Tether May Lose Its Position as the 3rd Cryptocurrency to XRP – Here’s Why

A storm is brewing in the crypto market, but it's happening where you least expect it! While attention typically focuses on Bitcoin and Ethereum, XRP is quietly positioning itself for a notable move. With a market capitalization currently at $133 billion - just shy of Tether's $148 billion - XRP could soon reclaim its spot among the top three cryptocurrencies. But unlike USDT, which has growth dependent on increased issuance, the rise of XRP is driven by actual price increases. There is something different about its current setup and if you have been closely following, the signs are very hard to miss. XRP compared to Tether: The same number, but the story is very different. This is why this ability to reverse becomes interesting - USDT is a stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar. Its value does not change and its market capitalization only increases when more tokens are issued. In short: it expands by minting. What about the story of XRP? Completely different. It is gaining an advantage in a hard way – through price increases. Just in the past week, XRP has increased by 8.82% while Bitcoin and Ethereum have fluctuated much less than it. Digging a little deeper, the contrast becomes clearer. The trading volume of XRP is very large – over 3 billion dollars – with a buy/sell ratio of (58% compared to 42%). Meanwhile, USDT is seeing more sell orders than buy orders, with 88% of trades in the last 24 hours trending downward. That kind of affection does not necessarily represent strength. Technical setup: Bulls have regained control. For the first time in many months, XRP is trading above the 50, 100, and 200-day EMA; a sign of serious bullish momentum. And this comes just after XRP broke out of a long-standing downtrend channel that had restricted its growth for many years. Currently, XRP is holding steady at $2.28, with key support near $2.22 thanks to the 100-day EMA. If it maintains this pace, we may see it test the $2.50–$3.00 range. This will be a significant price milestone but is likely to help the market capitalization of this coin surpass Tether. Why is this reversal really important? So, let's take a step back. XRP surpassing Tether is not just a numbers game but truly symbolic. After years of overcoming regulatory hurdles and market volatility, XRP is once again recognized for its real-world utility - fast, cost-effective cross-border payments - rather than just the legal case with the SEC. With 58.44 billion tokens in circulation, it is increasing due to real demand rather than supply. That alone makes it stand out in a market flooded with hype. Therefore, while Bitcoin consolidates around the $95,000 level and Ethereum stays safe at nearly $1,835, XRP is on the rise. And if the current market sentiment remains a bit risky, that number 3 position could soon have a new owner.