CNBC Calls XRP the Hottest Crypto Trade of the Year

During CNBC’s Power Lunch and related segments including Fast Money, host Brian Sullivan stated: “The hottest crypto trade of the year is not Bitcoin, it is not Ether, it is XRP.” Correspondent MacKenzie Sigalos described XRP as the “new cryptocurrency darling” and a quiet breakout trade.

XRP surged 20-25% in the first week of January 2026. It outperformed Bitcoin up ~6% and Ethereum up ~10%. It briefly overtook BNB to become the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. XRP is trading around $2.25–$2.30, up over 20% year-to-date despite a short-term pullback.

Investors accumulated XRP via ETFs during Q4 2025’s market weakness contrarian to BTC/ETH ETF flows that follow momentum.
Spot XRP ETFs saw strong inflows ~$100 million in early 2026, totaling over $1 billion with no outflow days. Resolved regulatory overhang from Ripple’s SEC case.

XRP’s utility in fast cross-border payments.
Perception as a “less crowded” trade with higher upside potential compared to more mature BTC and ETH. These comments were widely reported across crypto news outlets and align with direct CNBC video titles like “Why XRP is the new cryptocurrency darling” and “XRP jumps 20% in a week as traders rotate beyond bitcoin and ether.”

Note that while this reflects strong early-2026 momentum, crypto markets are volatile, and performance can change rapidly. The CNBC spotlight has amplified XRP’s early-year momentum, driving retail interest and contributing to a 25%+ surge in the first week of January peaking near $2.40 before a minor pullback.

As of now, XRP trades around $2.17–$2.30, down slightly from highs but still up 20% YTD—far outpacing Bitcoin (6%) and Ethereum (~10%). Mainstream coverage like CNBC’s often triggers short-term buying from retail traders, boosting volume and liquidity. This has helped XRP briefly reclaim the #3 spot by market cap.

Historical patterns show media hype can lead to profit-taking. Recent pullbacks like 5% drop on Jan 7 reflect this, with traders watching support at $2.00–$2.10. Strong fundamentals are aligning to support sustained upside: U.S. spot XRP ETFs have accumulated $1.3–$1.4 billion in inflows since late 2025 launches, with no outflow days and recent daily figures like $48M recorded around January 6.

This locks up supply, hundreds of millions of XRP in custody, creating tightness amid shrinking exchange balances— multi-year lows. Investors accumulated during Q4 2025 weakness— contrarian to BTC/ETH ETFs, positioning XRP as a “less crowded” trade with higher beta potential.

Resolved SEC case, potential CLARITY Act progress, and Ripple’s partnerships e.g., Japan banks, RLUSD stablecoin enhance credibility for cross-border payments utility. Declining exchange reserves + ETF absorption could amplify rallies if demand persists.

Analysts project ranges like $2.50–$4.00 by mid-year in base cases, with upside to $5–$8 if inflows accelerate e.g., Standard Chartered’s $8 target. XRP could challenge its all-time high ~$3.84 from 2018 or higher if adoption grows like ODL volumes, banking integrations. Optimistic forecasts see $8–$10 by year-end, driven by institutional allocations 1–4% in portfolios.

Market Share Shift

Outperformance signals rotation from BTC/ETH dominance toward utility-focused altcoins, especially in payments/DeFi. Success could pave the way for more altcoin ETFs and mainstream adoption, but XRP’s gains highlight risks of concentration in fewer assets.

Crypto remains highly volatile—macro shifts like rate changes, and geopolitics or stalled inflows could trigger corrections. Past hype cycles like in 2017–2018 led to sharp drawdowns. While substantiated by data— ETFs, on-chain metrics, performance isn’t guaranteed.

Overall, the CNBC nod validates XRP’s shift from regulatory burden to institutional favorite, with implications for stronger relative performance in 2026 if trends hold.