XRP Surges Past Tether, Now the 3rd-Largest Crypto as Bitcoin Faces $100K Hurdle
XRP has seen an explosive rise, jumping over 20% in just 24 hours, and is now the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, surpassing Tether (USDT).
In the past 30 days, XRP has soared by an impressive 375%, reaching $2.40, and its market capitalization has surged to $139 billion. This leap has positioned XRP ahead of USDT, securing its place in the top three digital assets by market value.
“This rally in XRP is reigniting interest in the market, particularly among retail traders and investors,” stated Mena Theodorou, co-founder of Coinstash. “Growing discussions around Ripple potentially issuing its own stablecoin, XRP’s popularity on social media platforms like TikTok, and the possibility of an XRP ETF have all fueled this surge.”
Trading volumes for XRP have surged globally, with South Korea’s Upbit exchange reporting a record $4 billion in XRP-Won trading in the past 24 hours. This represents over 27% of the exchange’s total trading volume, according to Coingecko.
This significant market activity follows a key development in South Korea, where the government announced a delay in the implementation of a crypto capital gains tax, pushing the tax deadline to 2027. “This delay is crucial as it removes a major barrier to speculative trading, providing a fresh wave of momentum for the crypto market,” said Markus Thielen, founder of 10x Research.
Bitcoin Faces Continued Resistance Near $100K
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) continues to face resistance as it struggles to break through the $100,000 mark. Bitcoin’s price has remained locked between $90,000 and $100,000 for the past two weeks, showing little upward momentum.
A large sell wall, worth $384 million, is preventing Bitcoin from advancing past the $100K threshold. “Bitcoin’s ascent is stalled as it faces significant sell orders. Overcoming this resistance will require sustained bullish buying pressure,” said Valentin Fournier, an analyst at BRN.
In addition, Bitcoin’s market dominance has dropped from 61.5% to 56.5% since late November, indicating that capital is flowing into altcoins like XRP, which have been showing strength during this period.
“With Bitcoin struggling at the $100K barrier, investors are increasingly diversifying into altcoins, supported by stronger liquidity and renewed interest in tokens like XRP,” Fournier explained.
As Bitcoin faces challenges in breaking through the $100K psychological barrier, XRP continues to capitalize on market momentum, securing its place as one of the top-performing cryptocurrencies.
