In the past 12 months, XRP has delivered astonishing returns, gaining 552% since July 2024. The token climbed from $0.47 to a peak of $3.65 earlier this month before settling at $3.10, which is approximately 82% of its all-time high (ATH) of $3.84.
XRP & ETH’s ROI Compared
Source: TradingView
Even year-to-date (YTD), XRP has shown strong momentum, up by 49% from $2.08. In contrast, ETH has only managed a 9.5% gain YTD, rising from $3,432 to around $3,644.
That said, Ethereum still delivered an impressive 52% return over the last 30 days, narrowly edging out XRP’s 45% gain in the same timeframe. This short-term trend signals that ETH’s performance may be gaining traction as investor sentiment shifts.
On-chain data from Santiment reveals that whale accumulation has been pivotal for XRP’s surge. As of mid-July 2025, 2,743 wallets hold more than one million XRP, totaling over 47.32 billion tokens—which is about 4.4% of XRP’s circulating supply.
This tightening of available tokens, driven by whales consolidating holdings, helped power a 50% price jump in early July.
Meanwhile, Ethereum is attracting unprecedented institutional attention. Firms like Bit Digital sold off their Bitcoin reserves to acquire 100,000 ETH, worth roughly $172 million, signaling strategic confidence in Ethereum’s future.
Other companies such as BTCS Inc., BitMine, and SharpLink have followed suit. Together, these firms hold over 652,000 ETH, valued at $2.37 billion.
But the crown jewel in Ethereum’s institutional portfolio is BlackRock, which now holds an estimated 2.14 million ETH, a clear indicator that Ether is evolving into a treasury-grade digital asset.
BlackRock’s Crypto Holdings
Source: Arkham
XRP’s current price of $3.10 places it at approximately 82% of its ATH of $3.84. This suggests bullish momentum driven largely by whale accumulation and retail enthusiasm.
In contrast, Ethereum is trading at around 74% of its all-time high of $4,890. While this gap indicates room for growth, it also reflects ETH’s more measured recovery, even as big players accumulate.
Despite XRP’s commanding lead in both annual and year-to-date performance, Ethereum’s institutional legitimacy and broader utility (DeFi, NFTs, smart contracts) suggest it may outperform in the medium to long term.
While XRP may continue to benefit from whale momentum, ETH’s rising adoption as a corporate reserve asset positions it as a frontrunner for sustained growth.
It depends on your investment goals. XRP has outperformed in the short term, but Ethereum’s institutional adoption suggests it could have stronger long-term prospects.
Ethereum offers smart contract capabilities and underpins much of the DeFi and NFT ecosystems. This makes it appealing as a multi-functional asset, not just a store of value.
When large holders (whales) accumulate tokens, it reduces the available supply, which can lead to upward price pressure—especially during times of high demand.
Yes. XRP’s current price of $3.10 is about 82% of its ATH of $3.84, showing strong recent price performance.
Potentially. While XRP currently leads, Ethereum’s growing institutional adoption and stronger ecosystem could result in better long-term gains.
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