Cryptocurrency
Five Reasons for XRP's Surge: Insights on Ripple-issued Crypto
2024-12-02
The Ripple-issued token has achieved a remarkable feat by trading at a six-year high. This surge has sparked numerous questions and speculations among the crypto community. What are the underlying factors driving this upward movement? And where will it go from here?

Unraveling the Mysteries of Ripple's Token Surge

Donald Trump's Victory and its Impact

Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election on November 5th played a significant role in the resurgence of bullish enthusiasm in the crypto market. As investors bet on the president-elect to fulfill pro-crypto promises, the market size of cryptocurrencies skyrocketed by 42% to reach $3.5 trillion. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse even declared that Trump will "make crypto great again." Since November 5th, XRP has seen a fivefold increase, outperforming bigger-name crypto rivals like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

This victory for Trump has set the stage for further growth in the crypto space, with Ripple potentially eclipsing its 2018 high of $3.40. The positive sentiment surrounding Trump's presidency has given a much-needed boost to the entire crypto ecosystem.

The Trading Frenzy and Coinbase Whales

XRP's price bump has been accompanied by a trading frenzy that coincided with Robinhood relisting XRP on its platform last month. Crypto analytics platform CryptoQuant's CEO, Ki Young Ju, believes that Coinbase whales are driving this rally. Furious XRP trading activity on Coinbase has created a price premium for the cryptocurrency when compared to more retail-focused platforms like Upbit.

Data from crypto analytics platform Scopescan also indicates that South Korean retail investors are contributing to XRP's price surge. In the last 24 hours, XRP trading on Asian exchanges including Upbit and Bithumb has eclipsed Bitcoin. This shows the growing interest and participation of retail investors in the Ripple token.

The Resignation of SEC Chair Gary Gensler

The resignation of SEC Chair Gary Gensler is another reason cited for the jump in XRP's price. Gensler's tenure was marked by a hostile stance towards the crypto industry. His departure on January 20th, the day of Trump's inauguration, is seen by many as a positive sign for Ripple.

Ripple's long legal battle with the SEC has stifled its growth. However, with Gensler leaving, there is a chance that this fight might come to an end, unlocking even more potential for the cryptocurrency. This could lead to further price appreciation and increased adoption of XRP.

Bitcoin's Dominance and Altcoin Rotation

Bitcoin surged close to $100,000 on the strength of Trump's victory. However, its dominance in the crypto market has dropped from 60% to 53% in the last week. Historically, a falling Bitcoin dominance amid an increase in crypto market value usually signals the start of an altcoin season, where attention shifts to other cryptocurrencies like XRP.

Following the success of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds this year, Solana and XRP are now competing to be the next cryptocurrency to get ETFs approved. Garlinghouse himself believes that an XRP ETF is "inevitable." Bitwise Asset Management, Canary Capital, 21Shares, and WisdomTree have already submitted XRP spot-ETF filings with the SEC. If these ETFs are approved, it could push the price of XRP even higher.

With Trump taking office next year, market analysts predict that the path towards more crypto ETFs could become easier. This could have a significant impact on the future of XRP and the entire crypto market.

WisdomTree Launches Low-Cost XRP Cryptocurrency ETP on Exchanges
2024-12-02
WisdomTree, a renowned global financial products provider, has made a significant move by launching its newest cryptocurrency exchange-traded product (ETP). This development has sparked interest among investors and industry experts alike.

Unlock the Potential of Cryptocurrency with WisdomTree

Introduction to WisdomTree and its Financial Products

WisdomTree has long been at the forefront of the financial industry, offering a diverse range of products to meet the needs of investors. With a focus on providing innovative and reliable solutions, the company has built a strong reputation over the years. Their latest venture into the cryptocurrency space is no exception, as they introduce the WisdomTree Physical XRP ETP (XRPW).This ETP is listed on major exchanges such as Deutsche Börse Xetra, the Swiss SIX Exchange, and the Euronext exchanges in Paris and Amsterdam. One of its key features is the low management expense ratio of 0.50%, making it the most cost-effective ETP in Europe for gaining exposure to XRP.

Design and Features of the WisdomTree Physical XRP ETP

The fund is meticulously designed to offer investors a straightforward, secure, and cost-efficient means of accessing the price of XRP. It is fully backed by XRP, ensuring transparency and reliability. Through an institutional-grade, physically backed structure, investors gain exposure to the spot price of XRP.In addition, the fund employs a dual custody model with regulated custodians, providing an extra layer of security. The underlying assets are professionally secured in "cold storage," minimizing the risk of theft or loss. This combination of features makes the WisdomTree Physical XRP ETP an attractive option for investors seeking exposure to XRP.

