If You'd Bought XRP (Ripple) 5 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Now
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By Lyle Daly – Dec 19, 2025 at 2:00PM ESTKey PointsAlthough cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile, successful coins like XRP can deliver outsized returns if you give them enough time.The value of XRP has more than tripled over the last five years.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›CRYPTO: XRPXRPMarket Cap$115BToday's Changeangle-down(4.17%) $0.08Current Price$1.91Price as of December 19, 2025 at 2:35 PM ETXRP hasn't done well recently, but the five-year returns are still beating the market.The crypto market is going through a major sell-off, and most of the top coins have experienced steep losses. XRP (XRP +4.17%), which had been one of the best performers earlier in 2025, is now down 37% over the last three months, as of Dec. 16. Despite the recent decline, XRP has still been a winner for early investors. To see why patience is crucial when investing in cryptocurrency, let's look at how much a $1,000 investment in XRP from five years ago would've grown to today. Image source: Getty Images. XRP has been a long-term winner -- but there's a catch XRP's price has increased by 228% over the last five years. If you'd invested $1,000 in it five years ago, you'd now have $3,282. The S&P 500 index has grown by 83%, meaning it would've turned $1,000 into $1,831. However, it's worth noting that all of XRP's gains came after the 2024 presidential election. Until that point, you would've actually lost $130 of your $1,000 investment. The election of President Donald Trump drove significant growth for XRP, as investors expected a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment. That was particularly important for XRP, as its issuer, Ripple, was involved in a lawsuit with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at the time.Advertisement ExpandCRYPTO: XRPXRPToday's Change(4.17%) $0.08Current Price$1.91Key Data PointsMarket Cap$115BDay's Range$1.77 - $1.9152wk Range$1.65 - $3.65Volume4.3B You would've needed to invest early in XRP and, just as importantly, hold onto it for years while it lagged the stock market. And after it finally took off, you would've needed to decide whether to sell to ensure you made a profit. The volatility of cryptocurrencies and their uncertain futures makes investing in them more complicated than investing in stocks. There's nothing wrong with putting some money into crypto. As XRP demonstrates, you can make a sizable return this way. But it's best to keep the bulk of your portfolio in safer assets, such as stocks and bonds.Read NextDec 19, 2025 •By Alex CarchidiBetter Cryptocurrency to Buy Now With $3,000: XRP (Ripple) vs. Monero (XMR)Dec 18, 2025 •By Anders Bylund1 Red Flag for XRP That Investors Shouldn't IgnoreDec 17, 2025 •By Dominic BasultoCan XRP (Ripple) Reach $4 in 2026?Dec 17, 2025 •By Dominic BasultoXRP vs. Dogecoin: Which Crypto Will Make You Richer?Dec 17, 2025 •By Alex CarchidiBetter Cryptocurrency to Buy Now With $4,000: XRP (Ripple) vs. DogecoinDec 14, 2025 •By Adam SpataccoIs XRP a Buy Heading Into 2026?About the AuthorLyle Daly is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology and cryptocurrency. Lyle has been a contributor at the financial services company since 2018. His work has been featured on USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, Fox Business, and Nasdaq. Before joining The Motley Fool, he wrote for financial brands including Intuit.TMFLyleDalyX@LyleDalyStocks MentionedXRPCRYPTO: XRP$1.91 (+0.04%) $+0.08*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.Advertisement