Ripple’s former Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz believes XRP will eventually overtake Bitcoin as the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
He argued that this scenario would result from XRP growing faster than Bitcoin, not from BTC collapsing. Schwartz made the comments during an X Space, where he was asked whether XRP could flip Bitcoin and whether that would happen because Bitcoin loses value or XRP appreciates more rapidly.
“Yeah, I do,” Schwartz said. However, he clarified that the scenario would not involve Bitcoin shrinking.
“I think it would happen from XRP growing faster than Bitcoin,” Schwartz explained.
Schwartz Sees XRP Capturing More Growth
Schwartz suggested that a future in which XRP overtakes Bitcoin would involve the digital-asset market expanding substantially. He argued that most cryptocurrencies would grow in such an environment, while the XRP Ledger would capture a larger share because of its functionality and speed.
“The world where digital assets are just wildly successful. They all probably grow,” Schwartz said, adding that the XRP Ledger would benefit from features that Bitcoin does not support.
His comments therefore point to an XRP-led expansion in market capitalization rather than a Bitcoin collapse as the more likely path to a flip.
Angie asked "David in your humble opinion, do you believe XRP could actually flip Bitcoin?" pic.twitter.com/InhjVrM6Gv
— Vet (@Vet_X0) September 9, 2026
XRP Price When It Overtakes Bitcoin
At current levels, Bitcoin trades at around $78,200, with a market capitalization of about $1.56 trillion. Meanwhile, XRP trades at around $1.38, with a market capitalization of approximately $86.76 billion.
That leaves Bitcoin with a market capitalization roughly 18 times larger than XRP’s. If Bitcoin’s market capitalization soared to around $3 trillion, XRP would need to reach a similar valuation to overtake it.
Based on XRP’s current circulating supply of 62.74 billion tokens, a $3.1 trillion XRP market capitalization would put it at approximately $49.30 per XRP. That would represent a 3,470% increase from the current $1.38 level.
For comparison, Bitcoin’s current $1.56 trillion valuation would also need to double to reach $3 trillion. Moreover, Bitcoin’s previous all-time market-cap level was around $2.5 trillion, making the journey to $3 trillion relatively close by comparison. In particular, Bitcoin’s price would need to reach only about $150,000 to support a market capitalization above $3 trillion.
Meanwhile, for XRP, the journey from $1.38 to $50 would be far more formidable and take years. Essentially, even as XRP soars and enters the trillion-dollar valuation range, Bitcoin would still be miles ahead, and closing the gap would remain a significant challenge.
In Sum
Schwartz did not provide a price target or timeline for XRP overtaking Bitcoin. His argument was that XRP’s faster growth would allow it to surpass Bitcoin as the XRP Ledger captures a larger share of overall crypto-market growth.
Importantly, Schwartz’s comments reflect his view of what could happen under a particular future market scenario rather than confirming that XRP will flip Bitcoin.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.