About XRP and its Ledger

XRP is a native digital asset of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), a decentralized, permissionless, and open-source blockchain. The XRPL utilizes a Proof-of-Association (PoA) consensus mechanism, which is operated by universities, exchanges, businesses, and individuals. This mechanism is more efficient than the traditional Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism, as it requires less hardware resources and consumes less energy.Created in 2012 specifically for payments, XRP stands out for its ability to settle transactions on the ledger in just 3-5 seconds. It was designed as a faster and more sustainable alternative to Bitcoin, offering a convenient way to bridge different currencies quickly and efficiently. XRP can be sent directly without the need for a central intermediary, making it a valuable tool in the world of cross-border payments and microtransactions.

Investment Insights and Perspectives

Following the launch of the WisdomTree Physical XRP ETP, Dovile Silenskyte, Head of Digital Asset Analysis at WisdomTree, believes that with the growing risk appetite, exposure to altcoins like XRP could outperform a standard Bitcoin and Ether allocation. In her opinion, XRP can be incorporated into a multi-asset portfolio alongside these major cryptocurrencies to reduce exposure to a single token.She emphasizes that cryptocurrencies represent more than 1% of the market portfolio and should be an integral part of a comprehensive investment strategy. As an asset class with low correlation to traditional asset classes, cryptocurrencies have the potential to enhance diversification and improve risk-adjusted returns in a multi-asset portfolio.Meanwhile, Alexis Marinof, Head of Europe at WisdomTree, highlights the significance of this new launch. It complements their existing range of physically backed cryptocurrency ETPs, providing investors with an additional solution to enhance their multi-asset portfolios. Cryptocurrency ETPs offer a regulated framework for investors, making them a preferred vehicle for accessing cryptocurrencies.With over 20 years of experience in providing and managing physically backed ETPs for institutional investors, WisdomTree brings global reach, scale, and resources to their cryptocurrency ETPs. Investors can benefit from this expertise and trust in the management of their assets.
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Orbital Launches Stablecoin Payments Dashboard for Insights
2024-12-02
Blockchain-based payments solutions company Orbital has made a significant move by launching its Stablecoin Payments Dashboard. This new offering aims to offer users valuable insights into stablecoin payment trends at a time when these digital currencies are gaining prominence in various transactions.

Unlock Insights into Stablecoin Payments with Orbital

Insights into Stablecoin Payment Trends

Orbital's new dashboard is designed to provide businesses with a clear understanding of how stablecoins are being used in consumer payments. As stated by Luke Wingfield Digby, co-founder and head of the research team, "Stablecoins are transforming global commerce, but businesses lack clarity on how to leverage them effectively for consumer payments." The dashboard filters out unrelated activities like DeFi and speculative trades, ensuring accurate insights into payment trends by analyzing "consumer-size transactions" up to $10,000. This allows businesses to make informed decisions about incorporating stablecoins into their payment processes.

Working with blockchain analytics firm Artemis.xyz, Orbital is able to provide a comprehensive view of stablecoin adoption for payments use cases. By focusing on these specific transactions, businesses can gain a better understanding of which tokens, blockchains, and exchanges are driving consumer adoption in the fast-evolving space of stablecoin payments.

Integration of Other Data Sources

In addition to on-chain data, Orbital plans to integrate other data sources to offer a broader perspective on stablecoin use across industries and regions. This will give businesses actionable insights into stablecoin payment behavior, allowing them to adapt their strategies accordingly.

For example, by combining data from different sources, Orbital can identify patterns and trends that may not be apparent when looking at data from a single source. This will enable businesses to stay ahead of the curve and make more informed decisions about their payment operations.

Impact of Stablecoin Market Growth

The launch of the Stablecoin Payments Dashboard comes at a time when stablecoins have achieved record market value. A report by Bloomberg News showed that the market capitalization for digital, dollar-pegged currencies has jumped 46% this year to a record $190 billion. Tether, the world's largest stablecoin issuer, has seen its token's circulation rise to almost $133 billion, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the stablecoin market.

Companies like Stripe and PayPal have also entered the stablecoin business, recognizing the potential of these digital currencies in cross-border payments. The Bloomberg report argues that these efforts could help prevent another major market crash, such as the $19 billion collapse of TerraUSD two years ago.

According to Sheraz Shere, GM payments and commerce at the Solana Foundation, "Blockchain solutions and stablecoins - I don't like to use the term crypto because this is more about FinTech - they've found product-market fit in cross-border payments. You get the disintermediation, you get the speed, you get the transparency, you get extremely low cost." This highlights the importance of stablecoins in modern payment systems and the role that Orbital's dashboard can play in facilitating their adoption.

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