XRP overtakes BNB as the fourth-largest cryptocurrency

January 3, 2026

XRP has recently made significant strides in the cryptocurrency market, surpassing BNB to become the fourth-largest digital currency by market capitalization. Serving as the native token for Ripple, XRP is specifically designed to streamline cross-border transactions, emphasizing speed and efficiency.

Over the past day, XRP has experienced a notable surge of 8%, pushing its price to $2 and its market capitalization to roughly $123 million. This increase has positioned XRP ahead of BNB, which currently holds a market value exceeding $120 million. Excluding stablecoins, XRP now ranks only behind Bitcoin and Ethereum in terms of market capitalization, with Bitcoin leading at $1.8 trillion and Ethereum following with $377 billion.

The intensified trading activity surrounding XRP is evidenced by a striking 175% surge in trading volume within the last day, totaling $3.8 billion. Despite these positive developments, XRP is still trading approximately 44% lower than its peak price of $3.6, observed in July 2025. This recent uptick in XRP’s value coincides with a broader resurgence in the digital asset market, exemplified by Bitcoin’s rally to $90,000. Other alternative coins have also demonstrated strong performance, with Ethereum climbing 4% to $3,100, Solana reaching $132, and BNB standing at $877.

Meanwhile, US spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have displayed resilience amidst market fluctuations, maintaining steady daily inflows since their inception in late 2025. These ETFs have collectively attracted approximately $1.2 billion in net capital, resulting in a total assets under management of $1.3 billion, according to SoSoValue. As the cryptocurrency sector continues to evolve, gaining insight into XRP and its associated ETFs could prove beneficial for investors seeking to navigate the complexities of this rapidly changing market landscape.