XRP vs Ethereum: Can the Underdog Outshine ETH This Altcoin Season?
As crypto markets gear up for a potential altcoin breakout, a growing debate is emerging over whether XRP could challenge Ethereum’s position.
While Ethereum remains the go-to asset for many institutional and retail investors, some voices in the space suggest XRP may have an edge this cycle.
Arthur Hayes, founder of BitMEX, believes Ethereum is set to lead the altcoin surge. With Bitcoin already setting new highs, he views ETH as the next logical mover, backed by strong volume and bullish sentiment. Hayes sees Ethereum’s ecosystem benefiting broadly if current trends continue, calling this phase a clear setup for “ETH season.”
But not everyone agrees. Dom Kwok, a crypto entrepreneur and former Goldman Sachs analyst, has reiterated his long-standing prediction that XRP will eventually surpass Ethereum. He argues that key drivers—such as the growth of stablecoin activity on the XRP Ledger and the upcoming launch of XRP-based ETFs—could act as powerful catalysts.
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Kwok points to the integration of RLUSD and USDC on the XRP Ledger as signs of expanding utility, while the ETF narrative mirrors the impact that spot Bitcoin ETFs had on BTC’s price action. He also suggests that XRP’s lower price relative to ETH and BTC could attract retail investors priced out of higher-value coins, making XRP an appealing entry point.
Whether Ethereum maintains its second-place dominance or XRP pulls off an upset remains to be seen. But with altcoin season approaching, both assets are likely to see heightened attention—and possibly, dramatic moves.
Alex is Editor-in-Chief of Coindoo and co-founder of Millennial Media Group, with nearly a decade of experience covering financial markets - crypto first, then everything else. It started in 2016 with Bitcoin. Like most people at the time, he didn't fully understand it - so he kept digging. Blockchain, tokenomics, the projects, the cycles. That curiosity never stopped, and eventually pulled him into traditional markets too: equities, commodities, macro. Not because he left crypto behind, but because you can't properly understand one without the other. What drives him is straightforward: he wants to know why something is happening, not just that it's happening. Most market coverage stops at the headline - price up, price down, here's a chart. Alex finds that kind of reporting actively unhelpful. If you walk away from an article without understanding the mechanism behind the move, what did you actually learn? He holds a degree in Tourism from New Bulgarian University - not the most obvious path into financial markets, but markets have a way of pulling in people who are simply too curious to stay out. He has authored over 200 in-depth analyses and more than 10,000 articles across crypto and traditional finance. He still thinks every day in markets teaches him something new. That's probably why he hasn't stopped.
