Group 1 - XRP and Ethereum have shown similar returns over the last five years, with XRP up 845% and Ethereum up 849% as of October 24 [1] - XRP's market cap is less than a third of Ethereum's, making it appear as a more attractive investment option at first glance [2] - Ripple launched XRP in 2012 to facilitate fast and affordable international money transfers, with over 300 banking partners utilizing its payments network [4] Group 2 - Ripple aims to position XRP as a credible alternative to SWIFT, which handles approximately $150 trillion in annual payments, with predictions that XRP could capture 14% to 20% of that volume [5][6] - If XRP captures 14% to 20% of SWIFT's volume, Ripple could process between $21 trillion to $30 trillion in payments annually, potentially driving XRP's value significantly [6] - Despite the optimistic forecasts, Ripple's actual payments volume was only $70 billion as of January 2025, indicating a gap between projections and reality [6] Group 3 - Adoption of XRP is not guaranteed even if Ripple's payment services grow, as many banks partnering with Ripple do not utilize XRP due to a lack of need for on-demand liquidity [7] - XRP's potential to revolutionize cross-border payments is contingent on broader adoption by financial institutions [7][8] - Ethereum remains the most widely used blockchain for DeFi services and stablecoins, highlighting a different growth trajectory compared to XRP [8]