XRP continues to draw attention with its potential to disrupt traditional finance, especially if the XRP Ledger (XRPL) can gain a sizeable share of global transactions currently dominated by SWIFT.
XRP continues to draw attention with its potential to disrupt traditional finance, especially if the XRP Ledger (XRPL) can gain a sizeable share of global transactions currently dominated by SWIFT. At a recent XRP-focused event in Singapore, key executives from Ripple shed light on just how impactful that scenario might be.
How Much of SWIFT Can XRPL Realistically Capture?
During the XRP Apex 2025 summit, Ripple’s CEO Brad Garlinghouse discussed the future of XRPL in relation to SWIFT, the global financial messaging system used by thousands of banks. He emphasized a crucial distinction between the messaging and liquidity functions of SWIFT. While the messaging side gets most of the public attention, Garlinghouse pointed out that liquidity is the real game-changer XRPL should target, particularly because liquidity is directly tied to the use of XRP itself.
When asked how much of SWIFT’s activity XRPL could realistically absorb in five years, Garlinghouse speculated a possible 14%. That figure, while ambitious, illustrates Ripple’s confidence in expanding XRPL’s role in cross-border settlements.
Based on data from Statista, SWIFT processes about $5 trillion per day in transaction volume. Over a year, assuming about 250 business days, that translates to $1.25 quadrillion in annual volume. If XRPL were to handle 14% of that, it would amount to $175 trillion annually—or roughly $700 billion per day. Even if XRP was used just four times per day in settlement cycles, there would need to be about $175 billion worth of liquidity in XRP daily to maintain smooth operations.
This estimate is significant because it suggests that a large role in international liquidity flow could elevate XRP’s market perception and demand considerably.
Market Predictions and Investor Speculation
To explore what this might mean for XRP’s potential valuation, Ripple’s community and some AI-powered tools have attempted to forecast possible outcomes. In one speculative analysis, if XRP successfully plays a central role in XRP Ledger-based liquidity handling, the token could potentially increase in value, with some scenarios modeling a surge beyond $20. This figure factors in other developments surrounding XRP as well, including the growth of the Ripple ecosystem, the RLUSD stablecoin, staking mechanisms, and the ongoing buzz around ETF possibilities.
Not all predictions have stayed grounded, though. Following Garlinghouse’s comments, discussions across social media platforms ramped up with bold predictions stating that XRP could one day trade at $1,452 per coin. Other posts placed future values at $1,250, often citing RLUSD as a pivotal driver. These projections, while generating excitement, stray far from realistic market dynamics at the moment.
It’s important to note the mathematical implications of such lofty targets. A price of $1,250 per XRP would imply a market capitalization exceeding $67 trillion—larger than the combined value of Bitcoin, Apple, Amazon, Google, and gold. For now, these numbers are more inspirational than actionable.
Still, XRP’s ambition to capture a share of global liquidity is not unfounded. If XRPL can handle even a percentage of SWIFT’s daily settlements, the impact on XRP’s role in the global digital finance ecosystem could be transformative. However, investors should approach the buzz with cautious optimism and remember that forecasts, even those by AI or enthusiastic analysts, are speculative.
Ripple’s focus appears to remain on real-world application and infrastructure development, rather than wild price speculations. As the platform continues to grow in utility and adoption, XRP may see a more stable and substantial path forward—rooted in data, rather than hype.
Ultimately, while capturing 14% of SWIFT’s liquidity volume might sound ambitious, Ripple’s infrastructure is being built with scalability and use-case adaptability in mind. And that may prove to be the biggest value driver in the long run.
Related: Expert Advice: Sell XRP If You’re Confused
Quick Summary
XRP continues to draw attention with its potential to disrupt traditional finance, especially if the XRP Ledger (XRPL) can gain a sizeable share of global transactions currently dominated by SWIFT. At a recent XRP-focused event in Singapore, key executives from Ripple shed light on just how impactful that scenario might be.
Source
Information sourced from official Ripple publications, institutional research, regulatory documentation and reputable crypto news outlets.
Author
Ripple Van Winkle is a cryptocurrency analyst and founder of XRP Right Now. He has been active in the crypto space for over 8 years and has generated more than 25 million views across YouTube covering XRP daily.
Editorial Note
Opinions are the author's alone and for informational purposes only. This publication does not provide investment advice.
