Bitcoin Backer Claims XRP Will Surpass BTC Despite ₱5.81 trillion ($100 billion) Gap

A longtime Bitcoin backer named Pumpius posted on X that every central bank will use XRP as a bridge asset and the token will surpass Bitcoin by magnitude. He made the claim on February 19, marking a sharp reversal from his previous Bitcoin advocacy.

Bitcoin's market cap sits comfortably in the trillions while XRP's market value remains under ₱5.81 trillion ($100 billion).

Ripple President Monica Long has sketched out scenarios where banks and asset managers run production systems tied to on-chain liquidity pools, based on company briefings and executive posts. Ripple's leadership sees 2026 as the year when larger, regulated players might put real money onto the XRP Ledger. That timeline could explain why Pumpius made his prediction now, though the company has missed adoption timelines before — Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicted in 2018 that major banks would use XRP tools by year-end and dozens by 2019.

Ripple has partnered with over 300 financial institutions across 40 countries for cross-border payments using RippleNet and XRP via On-Demand Liquidity. The company launched CBDC pilots with Bhutan's Royal Monetary Authority, Colombia's Banco de la República, Montenegro, and Republic of Palau's national stablecoin pilot on XRPL in 2023. In June 2023, Ripple received a license from Singapore's central bank to offer regulated digital payment token services.

The Federal Reserve's trading desk requested indicative dollar/yen quotes after U.S. Treasury officials requested the currency volatility check, showing how central bank infrastructure works today. Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe stated in 2023 that a British CBDC remains some years away despite Ripple's 2021 collaboration with the Digital Pound Foundation.

Ripple hired lobbying firm Ballard Partners in May 2025 and donated ₱290.38 million ($5 million) to Trump's inaugural.