Become a millionaire with XRP?..."Even breaking $5 isn't enough"

▲ XRP

XRP is once again gaining attention, fueled by institutional investor interest and expectations for a spot XRP ETF, but an analysis suggests it's not easy for small-scale investors to accumulate $1 million in assets in a short period. XRP is already an asset with a large market capitalization, and it has entered a phase where a 100-fold increase in a few months, like in early cryptocurrency cycles, is difficult to expect.

According to the cryptocurrency specialized media BeInCrypto on May 7, as of May 2026, XRP was trading around $1.41, with a market capitalization of approximately $87 billion and a circulating supply exceeding 61.8 billion units. BeInCrypto pointed out that the current market size has completely changed XRP investors' expectations. It explained that the realistic question is no longer whether XRP can rise, but how much capital an investor needs to inject currently to reach $1 million by the end of this year.

The calculation results were sobering for small-scale investors. Even if XRP reaches $5, approximately 200,000 XRP would be needed to make $1 million. Based on the current price, this would require an investment of about $282,000. Even if XRP rises to $10, 100,000 XRP would be needed, with the current purchase cost calculated at approximately $141,000. In the $2.80 scenario suggested by Standard Chartered, approximately 357,000 XRP would be required, necessitating an investment of about $503,000 based on current prices.

BeInCrypto analyzed that if one aims for $1 million with a small investment of less than $10,000, XRP would need to reach extreme price levels of over $20, and even $50. However, it stated that such forecasts are not included in the mainstream outlooks of banks, analysis platforms, or artificial intelligence models.

The institutional investor narrative was still identified as a key factor supporting the XRP market. The spot XRP ETF recorded net inflows for 13 out of the first 19 weeks of 2026, with cumulative net inflows reaching approximately $157 million this year. According to SoSoValue, assets under management are already around $3.87 billion. Coinbase supported cash-settled trading for XRP futures, and GraniteShares confirmed the launch of a 3x leveraged XRP ETF on Nasdaq. Ripple is also continuously expanding its partnerships related to financial infrastructure and international payments.

However, the expansion of institutional products does not immediately guarantee an explosive rally. Standard Chartered projected the XRP price to be around $2.80 by the end of 2026, while Motley Fool warned of a potential correction to around $1. Artificial intelligence model forecasts were also largely limited. ChatGPT saw XRP at approximately $2.15 in December under medium probability conditions, and Grok suggested a range of $2 to $3.50 with ETF growth. Claude considered a scenario of approximately $3.15 possible if the U.S. Federal Reserve lowers interest rates.

BeInCrypto pointed out that for XRP to justify a price above $5, special conditions would be required, such as the final approval of a U.S. cryptocurrency market structure bill, institutional capital inflows significantly exceeding current levels, a rapid recovery of Bitcoin (BTC) to $100,000, and the public adoption of XRP by major banks. XRP is still considered an altcoin with a strong institutional investor base in the international financial sector, but it concluded that it is far from being a lottery-like asset that can instantly transform small investments into large fortunes within 2026.

*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.*