By Ryan Prete, Aug 22, 2023
Welcome to our latest education blog on Digital Currencies. In our latest installment, we’ll analyze and break down the key differences between two mammoth cryptocurrencies–XRP and Bitcoin. Be sure to read our previous digital currency blogs, where we answer the question: What is a Digital Currency?, as well as our primer on What is Ripple (XRP), and our article on understanding the role of XRP in the Ripple Ecosystem. We have also recently released an article charting The Future Cryptocurrency Trends.
XRP and Bitcoin are two very prominent cryptocurrencies, each with unique characteristics and use cases. They’re also two of the largest and most ubiquitous digital currencies; according to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin is the world’s largest cryptocurrency by market cap (approximately ($507 billion), while XRP is the fifth largest (approximately $27 billion).
Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency, emerged from a blend of groundbreaking technology, cryptography, and economic philosophy. Its creation can be traced back to a whitepaper published in October 2008 by the pseudonymous figure, Satoshi Nakamoto. The whitepaper, titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System,” laid the original foundation for what would become a revolution in the world of finance, think of this as a “big bang” moment. The problem that Nakamoto aimed to address with Bitcoin was the fundamental issue of trust in financial transactions. Traditional currencies and financial systems rely on intermediaries like banks and governments to verify and facilitate transactions. With Bitcoin, Nakamoto and others sought to eliminate the need for these intermediaries by creating a decentralized, peer-to-peer network.
The star innovation of Bitcoin was its blockchain technology. Blockchain is a public ledger that records all transactions in a transparent and tamper-proof manner. Miners, individuals or entities participating in the network, validate and secure transactions by solving complex mathematical puzzles. This process, known as proof-of-work, is at the foundation of Bitcoin’s security and decentralized nature.
In the nearly 15 years since Bitcoin’s founding, the cryptocurrency has changed the way the world views currencies, becoming a household name and peaking at a $1.27 trillion market cap in 2021.
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The history of XRP, Ripple’s premier digital asset, begins with Ripple’s founding in 2012, with a vision to create a cryptocurrency and a payment protocol that would revolutionize the traditional financial system. Ripple introduced the XRP ledger in 2013, announcing it as a distributed ledger technology designed to facilitate fast and low-cost cross-border payments. XRP was intended to be the native token of this network, serving as a bridge currency for transferring value between different fiat currencies.
Over the years, XRP gained traction, attracting partnerships with major financial institutions and payment providers. Ripple’s technology promised to enable real-time, secure, and cost-effective international transactions, making it a contender to disrupt the conventional banking industry. XRP gained significant traction in the year’s following its debut, attracting partnerships with major financial institutions and payment providers, as the technology proved to be a provider of real-time, secure, and cost-effective international transactions.
Then came the groundbreaking lawsuit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, who claimed that Ripple was an unregistered security, not a commodity, and should therefore be taxed as such. Then in July of this year, the landmark case between Ripple and the SEC came to a close with Ripple securing a significant win. In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres stated that Ripple’s premier token, XRP, does not classify as a security when sold to the general public. However, XRP’s sale to institutional investors, totaling $728.9 million, has been deemed as unregistered sales of securities. XRP’s value rocketed up 70% in the hours following Judge Torres’ ruling.
Let’s examine four key differences between the two landmark cryptocurrencies.
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Bitcoin, often considered digital gold, serves as a speculative asset and a store of value, attracting long-term investors seeking to hedge against inflation. Bitcoin’s scarcity (capped with a supply of 21 million coins) contributes to its price appreciation potential. On the other hand, XRP is more closely tied to the success and adoption of Ripple’s financial solutions. XRP’s value is influenced by partnerships with traditional financial institutions and regulatory developments. Its function as a bridge currency for cross-border payments means that its price is intrinsically linked to the usage of Ripple’s technology in the financial sector. Consequently, XRP’s value can fluctuate more dynamically in response to industry trends and regulatory changes.
As previously mentioned, Bitcoin and XRP collectively command hundreds of billions of dollars in market capitalization. Bitcoin is the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, currently holding around a $507 billion market cap as of the publish date of this article. XRP is currently the world’s fifth most valuable cryptocurrency–slightly edging out USDC–with a market capitalization of around $27 billion.
XRP offers several advantages when compared directly to Bitcoin, including:
The rapidly changing cryptocurrency landscape makes it difficult to create and predict future trends and expectations, but by analyzing how XRP and Bitcoin have performed in the past, we can put together a couple of thoughts on how the two cryptocurrencies might perform in the near future.
Let’s first look at XRP, which has already had a huge year, headlined by its landmark victory over the SEC. Looking ahead, XRP’s priorities could shift towards an increased integration in finance, growing its global partnerships, enhancing its scalability capabilities, continuing to improve its regulatory clarity, and more.
For Bitcoin, which has already reached worldwide prominence, its future trends could revolve around increased institutional adoption, its rise in prominence when it comes to global economic events, technological advancements and protocols surrounding its usage, improved environmental tactics when it comes to mining, and more.
Understanding and identifying the differences between XRP and Bitcoin–two of the world’s leading digital currencies–highlights the dynamic and ever changing landscape of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin has long been the pioneer of digital currencies, with many of its owners looking at it as an investment asset and alternative to institutional banks, while XRP, with its rapid transactions and fintech focus, has established itself as a giant in terms of cross-border payments. Both of the groundbreaking cryptocurrencies have unique strengths and obstacles. Further, Bitcoin’s adoption is diverse, while XRP’s adoption centers on the financial sector. Understanding the benefits of these two diverse digital currencies is crucial for any investor at any skill set. Have thoughts or experiences to share on this topic? Dive into the discussion and leave your insights in the comments section below!
This material, provided by Linqto, is for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice or any form of professional guidance. Before making any investment decision, especially in the dynamic field of private markets, it is recommended that you seek advice from professional advisors. The information contained herein does not imply endorsement of any third parties or investment opportunities mentioned. Our market views and investment insights are subject to change and may not always reflect the most current developments. No assumption should be made regarding the profitability of any securities, sectors, or markets discussed. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and investing in private markets involves unique risks, including the potential for loss. Historical and hypothetical performance figures are provided to illustrate possible market behaviors and should not be relied upon as predictions of future performance.
Ryan is a financial writer for Linqto, known for his original blog content, articles, and other works. He previously worked as a financial writer at PitchBook Data, where he covered private equity, and as a reporter for Bloomberg in Washington D.C.,where he reported on tax policy. Ryan has also reported on cybersecurity policy for Inside Washington Publishers. His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Axios, Yahoo News, and Reuters. He is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
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