XRP Price Surges above $2.42 as Ripple Reached a $50 Million Final Settlement, Ending its Long-Running Tussle with the US SEC

Ripple's native token, XRP, soared to a 50-day high of $2.42 on Friday, marking a key milestone in its prolonged rebound.

Good morning, traders. Let's look at the latest development in the crypto sphere and what it could mean for the price of XRP in 2023 and beyond.

The price of XRP, the cryptocurrency used by payment solutions startup Ripple, surged more than 10% on Friday morning, reaching a 50-day high of $2.42.

This rally follows Ripple Labs’ announcement of a $50 million settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), marking the final stage in their five-year legal tussle.

The bullish news came amid broader risk-on trading in crypto markets. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin all posted triple-digit weekly gains.

However, XRP managed to outperform each of them as it continues its recovery from the lows of last year’s crypto winter.

The Standard Chartered Analyst Predicts 400% Rally in XRP Price

According to Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital asset research at Standard Chartered, XRP still has significant room for upside.

In an April report, Kendrick predicted that XRP could double to $5.50 by year-end and reach $8.00 by the close of 2026. He projects even steeper gains to $10.40 by 2027 and $12.25 by 2029—a potential 428% rise from current prices.

Kendricks attributes XRP’s growth prospects to its central role in the cross-border payment ecosystem.

“XRP is uniquely positioned at the heart of one of the fastest-growing uses for digital assets, facilitation of cross-border and cross-currency payments.”

Speaking this week, Kendrick maintained his bullish outlook, highlighting several factors converging to support XRP’s upward trajectory.

He pointed to the recovering macro backdrop, which bodes well for risk-on assets like cryptocurrencies.

Additionally, Kendrick anticipates more pro-crypto regulatory clarity under President Donald Trump’s administration, paving the way for crypto markets to flourish further.

A particularly bullish catalyst could arrive in the form of a spot XRP ETF approval. Standard Chartered anticipates U.S. regulators may greenlight such a product by October 2025, potentially attracting $8 billion in inflows during its first year.

Crypto Betting Patterns Signal Optimism Around XRP ETFs

Polymarket data gives a 77% probability of this ETF launch occurring next year, while bettors on another predictions market platform, Kalshi, currently give XRP a 55% chance of outperforming Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies in 2025.

Kendrick also highlighted speculative momentum on platforms like Polymarket, where bullish wagers on digital assets have surged in recent weeks.

Much of the renewed enthusiasm may be linked to speculation that Trump is on the verge of sealing new international trade deals, which could generate significant interest in global markets.

Although those deals have yet to materialize, the White House’s 90-day tariff pause, set to expire July 8, has added a layer of urgency to the bullish narrative.

For XRP investors, the combination of legal clarity, favorable macro conditions, and high-profile institutional endorsements presents a strong