Cryptocurrency

Ethereum Needs to Double to Reach $4,946 Again. XRP Needs 2.6x to Hit $3.65. Which All-Time High Gets Broken First?

Ethereum and XRP both sit far below their recent peaks, but their ETF flows, historical recovery speeds, and competing data sources paint very different pictures of which coin has the better shot at breaking records first.

By Sam Daodu
Published October 13, 2026, 3:21pm ET · 3 min read

The Crypto Desk desk. Editor: Sam Daodu.

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A close-up photograph shows two physical Ripple (XRP) cryptocurrency coins in the foreground against a blurred digital screen displaying a financial candlestick chart. One XRP coin stands upright, featuring a silver outer ring and a gold inner circle with the XRP logo. A second, flat XRP coin is visible below it. The background chart shows red and green candlesticks, a white moving average line, and a purple indicator with a white 'B' against a dark background, suggesting active market trading.
A physical XRP coin stands before a digital cryptocurrency trading chart, reflecting the dynamic price movements that XRP is currently experiencing in its quest for new all-time highs. The visual representation highlights the interplay between physical digital assets and their fluctuating market performance. © PBXStudio / Shutterstock.com

Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) trades at $2,531, about 49% below its all-time high of $4,946 set in August 2025. Meanwhile, XRP (CRYPTO:XRP) stands at $1.36, roughly 63% below its peak of $3.65 recorded on July 17, 2025. Many investors are eager to see whether either cryptocurrency can reclaim its past highs.

CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko Disagree on XRP’s All-Time High

Ripple gold physical coin. XRP coin on black background

ViTaMiH / Shutterstock.com

Determining XRP’s all-time high can be tricky, as it varies depending on the price tracker you consult. CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko use different exchange lists, which can lead to different price histories. CoinMarketCap shows XRP’s peak at $3.84 on January 4, 2018, because it includes older exchanges that were busiest then. According to that measurement, XRP is currently about 65% below its peak.

In contrast, CoinGecko lists XRP’s all-time high at $3.65 in July 2025, while its January 2018 peak was about $3.40 on January 7, 2018. This gives you two different perspectives on whether XRP has ever returned to its 2018 high. According to CoinMarketCap, XRP has not yet recovered its former high. But from CoinGecko’s viewpoint, it has, even if it took nearly seven and a half years.

Ethereum’s ETFs Hold 10 Times More Than XRP’s, but Money Is Leaving

A golden Ethereum coin with its distinct logo and 'ethereum' text is centered, standing upright on a reflective surface. Behind it and to the sides are various stacks of other golden coins, some in focus, some blurred. The background features a dark blue hue with numerous out-of-focus, bright blue circular lights, creating a bokeh effect.

alfernec / Shutterstock.com

While Ethereum needs a smaller price increase to reach its record than XRP, both cryptocurrencies need buyer demand to succeed. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which let investors own a coin through a standard brokerage account, offer insight into that demand.

According to SoSoValue, Ethereum’s ETFs hold $15.86 billion in net assets—about ten times XRP’s $1.55 billion. However, Ethereum has experienced nine consecutive days of outflows, which means more money left those funds than came in. Meanwhile, XRP’s funds have remained relatively stable, reporting zero net flow in four of the last eight sessions.

Additionally, Evernorth, a treasury company holding about 473 million XRP, recently listed on Nasdaq on October 8, suggesting interest in XRP despite its smaller fund base.

Ethereum Recovered Its Last Cycle’s High Faster Than XRP

Crypto Coins XRP Ripple and ETH Ethereum on US Dollar bills

Djjeep_Design / Shutterstock.com

Ethereum and XRP peaked around the same time, with Ethereum hitting its high in August 2025 and XRP in July 2025. However, looking back at previous cycles can provide some insights. Based on CoinMarketCap’s data, Ethereum’s January 2018 high was $1,432 on January 13, 2018, and it surpassed that level in January 2021, roughly three years later. In contrast, XRP has taken around seven and a half years to (or still hasn’t) recover its 2018 high, depending on the data source.

Will XRP or Ethereum Reach a New All-Time High First?

Given the smaller increase needed, the larger fund base, and Ethereum’s historical recovery speed, we believe Ethereum is more likely to reach a new all-time high first. A return to consistent inflows could significantly boost Ethereum’s price, especially considering its fund base is roughly ten times larger than XRP’s.

However, the current situation is fluid. If Ethereum outflows continue and XRP attracts positive inflows, XRP could surpass its lower CoinGecko record—even while it’s still below CoinMarketCap’s $3.84 mark. The forthcoming fund flows will reveal which cryptocurrency has the momentum to break its all-time highs first.

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Sam Daodu

Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst who's spent nearly a decade making blockchain understandable—no easy task when most whitepapers read like fever dreams. He writes for 24/7 Wall St., covering Bitcoin, altcoins, and crypto market analysis for investors. Before crypto, he was a tech writer (back when explaining "the cloud" was peak innovation). Since 2018, he's written for CoinTelegraph, Yahoo Finance, The Block, Cryptonews, Zypto, Rain, and more—basically anywhere people want crypto news without the headache. Sam runs MacLabs Marketing, a content agency for crypto brands tired of sounding like AI wrote their website. He also publishes free crypto education on his site for Web3 enthusiasts who think "gas fees" is a typo. When he's not writing or staring at charts, Sam's either: - Watching anime (currently convinced One Piece has better tokenomics than most altcoins) - At the gym sculpting himself into a Greek god - Listening to the music your mum warned you only bad boys listen to Connect: LinkedIn | Email | MacLabs Marketing

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