XRP: Growth to $1,000 — A Realistic Scenario or a Fantasy from a Former Goldman Sachs Analyst?
The XRP market is showing a confident recovery. On Monday, the asset's price surged by 9.3%, reaching a local high of $1.29. Triggers for this movement included both increased activity from large holders and an overall improvement in risk appetite amid easing geopolitical tensions.
Sentiment around XRP hit a low before this rally — analytical data from Santiment indicated the lowest levels since October 2025. However, as history shows, powerful price impulses often emerge precisely during moments of total pessimism. Massive surges in this coin have traditionally occurred when retail investors lost all interest in it.
The key macroeconomic catalyst was the easing of tensions in US-Iran relations. This led to a capital shift from safe-haven assets to riskier ones. Bitcoin rose to $65,300, gold gained about 2%, while oil, on the other hand, lost more than 3%. A wave of optimism also swept over altcoins: XRP stabilized around $1.22, showing a daily increase of 3.25%.
Whales Accumulate Positions: 74.1% of Supply Under Control
In addition to external factors, the coin is receiving strong support from its largest holders. Blockchain analysis shows that wallets with balances exceeding 1 million XRP currently hold 74.1% of the total market supply. Over the past six months, these "whales" have increased their holdings by approximately 1.53 billion tokens. This indicates high confidence among institutional players in the asset's long-term prospects, despite recent price declines.
Forecast of $1,000 by 2030: Math or Enthusiasm?
Against this backdrop, a long-standing forecast from Dom Kwok, co-founder of the educational app EasyA and former Goldman Sachs analyst, has resurfaced. He sets a long-term target for XRP at $1,000 by 2030. His thesis is based on comparing the current evolution of the blockchain industry to the era of the internet's inception. In his view, the crypto sphere will only become truly mainstream after the emergence of simple and useful services, and XRP, unlike Bitcoin, possesses a vast range of such functions.
Kwok also points to the low penetration rate of cryptocurrencies — only 7% of the world's population. He believes that newcomers, deterred by high prices for top assets, will choose the more affordable XRP. However, for the price to soar from the current $1.22 to $1,000, an influx of trillions of dollars would be required, and XRP's market capitalization would need to exceed $60 trillion. Such a leap is only possible with an unprecedented level of adoption of the XRP Ledger in international financial and commercial settlements.
My Expert Assessment: The $1,000 forecast is more of an inspiring metaphor than a measurable trading target. It is based on faith in global adoption, not on current market realities. However, the very fact of coin accumulation by "whales" and the reduction of geopolitical risks create a foundation for a medium-term bullish trend. In the coming quarters, the key will be overcoming resistance in the $1.50–$1.70 zone, which would open the path to new all-time highs, but five-digit figures are still far off.