XRP to be next Bitcoin & make crypto mainstream, expert says
RIPPLE could be the next bitcoin, experts have claimed, with one predicting it could help make cryptocurrency “more mainstream”.
Unlike bitcoin, ripple (XRP) is still trading below $1 – but one crypto-expert claiming it could be the “catalyst” in a new era of digital currency.
However, others are urging caution and have warned "anything can happen".
Craig Cole of CryptoMaps said: “Ripple just might be the catalyst in making cryptocurrency more mainstream.”
He said it had faster transaction speeds and lower fees, making it “easier” for financial systems to embrace.
He said: “Ripple is helping financial institutions save money and it is only expected to become even more prevalent in payment flows.
“The virtual currency is certainly on the rise and has the potential to be the first token to truly disrupt an industry, and if it does, expect XRP to reach Bitcoin-like levels of ubiquity in the near future.”
Another crypto-commentator said ripple had the potential to “move up a notch” over the next two years.
Roman Guelfi-Gibbs of Pinnacle Brilliance Systems Inc, however, warned “anything can happen” with crypto.
He said: “It will take some time for the markets to digest this, so I am projecting 2019 to be the likely time for it to take place.
"Of course, with crypto, anything can happen, so watch closely.”
Others also urged caution, including Shidan Gouran, president of Global Block Chain Technologies.
He said: “Ripple is unlikely to go up by one or two notches in the cryptocurrency world in 2018, and this is the case for these reasons.
“The first reason is the sheer dollar volume that separates each of the three currencies in the top positions, in terms of their market cap.
“The second reason is that the use cases for ripple are mostly for the trade of assets, not for day-to-day spending.”
The current price for ripple, according to Coin Market Cap, is $0.83.
Bitcoin is currently priced at $9,386.89 according to the same source.
