A retired US military combat medic has predicted that XRP will overtake Bitcoin as the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency — a claim that would require XRP’s price to rise from $1.41 to nearly $24.
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The Long Way Up
Patrick L. Riley, who now works as a market analyst on social media, posted a prediction on X without providing supporting data or a specific timeline.
It wasn’t the first time he made a claim. Last month, Riley said that XRP will be the top crypto within six years, regardless of whether Bitcoin breaks the $150,000 price level this year.
He added that if Bitcoin fails to reach that threshold and retraces its 12-year trend line, it could fall as low as $1,000.
Based on current market data, XRP sits in fourth place with a total market capitalization of close to $87 billion. Bitcoin leads to $1.45 trillion. Ethereum is in second place at $254 billion. BNB took third place at $89.3 billion, just ahead of XRP.
I will make two bold predictions.
1: This will not be a 4-5 week battle.
2: XRP will overtake Bitcoin.
— Patrick L Riley (@Acquired_Savant) March 4, 2026
Before XRP can challenge Bitcoin, it will first need to surpass BNB – a gap of about 3.5% – and then Ethereum, which would require a price increase of about 190%, pushing XRP past $4.15. A break above Bitcoin would require a further rise to $23.70.
XRP last surpassed Ethereum in December 2019. Since then, the token has bounced between third and fourth place, often trading with BNB for position.
Other Words, Similar Claims
Riley is not alone in making this kind of prediction. In August 2025, a financial analyst known as Coach JV said that XRP will claim the top spot in 2030, while Bitcoin drops to second place.
In March 2025, Jacob King, CEO of SwanDesk, made a similar argument after the US government confirmed that it had added XRP to its national crypto stockpile.
King said that the US has successfully sidelined Bitcoin by choosing XRP to maintain its strategy, and that the XRP market will surpass Bitcoin for sure. No timeline was given.
Riley Weighs In Again on Israel-Iran War
In addition to crypto, Riley’s post touched on the military conflict between Israel and Iran that broke out on February 28. The US and Israel launched joint strikes against the Iranian leadership, nuclear infrastructure, and participating forces.
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Reports indicate that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the campaign, along with other senior officials. Iran responded with more than 200 missiles and drones targeting Israeli territory and US military positions in the Gulf region.
At first, US President Donald Trump said that the operation could last about four to five weeks, which could be extended longer.
Riley later dismissed that speculation in a post, though he didn’t explain what led him to think the feud would soon wrap up.
Featured image from Vecteezy, chart from TradingView
