- A $1K XRP buy in Aug 2013 would now be worth about $562K, despite long periods of underperformance.
- Bitcoin over the same period would have delivered $1.16M — more than double XRP’s returns.
- For XRP to match BTC’s growth since 2013, it would need to climb to $6.85.
If you’d tossed $1,000 into XRP when it first hit exchanges in August 2013, you might be looking at a completely different portfolio today. Back then, XRP was barely on anyone’s radar, trading at just $0.00587. That tiny buy-in would’ve bagged you 170,357 XRP — nothing flashy at the time, but enough to make future-you smile.
By the end of 2013, those coins were already worth $4,713, delivering over $3,700 in profit in just four months. But crypto being crypto, the ride wasn’t smooth — in July 2014, XRP crashed to its all-time low of $0.002802, dropping that same stash to about $477. The token stayed sluggish for years, moving sideways between $0.005 and $0.008 until it finally broke out in March 2017. From there, it skyrocketed past $1 in December 2017 and peaked at $3.31 in January 2018.
Where That $1K Sits Today
Fast forward to now — XRP is trading around $3.30, meaning your 170,357 tokens would be worth roughly $562,000. Not bad for a $1K punt over a decade ago, even if XRP didn’t match Bitcoin’s insane trajectory. The SEC lawsuit years definitely weighed it down, but since its resolution in late 2024, XRP has been moving with far more strength.
Bitcoin vs. XRP – The Return Gap
Here’s the kicker: if you had gone with Bitcoin on the same date in August 2013, you’d be even richer. Back then, BTC was about $100, so your $1,000 would have bought 10 BTC. At today’s price of roughly $116,684, that’s $1.16 million — more than double XRP’s return. For XRP to match that, it would need to hit $6.85, which is about a 107% jump from its current price.
The Big Picture
Even without beating Bitcoin, XRP’s journey from a fraction of a cent to multiple dollars shows the long-game potential of early crypto plays. Those who held through the brutal lows are now reaping big rewards, and with legal clouds clearing, XRP’s path forward could still have room for serious growth.
