CoinDesk has published a comparative chart highlighting the performance of major cryptocurrencies since their peaks in December 2017 and January 2018. According to the chart, Bitcoin is trading 314% above its previous all time high, while BNB leads the group with a gain of 2,818%. Ethereum has risen 66% over its earlier peak, and Dogecoin has gained 322%.
Lagging performance for XRP against peers
Unlike these assets, XRP currently trades around $1.33, which remains 62.5% below its all time high from January 2018. This underperformance stands out in the context of other large-cap cryptocurrencies, all of which have exceeded their previous highs by substantial margins.
Commentators in the crypto community, including Digital Asset Investor (@digitalassetbuy), have drawn attention to the divergence. Many see XRP’s position as evidence of lagging returns. However, Digital Asset Investor takes a different view, arguing the circumstances behind the numbers set XRP apart from its competitors.
Legal headwinds and their impact
Digital Asset Investor emphasized that the CoinDesk analysis does not reflect the unique challenges XRP has faced in recent years. He pointed out that XRP was the only token among those compared that dealt with five years of regulatory pressure and enforcement actions, most notably a prolonged lawsuit by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
At one time, XRP surpassed Ethereum by market capitalization and was positioned to potentially challenge Bitcoin as the leading cryptocurrency. Digital Asset Investor suggested the legal challenges directed at Ripple and XRP were significant factors contributing to the asset’s prolonged period of underperformance relative to its peers.
He sees these challenges not as evidence of fundamental weakness but as important context behind the numbers. He maintains that regulatory uncertainty has suppressed XRP’s ability to follow the growth of other large cryptocurrencies.
“XRP was the only one out of all of that list that has been attacked in every way known to man, including a five-year SEC lawsuit,” Digital Asset Investor stated, adding that the prolonged legal battles weighed heavily on the asset’s market trajectory.
Mini dictionary: Ripple, a San Francisco–based fintech company, is the primary developer of XRP and its network; the SEC lawsuit alleged that sales of XRP constituted an unregistered securities offering, a case watched closely by the global crypto industry.
| Asset | Current vs Previous ATH |
|---|---|
| Bitcoin | +314% |
| BNB | +2,818% |
| Ethereum | +66% |
| Dogecoin | +322% |
| XRP | -62.5% |
Renewed optimism after legal resolution
With the SEC lawsuit concluded and a US court determining that XRP is not a security, Digital Asset Investor believes the most significant obstacles to XRP’s growth have been removed. He pointed out that regulatory clarity is returning, with the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) pushing for clearer rules in the US market.
Digital Asset Investor explained that these developments have led him to become “more bullish on XRP by a long shot than any of them,” referring to Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, and Dogecoin.
He maintains that, “All of the roadblocks are out of the way now,” and that the resolution of the legal battle has put XRP in a better position to regain lost ground.
Expectations for XRP’s future price
Looking ahead, Digital Asset Investor stated that he does not intend to sell his XRP position at a price of $5 to $10, indicating his belief that these levels would not reflect the full potential of a post-litigation XRP market. He interprets the underperformance shown by CoinDesk’s chart as a sign that XRP remains a compressed asset now ready to move, rather than a project in decline.
