Where Could XRP Go in 2026? Insights from Bitwise CIO and Inversion CEO

Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Where Could XRP Go in 2026, Pundit Shares Insights from Bitwise CIO and Inversion CEO Original Link:

Crypto Market Performance in 2025

The crypto market faced significant headwinds in 2025 despite a strong start. The market reached a peak of $4.27 trillion in early October but ended the year at $2.93 trillion, marking a $1.34 trillion decline from its peak. Over the full year, the market lost $250 billion, representing a 7.85% drop overall. XRP followed the broader market trend, declining 11.51% in 2025.

However, as 2026 begins, sentiment has started to improve. Several analysts and industry leaders now believe the market could recover, with XRP positioned to participate in the expected rebound.

Bitwise CIO: Four-Year Cycle Over, Expects Bullish 2026

According to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan, the traditional four-year crypto cycle may be over. The market has entered a longer phase that resembles a 10-year upward trend, with new forces now influencing crypto more than past cycles.

Hougan highlighted several major developments responsible for this shift:

• Spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024
• Regulatory progress in January 2025
• Growing role of stablecoins and tokenization as strong and lasting growth drivers

These factors now overshadow the forces that once defined the four-year cycle. Although the cycle still influences investor thinking, Hougan clarified that it no longer controls market direction. He believes the cycle’s influence helped hold prices down in 2025.

Hougan expects the crypto market to rise in 2026, but with steady gains rather than sharp rallies, lower volatility, and normal price swings.

Institutional Adoption Moving Slowly

Hougan also discussed institutional adoption, noting that large financial firms move much more slowly than retail investors. Major institutions like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, and UBS only recently approved Bitcoin investment products, nearly a year after ETF launches.

From Bitwise’s experience, institutional clients typically commit funds after eight meetings, often held quarterly. Many firms that began talks when ETFs launched are only now reaching that commitment stage. This slow institutional pace, combined with fast retail trading, explains much of the market’s uneven movement.

Inversion CEO More Bullish on XRP Than Ethereum

Inversion CEO Santiago Roel Santos believes XRP has a stronger chance than most top-10 crypto networks to return to its all-time high, even if the broader market weakens.

Santos contrasted this bullish stance on XRP with his bearish view on Ethereum, saying he sees little chance of ETH reaching its previous peak. He criticized Ethereum’s product approach, arguing that centralized product decisions work better than fully decentralized strategies.

Regarding valuations, Santos questioned Ethereum’s market value of around $350 billion, saying it lacks strong support. By comparison, he highlighted XRP’s lower valuation and compared its scale to Visa, noting that Ripple has more room to use its currency to acquire businesses, grow distribution, and strengthen its products.