A crypto analyst has provided a new update on the XRP price, highlighting its role as a systemically important liquidity asset. According to the expert, the price dynamics are going beyond normal crypto speculationhighlighting its value as a fundamental financial instrument for global liquidity, settlement and cash management.
XRP price signals provide value beyond crypto speculation
On January 27, crypto analyst and investor Rob Cunningham said shared a new look at the XRP price that challenges conventional crypto thinking. He emphasized that the question of XRP’s value is not primarily about crypto speculation, but about balance sheets, liquidity and risk management. He also argued that understanding the altcoin requires viewing it as follows a structural instrument within the global financial system rather than just a market-traded asset.
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Cunningham noted that when XRP is treated as plumbing, neutral collateral, and a source of settlement certainty, its price logic will no longer resemble that of Bitcoin. He described XRP as a systemically important liquidity asset, meaning its valuation reflects a system function rather than a system function hype on the market. This framing positions XRP as an essential infrastructure for liquidity and cross-border settlement.
The crypto expert also quoted an earlier comment from Joel Katz, CTO of Ripplewho reportedly argued that the price of XRP would need to be well above $200 to reach its intended target. According to Katz, this price target is necessary to buy the token a cost-effective neutral bridge of liquidity and settlement worldwide.
Building on this, Cunningham concluded that regulatory clarity could come first for XRP, followed by adoption, and that price would then adjust. The analyst underlined the importance of patience, noting that the future of the token is inevitable once its functional purpose is fully recognized and integrated into global financial systems.
Price when driven by global liquidity and settlement
In his post, Cunningham referenced an image that illustrates XRP’s potential flow, liquidity, and price relationships. The data highlighted the price levels that XRP’s price could reach if driven by global liquidity and settlements.
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According to the picture, if XRP just catches 15% of SWIFT’s annual flowit would represent $22.5 trillion in annual liquidity processed through the cryptocurrency. At a 25% XRP settlement rate and tight liquidity corridors, annual XRP settled flows would total $5.6 trillion. In particular, the liquidity needed to support these flows depends on their speed, which varies from 1:6 to 1:12 per year.
Based on an annual flow of $5.6 trillion and a 2x to 5x buffer, Cunningham estimates that the required XRP liquidity would range from $280 billion to $700 billion. This calculation reflects the treasury scale of XRP required to effectively absorb and settle global flows.
The price scenarios in the figure show a wide range depending on the settlement and assumptions about treasury reserves. The base case assumes a price range of $2.50 to $7.50 for XRP, while full ripple effects could push the token to $10 to $200. If XRP were to function as one main reserve currencysuggests the image could reach $50 to $100 or higher.
Featured image of Peakpx, chart from Tradingview.com