XRP Hitting $10,000 Could Undermine XRPL’s Accessibility

XRP reaching the staggering value of $10,000 per coin has sparked intense speculation in the crypto space, but not everyone sees this potential price tag as a positive development. A well-known crypto analyst known as Stellar Expert has raised concerns that this high valuation could actually threaten the core utility and accessibility of the XRP Ledger (XRPL).

The XRP Ledger was designed to facilitate efficient, low-cost transactions for everyone, from individual users to developers and enterprises. However, Stellar Expert warns that reaching such an astronomical price could make the network virtually unusable for the average participant, contradicting the very principles XRPL was built upon.

According to Stellar Expert, if XRP ever climbs to the $10,000 mark, fundamental operations like wallet activation or creating trustlines (used for holding custom tokens) would carry costs so high they could push ordinary users out of the ecosystem.

One central issue revolves around the XRPL’s base reserve requirement. To prevent spam and ensure network health, users must hold a small amount of XRP as a reserve to activate accounts or manage assets. Previously, activating an account required 10 XRP. However, a governance vote recently reduced this requirement to just 1 XRP, and the cost to create a trustline dropped to 0.2 XRP.

With XRP trading at around $2.20 today, opening a wallet only costs $2.20—well within reach of most users. Yet if the value soared to $10,000, that same 1 XRP would equate to $10,000, with a single trustline costing a steep $2,000. This would essentially transform the network from a low-cost utility into one suited only for those with significant wealth.

In Stellar Expert’s view, such a scenario would not just be counterproductive—it would dismantle the very accessibility and inclusivity that makes XRPL appealing.

This argument spotlights the contradiction between chasing sky-high valuations and maintaining a decentralized, affordable network for all. Despite the potential for massive gains, Stellar Expert suggests the community should reflect on whether such price levels might compromise real-world usage.

However, not everyone agrees with this grim outlook. Crypto advocate and XRP supporter Maven countered the claims, suggesting that fears of the XRPL becoming elitist at higher valuations are rooted in a misunderstanding of the network’s economic and technical system.

As Maven explained, XRP operates in units called “drops”—the smallest denomination of XRP—which helps keep transaction fees minimal and unaffected by dramatic price increases. The XRPL’s fee structure is algorithmic and remains consistent, regardless of how much XRP is worth in fiat terms.

Furthermore, governance adjustments are always on the table. The reserve requirement for account activation and trustlines is determined by community consensus and can be recalibrated as needed. In effect, if XRP’s price rises to such levels, the community can simply lower these thresholds to maintain normal usability.

For those in Maven’s camp, the XRPL is designed with the flexibility needed to evolve in tandem with market dynamics. Whether XRP is trading at $0.50 or $10,000, they believe the ledger can still fulfill its core function—fast, affordable value transfer—better than most modern financial networks.

This debate underscores a deeper question that XRP enthusiasts and developers must wrestle with: Can XRP scale in value without sacrificing the cornerstones of its own ecosystem?

Related: Expert Advice: Sell XRP If You’re Confused

As the market continues to evolve and speculative predictions dominate headlines, one thing remains clear—the future design of the XRP Ledger must balance ambition with accessibility to serve both early adopters and everyday users alike.