XRP is trading near $1.40, yet a Grayscale-linked analyst argues the asset is fundamentally detached from its real-world value. This creates a classic market paradox: Ripple has completed five strategic acquisitions and is processing billions in institutional volume, but the token price remains nearly 60% below its 2025 highs.
On one side, we have a massive expansion of utility through Ripple’s new “PayFi” strategy. On the other, we have a stagnant price chart that has frustrated holders for months.
Right now, XRP is consolidating around $1.40. The chart shows a clear fight waiting at the $1.90–$2.00 level. This zone has acted as a brutal ceiling multiple times.
For the “mispriced” thesis to validate, XRP must close a weekly candle above $1.95 on significant volume. If it clears that hurdle, the air is thin up to $2.80. This would confirm that the market is finally pricing in the XRP utility and acquisition news.
However, if XRP fails to hold the $1.35 support, the trapdoor opens quickly. Below that level, there is very little structural support until $1.00. This is where the “opportunity cost” argument hurts the most, investors watching analysts predict Solana could flip XRP might exit their positions if the $1.35 floor gives way.
The market is waiting for one specific signal. Either the price catches up to the network’s growth, or the utility narrative is failing to capture value. The outcome depends entirely on whether XRP can reclaim a specific resistance level before the end of Q2.
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Grayscale Signal: What XRP Being ‘Mispriced’ Actually Means
When an analyst linked to Grayscale calls an asset “mispriced,” they aren’t just guessing. They are looking at the divergence between network activity and market capitalization. The core argument here is that the market is valuing XRP as a legacy speculative token, rather than the backbone of a new institutional payment rail.
The data supports the frustration. The XRP Ledger recently processed 27 million transactions in a single day, a volume that dwarfs most competing chains. Yet, the price has not reacted. In efficient markets, high volume and low fees usually drive demand. In XRP’s case, the price has lagged behind its own metrics.
This “utility gap” is the basis for the bullish XRP price prediction models seeing targets above $3.00. Once regulatory clarity settles fully and the ETF inflows stabilize, this gap will close rapidly.
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Ripple’s PayFi Pivot: Defining Year For XRP
The company isn’t just trying to replace SWIFT anymore; they are pivoting hard into PayFi (Payment Finance). This sector blends traditional payment rails with the speed of decentralized finance.
CEO Brad Garlinghouse has called 2026 a “defining year,” and the receipt shows why. Ripple has executed five major acquisitions recently, including custody firms and treasury management services. This allows them to offer a full stack: holding, sending, and managing institutional money.
An extremely pointed message from @POTUS to those who are dragging their feet on CLARITY.
This is, and always has been, about what’s in the best interest of the American people. pic.twitter.com/t1CIFBOBg4
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 3, 2026
A key piece of this puzzle is the stablecoin strategy. With RLUSD, Ripple is entering the regulated stablecoin market, a sector drawing massive scrutiny. Even the ECB has sounded the alarm on stablecoins, acknowledging that the “cat is out of the bag” regarding private digital money. Ripple’s bet is that by owning the infrastructure for Ripple PayFi, XRP becomes the necessary bridge asset for trillions in liquidity.
Competition: Remittix and the PayFi Challenger Landscape
Ripple’s moat isn’t as empty as it used to be. While Ripple focuses on banks, newer entrants are using PayFi to target users directly. The name appearing most often in these discussions is Remittix crypto, a project aiming to solve the same cross-border friction points but through a direct crypto-to-bank model.
This highlights a genuine risk to the XRP thesis. If nimbler DeFi protocols can offer the same speed and lower costs without the heavy regulatory baggage of a decade-old firm, XRP’s undervalued premium might actually be a obsolescence discount.
The binary outcome here is simple: Either Ripple’s institutional relationships provide an insurmountable lead, or agile competitors chip away at their market share before the price can recover.
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Key Takeaways
- XRP must close a weekly candle above $1.95 to validate the ‘mispriced’ thesis and open the path to $2.80.
- A loss of the $1.35 support level exposes a rapid drop to the psychological $1.00 floor.
- The success of Ripple’s PayFi pivot depends on RLUSD adoption and clear stablecoin regulations in 2026.
The post Is XRP ‘Mispriced’? Grayscale Analyst Signals Value as Ripple Targets PayFi appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
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