XRP has spent the last few months stuck in a frustrating spot, with its price still hovering around the same level many holders thought it would have left behind long ago. But XRP enthusiast Luke believes this phase shouldn’t be mistaken for the end of the asset’s long-term story. In a post on X, he described the current $1.40 XRP as being in a temporary hibernation and suggested that a move to $18 or $25 could just be an intermediate step if market growth and adoption continue.
XRP’s Current Price Is a Temporary Hibernation Phase
For most of 2026, XRP has been trapped in a range between $1.30 and $1.45. That’s more than 60% below its January high and about 25% lower than where it started the year. This has created a gap between Ripple’s institutional progress and XRP’s price performance.
In a post on X, Luke noted that XRP trading around $1.40 doesn’t reflect what it could become if the next wave of crypto adoption is driven by regulated financial products. So, he sees the current price action as a temporary hibernation phase, followed by an intermediate phase, and then a final price phase. That’s why he believes XRP could trade anywhere between $18 and $25 during the intermediate phase—but that’s not the end goal. In his view, XRP’s current struggles are only temporary because the market hasn’t fully accounted for what Ripple has been building behind the scenes.
The final part of his price outlook goes beyond the $18 target. He predicts XRP could eventually reach triple digits once institutions fully wake up and the infrastructure around Ripple and XRP is fully operational.
Price at $10,000 Is Not Fantasy
Luke’s prediction puts XRP at five digits on the higher end. That high-end claim is speculative, especially his mention of $10,000 XRP, which would require a major overhaul of global liquidity and market valuation assumptions. According to him, this price target isn’t fantasy—it’s global liquidity at scale.
Speaking of global liquidity at scale, Ripple has long positioned XRP as its guiding star. That vision has become harder to ignore in 2026, as Ripple has secured major partnerships with institutions like Germany’s $1.6 trillion Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan, and Mastercard’s $9 trillion payment network. Yet despite these developments, the price has mostly stayed flat.
Luke’s reasoning aligns with many in the XRP community who are predicting huge price targets for the cryptocurrency. They’ve faced criticism from more realistic traders, but that hasn’t stopped the bullish expectations. These optimistic price predictions see XRP rallying far above its current all-time high, with targets ranging from $10 all the way up to $10,000.
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs addressing the idea that XRPs current struggles are temporary and that specific factors will push it to 18
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Why is XRP struggling right now Is it dying
No its not dying XRP is dealing with shortterm headwinds like the lingering effects of the SEC lawsuit and general crypto market volatility These are temporary roadblocks not permanent failures
2 What makes you think XRP will ever reach 18
The main driver is utility XRP is designed for fast cheap crossborder payments If banks and financial institutions start using it heavily for realworld transactions the demand for XRP could skyrocket A 18 price is based on that massive adoption scenario not wishful thinking
3 What is the SEC lawsuit everyone talks about and is it over
The SEC sued Ripple in 2020 claiming XRP was an unregistered security In 2023 a judge ruled that XRP sales on exchanges are not securities This was a huge win The final legal dust is settling removing a major cloud of uncertainty
4 Is XRP just a bank coin for rich people
No While banks are a target market XRP is a decentralized digital asset anyone can buy sell or hold Its main benefit is speed and low cost for sending value anywhere in the world
AdvancedLevel Questions
5 What specific factors will push XRP to 18
Three key catalysts
Legal Clarity The lawsuits resolution removes institutional fear Banks can now adopt XRP without legal risk
Global Utility Ripples OnDemand Liquidity product uses XRP to settle payments instantly As more payment corridors open demand for XRP will increase
Tokenomics XRP has a fixed supply of 100 billion tokens with a portion locked in escrow As demand grows the limited supply creates upward price pressure
6 How does XRP compare to Bitcoin or Ethereum for reaching 18
Bitcoin is digital gold store