XRP May Surge 400% to $10 Within 2026: Analyst

ETF Inflows Driving Institutional Demand

Crypto analyst Chad Steingraber has projected a significant potential surge for XRP, suggesting it could climb from its current price of around $2 to $10 within a year. This forecast is based on his analysis of accelerating institutional demand observed through Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) inflows and trading activity.

Steingraber's recent estimates indicate that the Bitwise 10 Crypto Index ETF (BITW) now holds approximately 30.7 million XRP. Cumulatively, the total XRP absorbed into ETF assets under management has reached over 506 million XRP, despite these products having been available for less than a month.

He noted that the Bitwise Index fund began the day with $1.25 billion in total Assets Under Management (AUM), with XRP constituting 5.16% of the fund. This continuous inflow signifies growing institutional positioning in XRP as ETF issuers increase their holdings to meet investor demand.

Strong Trading Volumes Indicate Growing Accumulation

Further analysis from Steingraber highlighted a robust trading session across XRP ETF products. On a particular Tuesday, combined trading volume reached $32.81 million. Leading issuers such as Franklin Templeton, Canary Capital, Bitwise, REX-Osprey, and Grayscale all recorded multi-million dollar activity during this period.

Based on the day's volume profile, Steingraber estimated that an additional 5 to 10 million XRP were likely accumulated by ETFs on that single day. The data showed Franklin Templeton leading the session with $9.05 million in volume, followed by Canary Capital with $7.12 million and Bitwise with $6.56 million.

XRP's Potential Trajectory Compared to Bitcoin

Responding to a community observation that Bitcoin's price doubled from $60,000 to $120,000 over two years following its ETF launch, Steingraber expressed a belief that XRP's price appreciation could be significantly faster.

"And it’s gonna be less than a year for XRP to go from $2 to $10," Steingraber stated. This projection represents a potential 400% surge, which he attributes to ongoing ETF inflows and expanding institutional interest.

Building Institutional Momentum and Market Impact

With over half a billion XRP now held within ETF products and daily trading volumes on the rise, analysts suggest that structural demand is beginning to influence XRP's market dynamics. ETF issuers are compelled to continuously acquire XRP to match investor inflows, which in turn tightens the available supply on exchanges.

For observers like Steingraber, this accumulation trend is seen as a precursor to a potential significant repricing event in 2026. While the ambitious $10 target for XRP remains speculative, the increasing institutional interest in the asset is evident and accelerating.