What you need to know about Ripple.
Ripple’s (XRP) price grew by over 28,000% in 2017, leaving it the second largest cryptocurrency by market cap at the start of 2018. Despite a total supply of 100 billion XRP, the coin topped US$2 by the start of 2018, giving the coin an enormous market cap.
Will it keep increasing? If not, why?
Learn more Where to buy Ripple (XRP)
What to consider
With its large supply and currently limited use, traders will want to be wary of readjustments following price rises. This is especially true for a coin like Ripple that benefits from stable pricing and is designed more for corporate use than individual use.
Before buying Ripple, find out how it works and decide whether you’re in it for the long haul or a quick buck. This can help inform your decision-making going forwards.
If you’re in it for the short term, you’ll naturally want to take care to buy low. It’s also worth paying attention to upcoming hype since Ripple’s becoming a household name.
If you’re in it for the long run, you’ll need to pay close attention to the features and current applications of Ripple, and ask yourself some big questions about the future of the global economy. You should also be paying close attention to Ripple’s sister coin, the Stellar Lumen.
55 billion XRP in escrow
Despite a total supply of 100 billion coins, the Ripple company has put 55 billion XRP in escrow. These are held in place by a smart contract which releases 1 billion XRP per month over 55 months. Any unused amount will be put to the back of the queue, for release in month 56, 57 and so on.
The XRP tokens are released to Ripple partners and other affiliates in an effort to help get them involved as well as to let them test drive Ripple and to start using it with low costs.
So rather than going to the exchanges, the goal for the newly released XRP is to help grow its use.
Ripple’s partnerships
Ripple is designed to facilitate international money transfers by acting as a settlement layer. Essentially, it lets people make international money transfers much faster and with minimal fees.
It’s been picked up by a range of banks and international organizations, and it is mostly designed to facilitate transfers in a business setting. Individuals will likely be using Ripple indirectly through their banks and indirectly benefiting with faster transfers and lower fees.
Additional features
Ripple is more than just a transferable store of value. It also aims to offer smart contract functionality in an effort to increase its applications considerably. Institutions will be able to use XRP for a range of different purposes.
You only need to look as far as the 55 billion XRP in escrow for an example of potential applications. Those funds are being held with Ripple’s own smart contract application.
Why Ripple traders should also pay attention to Stellar
Banks use Ripple to conduct international transfers on behalf of individuals, but you need to be aware of the continued shift towards direct peer-to-peer systems and whether this could cut Ripple and the banks out of the equation.
This is where Stellar Lumens come in.
Stellar Lumens are Ripple’s sister coin. Lumens are also designed to facilitate international money transfers, and its price increase has closely mirrored Ripple’s. The main difference is that Stellar is designed for individuals to make international money transfers, or currency exchanges, directly with each other peer-to-peer.
Essentially, it lets people exchange currencies and send money overseas by trading directly and automatically with each other, and cutting banks out of the equation.
You will need to decide if this will be a problem for Ripple in the long run.
Where to buy Ripple (XRP)