 5% of global corporate payments, it would need to process $4.4 billion daily, and the current price level cannot accommodate such transactions.

Ultimately, the explanation is that a price increase is not merely an expectation but a structural necessity. When XRP's price is low, large-scale fund movements are bound to cause market shocks. Therefore, for stable settlements, the token price itself must rise to several thousand dollars. This emphasizes that the price can be determined by 'market structural requirements' rather than demand.

However, the short-term outlook remains within a more realistic range. Geoffrey Kendrick of Standard Chartered lowered his 2026 target from the previous $8 to $2.80, citing a slowdown in ETF inflows. Across the market, the $2.50-$5.00 range is presented as a major scenario, with future regulatory clarity and the actual pace of institutional fund inflows identified as key variables determining price direction.

*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.*