# XRP Lags Bitcoin and Ether as Supply Growth and Weak Demand Weigh

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/xrp-lags-bitcoin-and-ether-as-supply-growth-and-weak-demand-weigh-681ee5
- Published: 2026-10-16T06:25:27Z
- Category: crypto; sentiment: bearish; impact: medium
- Symbols: [BITSTAMP:XRPUSD](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/BITSTAMP-XRPUSD)
- Written by our AI from expert market sources across the web for FreeTheAI Stocks, built by Vibhek Soni
- How write-ups are made: https://stocks.freetheai.org/how-we-write
- Not financial advice: https://stocks.freetheai.org/disclaimer

XRP continues to underperform top digital assets like Bitcoin and Ether, trading around $1.33 and staying more than 60% below its January 2018 peak of $3.55. While Bitcoin has surged 314% and Ether has gained 66% over the same timeframe, XRP token values have been constrained by persistent supply expansion and subdued trading interest.

A major driver behind the token's lagging price is supply dilution. Circulating supply expanded about 63% from 38.7 billion tokens in 2017 to 63.1 billion. At the same time, institutional inflows have lagged, with cumulative net inflows into U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds reaching $1.8 billion, well below the inflows for rival cryptocurrencies. Overall market engagement has also slowed, marked by a 53.5% drop in spot trading volume and a 10.7% decline in active network addresses.

Going forward, investors are watching how business priorities impact future adoption. Focus on cross-border payments infrastructure rather than higher-growth areas such as decentralized finance and artificial intelligence has influenced investor demand, alongside the long-term effects of a multi-year regulatory lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that concluded last year.

## Key points

- XRP trades near $1.33, remaining about 62.5% below its January 2018 record high of $3.55.
- Circulating token supply expanded 63% to 63.1 billion since 2017, diluting individual token value.
- U.S. spot XRP ETFs have attracted $1.8 billion in net inflows, lagging broader institutional adoption.
- Trading activity declined, with spot trading volume falling 53.5% and active network addresses down 10.7%.

## Questions and answers

### Why has XRP underperformed Bitcoin and Ether?

XRP performance has been hampered by a 63% growth in circulating token supply since 2017, weaker institutional demand compared to major crypto rivals, and lower activity across spot and derivatives markets.

### How much has the circulating supply of XRP increased?

The circulating supply of XRP expanded by roughly 63%, rising from 38.7 billion tokens in 2017 to 63.1 billion tokens, which diluted individual token value.

### How much money has flowed into U.S. spot XRP ETFs?

U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds have gathered approximately $1.8 billion in cumulative net inflows, trailing the institutional investment levels recorded by Bitcoin and Ether spot funds.