XRP Price Surges 13%: Garlinghouse Impact?

While Bitcoin continues its impressive rally, hitting a new all-time high of over $118,000 per token today (July 11, 2025) and fueling hopes among many crypto investors that it may soon breach the psychologically significant $120,000 barrier, it’s crucial to recognize that the digital asset market’s dynamism extends far beyond the king of cryptocurrencies.

 

Today, another significant player, the altcoin XRP, is also experiencing a substantial surge. As of the time of this writing, XRP has climbed by more than 13% over the past 24 hours, catching the attention of investors and analysts alike. This unexpected leap for XRP, often overshadowed by Bitcoin and Ethereum, suggests underlying factors are at play, potentially signaling a renewed optimism for its future.

 

The cryptocurrency market is complex, with price movements often influenced by a confluence of technical, fundamental, and even speculative factors. While no single event typically dictates a sustained price trend, a specific development in Washington D.C. appears to be a significant catalyst for XRP’s recent bullish momentum. Understanding what XRP is and the potential reasons behind its current surge requires a deeper dive into its market position and recent events.

 

What is XRP? Understanding Its Market Position

In the vast and rapidly expanding world of cryptocurrencies, a clear hierarchy often emerges based on market capitalization. Bitcoin undeniably holds the undisputed crown as the “king” of digital currencies, commanding the largest market share and often setting the overall market sentiment. Following Bitcoin, Ethereum proudly wears the title of “prince,” consistently ranking as the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap and serving as the backbone for countless decentralized applications and smart contracts.

 

Continuing this nomenclature of digital nobility, XRP can certainly be bestowed the title of “duke,” firmly holding its position as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. This consistent ranking places XRP among the elite tier of digital assets, distinguishing it from the thousands of smaller altcoins in the market. As of current data, the total market capitalization of all Bitcoins in circulation stands at approximately $2.3 trillion.

 

Ethereum follows with a substantial market cap of around $361 billion. XRP, while smaller than the top two, maintains a significant presence, hovering around a robust $161 billion market capitalization. This substantial market value underscores XRP’s importance and widespread adoption within the crypto ecosystem.

 

According to real-time data from Yahoo Finance, the current price of XRP (XRP-USD) is approximately $2.76 per token. This price reflects the dynamic interplay of supply and demand, influenced by investor sentiment, technological developments, and regulatory news. One of the largest holders of XRP is Ripple Labs Inc., a company that plays a pivotal role in the cryptocurrency’s ecosystem. Ripple Labs offers advanced digital cross-border payment solutions, primarily through its decentralized network known as RippleNet.

 

This network aims to provide faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective international transactions compared to traditional banking systems. Ripple’s enterprise solutions and its substantial holdings of XRP mean that developments related to the company often have a direct impact on XRP’s price and market perception.

 

Why Is XRP Surging Now? The Garlinghouse Effect

Over the past 24 hours, XRP has undeniably experienced a significant price increase. As of this writing, the coin is trading at approximately $2.7636 apiece, representing a gain of more than 13% in just the last day. While any substantial price movement in the volatile cryptocurrency market is rarely attributable to a single cause, a specific event in Washington D.C. over the past few days appears to have significantly bolstered investor confidence in XRP, leading to this bullish sentiment.

 

The event in question, as highlighted by crypto news outlets like The Coin Telegraph, was a hearing held on Wednesday, July 10, 2025, by the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The hearing was titled “From Wall Street to Web3: Building Tomorrow’s Digital Asset Markets.” This high-profile event brought together key stakeholders, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss the evolving landscape of digital assets.

 

As reported by Bitcoin Magazine, the hearing covered a wide range of critical topics pertinent to the cryptocurrency industry, including a crucial focus on the regulatory environment surrounding crypto. Clarity and favorable regulation are often seen as significant drivers for mainstream adoption and investor confidence in digital assets. One of the prominent witnesses invited to participate in this important event was Brad Garlinghouse, the Chief Executive Officer of Ripple Labs. Garlinghouse’s presence at such a pivotal policy discussion, particularly before a powerful U.S. Senate committee, carries significant weight.

 

Since Garlinghouse’s appearance at the hearing, XRP’s price has shown a steady and consistent increase. His participation seems to have signaled to some investors that Ripple Labs may have a growing and direct involvement with policymakers in Washington D.C. This perceived influence in shaping future regulatory frameworks is highly attractive to investors, as a more defined and potentially favorable regulatory landscape could unlock greater utility and wider adoption for XRP.

 

If Ripple’s engagement with D.C. policymakers indeed indicates a path towards clearer and more accommodating regulations for its services and, by extension, for XRP, it could significantly boost the appeal and value proposition of XRP, especially considering that Ripple Labs itself holds a substantial amount of the cryptocurrency.

 

Of course, the exact extent to which Ripple Labs truly has an increasing involvement with policymakers in D.C. remains to be definitively seen. Even if such involvement is confirmed, it does not provide an absolute guarantee of XRP’s upward trajectory. The crypto market remains inherently unpredictable, influenced by global economic factors, technological advancements, and shifting investor sentiment.

 

Nevertheless, the immediate market reaction to Garlinghouse’s appearance suggests that investors are interpreting it as a positive sign for XRP’s future regulatory standing and overall market acceptance. This speculative optimism has been a clear driving force behind XRP’s recent gains, contributing to its impressive performance. Over the past five days alone, XRP has surged by an impressive 20%, indicating sustained buying interest following the Washington event.

 

XRP’s Long-Term Performance: A Staggering 500% Jump

While XRP’s recent five-day jump of 20% is certainly impressive and indicates strong short-term bullish momentum, it pales in comparison to the coin’s truly astonishing performance over the past 12 months. This longer-term perspective reveals a much more dramatic growth story for the altcoin.

 

According to comprehensive data from Yahoo Finance, since July of last year (2024), XRP has experienced a staggering surge of 507%. This phenomenal return positions XRP as an exceptional performer within the cryptocurrency market, particularly when compared to its larger peers. To put this into perspective, Bitcoin, the market leader, has seen a substantial increase of just over 105% during the same 12-month period. While this is a strong return for Bitcoin, it is less than a quarter of XRP’s growth over the same timeframe. Even more strikingly, Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, has actually experienced a slight decline, down just over 3% over the past 12 months.

 

This stark contrast in performance highlights XRP’s unique trajectory and the distinct factors influencing its price. While Bitcoin’s growth often reflects broader institutional adoption and macro-economic trends, and Ethereum’s performance is tied to the vibrancy of its decentralized application ecosystem, XRP’s long-term surge suggests a deeper underlying bullish sentiment, likely driven by renewed optimism regarding its regulatory clarity and its potential as a global payment solution.

 

The ongoing legal battles and regulatory uncertainty that have historically plagued XRP appear to be resolving in its favor, or at least moving towards a more positive outcome, which in turn has rekindled significant investor interest and confidence. This long-term, multi-hundred percent gain demonstrates a fundamental shift in market perception for XRP, moving from a controversial asset to one with significant growth potential, particularly if its payment solutions gain wider adoption and regulatory acceptance globally.

 

This long-term outperformance against its larger counterparts is a testament to the strong conviction of its investor base and the potential for its technology to reshape cross-border payments.