XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) are two of the best high-upside cryptocurrency investment options. They both have demonstrated the ability to skyrocket in price, and both have strong potential catalysts. In the past, both have minted their fair share of millionaires.
So which one is more likely to be a millionaire maker? To answer that question, it’s important to consider the following two factors.
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A good starting point is historical performance. While past returns are no guarantee of future performance, they can help to provide a quick snapshot look at how a cryptocurrency does over time. Is the cryptocurrency a one-hit wonder, or is it capable of replicating its performance over an extended period of time?
From 2017 through 2025, XRP grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 94%. Since its launch back in 2012, XRP is up an impressive 40,000%.
Based on those numbers alone, you might conclude that a single XRP token is trading for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. But you would be wrong. XRP still trades for a price of about $2.
There’s a good reason for this low price. XRP’s performance has been extremely uneven over the years. In fact, the standard deviation of XRP’s returns from January 2017 to November 2025 is a head-spinning 334%. By way of comparison, the standard deviation of an S&P 500 stock is typically about 15%, while the standard deviation of a fast-growth tech stock is typically anywhere from 20% to 30%.
That’s why it’s hard to trust XRP. It’s the type of cryptocurrency that’s either soaring or collapsing in value. If you’re trying to build a million-dollar nest egg, you might lose everything after one bad year. Or maybe one bad month.
That’s not to say that Ethereum can be trusted either. It, too, is prone to intense periods of boom and bust. Case in point: Ethereum soared by 472% in 2020 and 395% in 2021, only to collapse in price by 68% in 2022.
But Ethereum has been much better at bouncing back from adversity and rewarding longtime investors. Since its launch back in 2015, Ethereum is up an incredible 115,000%. As a result of being able to piece together good years over an extended period of time, Ethereum currently trades for a price of about $3,150.
XRP and Ethereum are both vying to become important pieces of the modern global financial system. From stablecoins to real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, both XRP and Ethereum are at the forefront of exciting changes taking place on Wall Street.
Image source: Getty Images.
But Ethereum has a more diversified blockchain ecosystem than XRP, and that makes it more capable of growing at a smooth, steady rate. While Ethereum is a behemoth when it comes to decentralized finance (DeFi), it is also a market leader when it comes to other applications of blockchain technology as well. This includes everything from non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to blockchain gaming.
The XRP blockchain, for its part, is limited to use cases related to finance. After all, the XRP token is primarily just a bridge currency used to swap between different currencies. As such, it is a useful way to transfer value across borders. Once you get beyond cross-border payments, though, the number of use cases for XRP is relatively small.
I’m attaching a much higher growth multiple to Ethereum. It’s simply capable of growing faster than XRP. And due to the diversification of its blockchain ecosystem, it’s much more insulated from market peaks and valleys.
Based on the above, the clear winner is Ethereum. If you’re trying to build a million-dollar crypto portfolio, this is where I’d start. It has a nearly unparalleled historical track record. And it is at the center of several important trends taking place within the global financial system. So much so, in fact, that the Trump administration thought about classifying Ethereum as a strategic asset.
Just keep in mind, though, that the future price trajectory of Ethereum is unlikely to be straight up. It’s prone to intense cycles of boom and bust, so be prepared to hold through market volatility. But if you do so, you will likely be handsomely rewarded.
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Dominic Basulto has positions in Ethereum and XRP. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Ethereum and XRP. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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