I’ve experienced, like so many others, just how broken the traditional financial system is. Every month my abuela sends remittances back home. Instead, she gets eaten alive by fees and exchange rates that feel engineered to suck her dry. It's not just her; it's millions. That's why I'm so bullish on XRP. This isn’t about GoFundMe raising money — this is about creating a more level playing field.

Financial Access for the Excluded?

Standard Chartered forecasting XRP to reach $12.50 by 2028? Okay, cool. Now, to be fair, banks take guesses on a daily basis. What’s more important is the why behind those numbers. For XRP, that “why” is found at the very heart of its utility.

They are calling for regulatory clarity, especially after the SEC announced they would be dropping their appeal. They're mentioning Trump's crypto-friendly stance. Even absent those, the core value proposition of XRP – lightning-fast, dirt-cheap cross-border payments – is still incredibly compelling.

We increasingly live in a globalized world, but trying to send money internationally can feel like it’s still stuck in the Stone Age. Banks take days, put a bank-breaking fee on the payer, and basically make the whole experience a hassle from hell. XRP cuts through all that. It’s the digital version of passing someone untaxed, untraceable money across borders, instantly.

It's people like my abuela, people sending remittances, small businesses operating internationally, and anyone else who's been priced out of the traditional financial system.

Tokenization: The Next Economic Revolution?

Outside of cross-border payments, XRP’s potential to tokenize anything and everything is awe-inspiring. We’re minting digital tokens backed by real-world assets including Treasury bills, real estate, and Fine Art. These tokens can be easily exchanged, bought and sold in a frictionless manner.

This is not merely a cost-saving endeavor. It's about democratizing access to investment opportunities. Now is your chance to own a piece of a glittering new luxury apartment building on the Manhattan waterfront! And it only requires the commitment of a mere $100. That's the power of tokenization.

Brett’s right though, because Ripple is reportedly exploring the tokenization of Treasury bills, as well as stablecoins. That’s huge. And the expected XRP ETF approval by Q3 2025, maybe bringing in billions? That's not just hype. It's validation. It’s the establishment, or maybe the old guard, finally recognizing that there’s something worthwhile in the new.

This ties me in as well to the notion of XRP flipping Ethereum’s market cap. Look, I don’t mean to rag on Ethereum, but XRP is addressing a fundamentally different use case here. While Ethereum is still vying to become the decentralized world computer, XRP is in the midst of creating the more efficient global payments network. Either choice is deeply consequential. I, for one, think the practical benefits cross-border payments provide will be sufficient to see more people using this technology, and in turn a much higher market cap.

Keep in mind that XRP is trading at over $2.05 right now (April 12, 2025). That’s a more than 500% increase to go to $12.50. We know that sounds crazy, but hear us out and think of the times we are living in. XRP saw a 36,000% surge in 2017-2018. Volatility is baked into crypto.

Is XRP Really Worth the Risk?

Alright, let’s get to the elephant in the room. To say that XRP has been at the center of controversy is an understatement. Yet the SEC lawsuit nevertheless put a dark cloud of uncertainty over its future. If we can just be honest for a second—the crypto market is a rollercoaster.

Every investment carries risk. The stock market crashes. Real estate bubbles burst. Even if you just stick your money in a savings account, you’re still losing purchasing power to inflation.

The important thing here is to know what you’re getting into and be intentional with your choices. Learn to not place all your eggs in one basket. Do your own research. And only put in what you can afford to lose.

It’s understandable if you’re scared to take the plunge into unfamiliar territory. As you know, the world is changing incredibly fast and the old financial system is being turned upside down. XRP— with its commitment to being an open and inclusive technology— is leading that disruption.

Yes, I do believe in XRP because it provides economic growth and prosperity. More importantly, as an advocate and practitioner, I have witnessed its potential to create a more equitable financial system for us all. A system where everyone, regardless of their background or location, has access to the tools they need to build a better future.

So, is $12.50 possible? Absolutely. Even if XRP never reaches that sky-high valuation, the distributed ledger technology underpinning it has huge promise. This capability can improve the lives of millions, making XRP a smart investment both economically and altruistically. But make no mistake—do your research, understand the risks, and then choose whether or not you want to be involved in this revolution. Don't just watch it happen.