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A well-known crypto voice has stirred the pot by saying XRP could one day challenge Bitcoin’s top spot. His name is Charles Shrem, the guy behind the Blockchain Backer channel on YouTube. He’s been bullish on XRP for years. Now he’s saying outright that the altcoin is a threat to Bitcoin. That claim comes at a time when the altcoin is still trailing behind Bitcoin’s recent rally.
According to charts, XRP jumped over 200% against Bitcoin from November 2024 to January 2025. That was an eye-popping move. Then things went south. Since February 2025, XRP lost about 30% against Bitcoin. Bitcoin, on the other hand, set new all-time highs after February. The crypto mostly hovered around $2. That big swing shows how fast fortunes can change in crypto markets.
Based on reports, Shrem has hinted at this view in the past. But he never put it so bluntly until now. He says Bitcoin fans feel threatened by XRP’s potential. He even pointed to online fights where Bitcoin maximalists blasted XRP and its backers. Shrem argues that those attacks prove it has real muscle behind it, at least in the minds of some big players.
In January 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order asking a team to study a “digital asset stockpile.” It didn’t name Bitcoin or XRP. But the move sent shockwaves through crypto circles.
Some Bitcoin supporters blamed XRP and Ripple’s boss, Brad Garlinghouse, for pushing to include the altcoin. That blew up into a heated online conflict. Shrem sees that clash as more proof of XRP’s rising profile.
XRP still has a long way to go. It trades at about $2.19 and boasts a market cap of $129.4 billion. Ethereum sits second with $295 billion. The crypto would need a 135% rise to hit $5. To match Bitcoin’s $2.125 trillion, the altcoin’s price must surge about $1,620% to $36. Back in October, analyst Dark Defender said XRP could reach $36. That call sounds bold today.
XRP’s fast moves get people talking. Its ties to banks and quick payments give it a story that’s very different from Bitcoin’s. But displacing Bitcoin means overcoming a huge lead in adoption and mind share.
For now, Shrem’s claim makes good headlines. Whether XRP can turn that talk into market gains is another question. For crypto fans, it’s one of the storylines to watch in the months ahead.
