Influential XRP community figures have asserted that Bitcoin proponents lack the ability to prove that XRP and other assets are unsuitable for the U.S. crypto reserve.
President Trump’s inclusion of XRP in the proposed U.S. crypto reserve has angered many Bitcoin proponents, who argue that BTC alone is worthy of being a reserve asset for the United States. Meanwhile, XRP advocates believe XRP is just as qualified as BTC.
Given the resistance from Bitcoin proponents, XRP enthusiasts have questioned what criteria qualify BTC while disqualifying XRP as a strategic reserve asset.
Bitcoin Proponents Arguing for BTC-Only Reserve
For instance, in a tweet, Gemini exchange co-founder Tyler Winklevoss acknowledged that he has nothing against SOL, XRP, or ADA. However, he does not believe they are suitable for a strategic reserve. According to him, only Bitcoin right now meets the bar.
However, he failed to outline the particular bar in question, and critics were quick to point it out. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson replied to Winklevoss’s tweet, saying, “Notice how they never tell you what the threshold is.”
He suggests that Bitcoin proponents are merely using psychological criteria for qualification instead of something concrete.
“Nothing Concrete, Just Narrative”
Similarly, in a separate conversation, prominent CNBC trader Ran Neuner remarked that he “wouldn’t take seriously” any U.S. crypto reserve that includes Cardano and XRP. However, Neuner also failed to provide any foundation or reasoning for disqualifying these assets as suitable reserve assets.
Amid this, XRP community figure Mickle called attention to the trend where critics fail to articulate a technical reason why BTC is a better reserve asset than XRP. According to him, “It’s nothing more than a narrative.”
Notice that no one is able to actually articulate a technical reason why BTC is a better reserve asset than other XRP.
It’s nothing more than a narrative.
— mickle (@xrpmickle) March 3, 2025
Bitcoin Proponent Disagrees
Meanwhile, Dave Weisberger, a notable crypto pundit, countered Mickle’s perspective. He claimed that many have explained the “criteria,” but XRP proponents are deliberately not acknowledging them.
Specifically, Weisberger argues that Bitcoin’s value is independent of any corporation. According to him, this is unlike XRP, which “depends” on Ripple’s success.
Furthermore, he claimed Bitcoin’s decentralized ownership, with the largest holder owning only 5%, contrasts with XRP, where over 40% is owned by a single corporation.
Weisberger also argued that Bitcoin’s network is the most powerful globally, having withstood attacks like China’s attempt to take down 50% of the hash rate.
Additionally, he claimed Bitcoin’s ownership is highly diverse, with broad institutional acceptance and global distribution, achieving significant network effects that XRP has not yet reached despite its loyal fanbase.
Mickle counters by noting that if Ripple were to fail, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) would lose only one validator, not its entire structure.
He acknowledged that XRP’s supply is more concentrated. Yet, Mickle believes this concentration allows for quicker distribution and adoption by key institutions and governments.
He also agrees that Bitcoin is great but sees XRP reaching similar levels of adoption, with the Trump administration’s stance supporting this view.
1) The SEC did not just go after Ripple. The tried to kill XRP. You know better than anyone if XRP was a security it would have been nuclear for the liquidity. The second XRP was deemed "not a security" the price ripped despite Ripple still being sued.
If Ripple died tomorrow…
— mickle (@xrpmickle) March 4, 2025