Ripple News: XRP Surges 46% Versus BTC’s 21% As Expert Points to New Institutional Investor Class

XRP surged 46% in a week that saw Bitcoin gain roughly 21%, reigniting debate over whether the token is entering a genuinely different phase of its market cycle, one driven less by retail speculation and more by sophisticated capital seeking real-world utility.

A Different Kind of Crypto Cycle

Mickle, discussing the trend, said crypto has moved through distinct phases. The earliest cycle drew speculative interest without a clear use case. A second phase centered on DeFi projects that, in hindsight, proved less durable than expected, with Ethereum’s total value still sitting below its 2021 peak. 

Mickle said the current phase is being shaped by a new type of participant: large, licensed allocators managing significant capital who are drawn to the technology’s actual utility rather than short-term price movement.

That shift, Mickle said, plays directly into XRP’s strengths, particularly as large financial institutions increasingly recognize inefficiencies in existing payment infrastructure.

Regulatory Progress as a Catalyst

The analyst pointed to Ripple’s global licensing footprint, now covering more than 70 jurisdictions, alongside the company’s continued efforts to integrate with traditional financial infrastructure under a regulatory-first approach, as factors positioning XRP ahead of the next market cycle.