Ripple’s XRP Outshines Crypto Market Amid Trump Meeting and Bullish Momentum
Ripple’s native token, XRP, surged over 2% on Wednesday, bucking the broader crypto market’s trend of steep losses. The token continues to stand out as the best-performing major cryptocurrency since the U.S. presidential election in November, further propelled by a high-profile dinner involving Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty, and President-elect Donald Trump.
“Great dinner last night … Strong start to 2025,” Garlinghouse shared on X, accompanied by a photo of himself and Alderoty alongside Trump.
XRP’s 24-hour gain of approximately 2% contrasts sharply with bitcoin’s 2.5% decline and a similar drop across the broader CoinDesk 20 Index. Since Trump’s election victory, XRP has soared over 300%, far outpacing other major cryptos. By comparison, even dogecoin (DOGE), another post-election standout, has only doubled during the same period.
Crypto analyst Aurelie Barthere of Nansen highlighted the market’s search for catalysts to sustain the bullish trend. “Investors are eyeing signals like cooling U.S. inflation, labor market adjustments, or clearer policy direction from the incoming Trump administration. Until then, volatility is likely,” she said.
Barthere also noted the significance of Ripple’s leadership meeting with Trump. “Ripple’s CEO meeting Trump before his inauguration sends a strong bullish signal for XRP, especially amid expectations for U.S. labor market softening that could stabilize rates and benefit crypto prices.”
Additional factors bolstering XRP include the anticipation of an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF). Ripple President Monica Long recently expressed optimism that such a fund would emerge in 2025. Moreover, Ripple’s U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoin, RLUSD, received regulatory approval in December and was listed on crypto exchange Bitstamp earlier on Wednesday.
Zahreddine Touag, Head of Trading at Woorton, a Paris-based market maker, emphasized the growing interest in XRP. “We’re observing a buying bias for XRP, particularly from retail brokers and crypto-native funds. This enthusiasm likely stems from recent positive news, including the potential XRP ETF listing and the launch of the RLUSD stablecoin,” Touag said.
XRP’s strong performance, coupled with strategic developments at Ripple and high-profile engagements, continues to position the token as a standout in the crypto market.
