XRP price prodded above the $3.15 mark on Friday, up 13% since Trump’s inauguration. Speculations around US adoption of cryptocurrency for strategic reserve has sparked optimistic predictions among market watchers.
Having run a crypto-friendly manifesto, President Donald Trump’s administration has been a major talking point among digital asset traders over the last three months.
This is especially true among Ripple (XRP) investors and a handful of privacy-focused tokens that came under intense scrutiny during the Biden administration.
In the days leading up to the inauguration, Ripple Co-founder Brad Garlinghouse confirmed his attendance at a Mar-a-Lago dinner with President Trump, heightening market speculations of the firm's positive links to the administration.
As expected, XRP's price reacted positively as President Trump leaned aggressively towards the crypto sector, launching memes, pardoning Ross Ulbricht, and appointing key figures like Paul Atkins as SEC Chair and David Sacks as Crypto Czar.
Ripple (XRP) Price Action, January 24, 2025 | Source: TradingView
The chart above shows XRP's price moving up 13% since the inauguration, rising from $2.80 on Monday to hit $3.20 at press time on Friday.
These developments have evidently boosted investor confidence in XRP, as the Trump administration's pro-crypto stance suggests potential favorable regulatory frameworks ahead.
DNA Scientist, Dr Horace issues $1,000 prediction if Trump replaces Bitcoin with XRP for US strategic reserve.
Market watchers are optimistic that continued support from the highest levels of government could further propel XRP's value in the coming months.
However, those speculations heightened on Friday as Dr Horace Drew, an Australian DNA Scientist, and recognized figure within the global XRP community issued bold price prediction targets for the Ripple-backed coin under Trump’s Presidency.
The speculative narrative surrounding Ripple’s XRP surged to new heights as Dr. Horace Drew, an Australian DNA scientist widely recognized in the global XRP community, issued a provocative $1,000 price forecast.
Known online by his pseudonym “Red Collie,” Drew is no stranger to bold predictions, and his latest theory ties XRP’s meteoric rise to President
In a series of viral tweets, Dr. Drew suggested that Trump may opt to use XRP, instead of Bitcoin, for the U.S. Strategic Reserve. His reasoning?
Bitcoin’s purchase would increase the $34 trillion federal debt, whereas utilizing Ripple’s escrowed XRP holdings—currently held by the SEC under litigation—could effectively bypass that financial burden.
Drew speculated that as XRP’s value skyrocketed from its current $3.15 level to as much as $1,000, the U.S. could cancel its federal debt entirely while generating surplus funds for other initiatives.
“Trump is cunning like a fox,” Drew remarked, pointing to multiple “tells” that suggest Ripple’s deeper involvement in government-level strategies.
Among his claims:
Drew also cited Trump’s promises to eliminate the federal debt “right away” and cryptic posts from Ripple-affiliated communities referencing the $34 trillion figure.
However, market watchers remain cautious of the legal complexities and geopolitical risks associated with XRP’s adoption at such a scale.
While Dr. Drew’s projections are largely speculative, Nonetheless, Drew’s prediction underscores growing optimism within the “Ripple Army” as Trump’s administration kicks off.