Ripple has been attracting TONS of attention over the last few months.
As of a few days ago, Ripple(XRP) ranks second in the cryptocurrency market after Bitcoin @ $2.25 as of right now, with a market capitalization of about $87 billion.
The currency utilizes blockchain technology, but differs from other currencies in terms of regulation.
As a blockchain-backed platform, Ripple(XRP) is designed to facilitate transfer of funds in banks. According to Marcus Vandea, the CEO of Playfold, this aspect alone is enough to enhance the value of its digital currency, XRP.
“Ripple’s value lies in its relatively unique stability and attractiveness to the banking system. If more and more institutions start to adapt to this token, it will keep rising. The current excitement around cryptocurrencies is broadening from Bitcoin to other coins, and XRP is right up there with the most popular ones.” Vandea says.
Ripple is focusing on powering the entire financial sector via instant transactions at a lower cost. Through blockchain, Ripple offers a smooth experience for financial institutions to transfer funds globally. Ripple is already working with several leading financial companies across the globe, and as Alexey Shmonov, CEO of HOQU observes, this is a move that will possibly translate to a boost in value of its cryptocurrency in the coming year.
“In my opinion, the Ripple founders have some very good connections in the banking sector and are influencing the representatives of the latter to adopt it. This makes it a very promising project and its prospects for 2018 seem solid,” Shmonov says.
Moving into the future, there are anticipations that Ripple will solve the liquidity problem in cross-border payments. Banks and other payment service providers could use XRP to make multi-currency payments as a way of cutting costs. Should its adoption reach this level, we’ll see more value on its currency.
But there is a high possibility that financial institutions could use Ripple XRP as a holding currency as they acquire high valued currencies as Tom Marchesello, the CEO of IvyKoin, notes.
Even so, several things could slow down the process value appreciation for Ripple(XRP).
For example, the number of XRP units in circulation could hinder better performance for Ripple in 2018.
“I see no case for it to appreciate in value. There are too many units issued so is very hard to move the pricing on Ripple. They were discounted below $1 for most of 2017 until November because they had a lot of legal problems in 2014 to 2016 which finally resolved. New management is now in place by November. So the rise was from 24 cents to $1 because they finally formed a corporate management that did not suck,” Marchesello adds.
There are about 38 billion XRP billion coins in circulation, which is among the highest in the coin market.
So what does all this mean for Ripple? Let's take a look into the tech behind Ripple a little more and get to know it.
In a world where it’s now possible to hold money in digital ledgers, Ripple’s place is unique. This is because unlike most cryptocurrencies, it does not take the place of banks. Rather, it’s designed to support banks in utilizing the evolving crypto technology, blockchain.
During the first half of 2017, the price of Ripple XRP increased by about 4000%. Considering its broadening networks and partnerships with banks, Ripple is set to continue on this trajectory in the coming year.
“Ripple has gained so much traction because it is applying technology to work with real-world financial institutions. It has 100+ financial institutions partnering with it and there are over 7,000 FDIC insured banks in the US alone,” notes Ash Shilkin of IvyKoin, and Founder of Change Financial Ltd
But this untapped market isn’t the only opportunity awaiting Ripple. There are many digital currency investors and traders who are not yet aware of Ripple despite its underlying revolutionary technology. However, with the recent inclusion of XRP on the Bloomberg Terminal and possible listing on Coinbase, this is likely to change. These platforms will boost awareness of the currency among the investor community in 2018 and increase its demand.
Beyond this, Ripple appears to be a safe option for investors, compared to other competitive currencies. This means investors who want to shield themselves from the uncertainty of the crypto market will most likely opt for Ripple. More growth awaits Ripple should institutional investors enter the Ripple network and the currency gains popularity among the community of cryptocurrency investors like Ethereum and Bitcoin. This will heighten its demand leading to HIGHER PRICES in the upcoming year. It is the time to get in or HODL what you have.