Recently, the Ripple ecosystem has received another major endorsement. Standard Chartered Bank has become the latest large financial institution optimistic about the prospects of XRP. Their research team has issued a quite aggressive forecast—XRP could surge by 330% in the next year.

Specifically, Geoffrey Kendrick, Head of Global Digital Asset Research at Standard Chartered Bank, stated that the price target for XRP by 2026 is $8.00. Compared to the current price of $1.86, this implies more than a threefold growth potential. This prediction is not baseless but is based on the actual development of the XRP ecosystem.

The most obvious catalyst right now is the booming spot XRP ETF. Starting in November, several leading fund institutions such as Franklin Templeton, Grayscale Capital, and Canary Capital have successively launched XRP trading products. According to data, as of December 29, these ETFs have attracted approximately $1.15 billion in inflows. For institutional investors previously troubled by custodial risks, these products are undoubtedly a positive development.

The underlying logic is also quite clear. XRP, as the native asset of the Ripple ledger, offers significantly higher cross-border payment efficiency compared to SWIFT—shorter transaction times and lower fees. The existence of this practical application scenario provides a more solid fundamental support for institutional investors.