XRP Adoption Rate Matches 1992 Internet Levels, Expert Says We’re Still Early

Data shows XRP adoption rate matches the penetration levels of the internet as far back as 1992, showing how early the market is.

Much like crypto, the internet faced initial setbacks following the public launch of the Web in 1991. Notably, several publications at the time suggested it could be a bust. However, three decades later, the number of internet users has crossed 5 billion, about 68% of the global population, according to ITU data.

Current Crypto Adoption Matches 2002 Internet Levels

Cryptocurrency proponents have recently spotlighted this historical fact, highlighting a correlation with crypto adoption in recent times. For context, after Bitcoin launched in 2009, it faced widespread criticism shortly after. However, institutions are now increasingly gaining exposure to the asset class.

This same pattern is observed with other crypto assets, especially XRP, which boasts an important appeal in the payment sector. In a recent disclosure, Alpha Lions Academy founder and XRP proponent Edoardo Farina recently discussed this trend.

He shared a graphic comparing the current number of crypto users with the number of internet users in 2002, both around 560 million. This was an attempt to illustrate the idea that crypto is still in its early stages, much like the internet was back in 2002.

Data from Triple-A confirms this claim. For context, the latest Triple-A crypto adoption report indicates about 560 million crypto owners by late 2024. Of this figure, 61% were males, while 39% were females. Meanwhile, 34% were between the years of 25 and 34.

Current XRP Adoption Matches 1992 Internet Levels

Interestingly, further data shows that the number of internet users was around 587 million in 2002, aligning with Farina’s disclosure. With internet users growing exponentially since then, the idea is that crypto ownership could see comparative growth.

Meanwhile, specifically for XRP, the trend confirms that investors are much earlier. Currently, there are about 6.5 million XRP wallets, according to on-chain data. However, the actual number of users could be significantly less, as most investors own multiple wallets for several purposes.

Nonetheless, for the sake of this assessment, we would consider an adoption rate of 6.5 million XRP users. Historical data indicates that the number of internet users hit the 6 million to 7 million range as far back as 2002, about 23 years ago. Today, this figure has grown 78,471% to above 5.5 billion.

Essentially, this highlights how early XRP is when compared to other growing trends like the internet. If the asset maintains its growth pace, it could observe a similar explosion in adoption, which could lead to higher demand and a subsequent price surge. 

Notably, XRP currently trades for $2.29. However, market experts believe the asset’s growth path could see it claim ambitious price targets such as $100 or even $1,000 in years to come if adoption persists.