Experts warn: XRP may soon belong to only 1% of people, retail investors are being pushed out of the market at an accelerated pace

Cryptocurrency education organization Alpha Lions Academy founder Edoardo Farina recently stated that XRP could become “an asset affordable to only 1% of the population” in the near future. In his view, global economic pressures, institutional capital concentration, and the reshaping of the financial system are collectively driving XRP toward a highly elite status.

Farina pointed out that persistent inflation and stagnant wage growth are continuously squeezing the disposable income of most ordinary people. A series of global events since 2019 have exacerbated the rise in living costs, forcing more people to sell crypto assets including XRP to cover basic expenses such as rent and food. Against this backdrop, investing in digital assets is gradually shifting from a “choice” to a “luxury.”

He believes this process directly leads to retail investors exiting the market, while large institutions seize the opportunity to expand their control. High credit card debt and declining savings capacity further weaken the ability of ordinary investors to participate in XRP investments.

On-chain data somewhat confirms this judgment. Currently, XRP is priced at about $2.04, and the number of tokens needed to enter the top 10% of holders has decreased to approximately 2,331 tokens, but the corresponding dollar cost has risen to about $4,662. In comparison, entering the top 10% in October 2024 required only about $1,551. The threshold for token quantity has decreased, but the capital threshold has significantly increased.

The trend toward higher levels of concentration is even more evident. The top 1% of XRP wallets number around 74,000, with each holding at least approximately 48,716 XRP, worth nearly $1 million. Among all approximately 7.47 million wallets, about 6 million hold no more than 500 XRP, indicating that the vast majority of retail investors are in very small positions.

Meanwhile, institutional holdings continue to rise. Farina pointed out that some large financial institutions are proactively preparing for XRP’s role in the future global financial system. The XRP ETF launched in November 2025 has accumulated nearly 700 million XRP, with an asset scale of about $1.37 billion, further reinforcing the concentration trend.

In the context of declining retail participation and tightening liquidity, Farina believes there is a possibility that XRP’s price could be driven to higher levels. He even suggested that XRP’s long-term target could be $100 or even $1,000. Although this prediction remains highly uncertain, he emphasized that only a few long-term holders with patience and financial strength might truly reap the rewards.