Can XRP Overtake Ethereum To Become the 2nd Biggest Crypto?

Ripple’s XRP token had one of its best years in 2025. The asset breached the $3 mark in January for the first time in seven years. XRP went on to hit a new all-time high of $3.65 in July. The asset’s incredible rise in 2025 was likely due to the settlement of the SEC vs. Ripple lawsuit. Although XRP has suffered over the last few months due to a general bear market, let’s discuss if the coin can overtake Ethereum (ETH) to become the 2nd-largest crypto project by market cap.

Can XRP Overtake Ethereum As The 2nd-Largest Crypto Project?

According to CoinGecko’s XRP data, XRP is currently the 5th-largest crypto project, with a market cap of $113 billion. Ethereum (ETH), on the other hand, boasts a market cap of $359 billion, nearly three times larger than XRP’s.

While there is high chance that XRP will eventually overtake the $359 billion market cap, Ethereum (ETH) will also likely grow at a similar pace. While XRP is preferred for cross-border remittances, ETH is beloved for its network capabilities. A majority of blockchain and web3 applications are built on the ETH network. While Solana (SOL) is emerging as a worthy contender, ETH continues to dominate the market.

Ripple will likely see more adoption in the near future, as more banks and institutions use its infrastructure. Such a development could greatly benefit XRP’s price. However, Ethereum’s (ETH) has far more adoption than XRP at the moment. Moreover, the number of applications built on ETH is only expected to increase. The use of ETH within DeFi protocols will also likely go up over the coming years.

Also Read: XRP Prediction For January 2026 Revealed as a Make-or-Break Test

Hence, given the current trajectory of adoption, XRP may not overtake Ethereum (ETH) as the 2nd-largest crypto project anytime soon. What the future holds is unclear, but current trends seem to point to ETH maintaining its position behind Bitcoin (BTC) and the 2nd-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.