An investor would have enough now to buy 691 units of the iPhone 17 if they had invested in XRP instead of buying each iPhone since the 5s.
Notably, Apple just announced the iPhone 17 lineup, with official sales kicking off on September 19, 2025. As always, excitement has kicked in among consumers. Some people have already locked in pre-orders for the base model at $799, while others are waiting to grab theirs on launch day.
For many Apple fans, upgrading every year has become a tradition. However, what if, instead of buying every new iPhone since 2013, someone had put that same money into XRP?
XRP has witnessed price fluctuations over the years, but some believe this presented an accumulation opportunity. While Apple’s iPhones have had improved features, XRP has turned relatively small amounts into fortunes for early adopters.
We recently conducted an assessment of the cost of XRP at the time of each iPhone release since XRP began trading. Notably, the evaluation revealed just how much potential value buyers gave up by chasing the latest device.
How Much XRP Each iPhone Cost
When the iPhone 5s launched in 2013, it cost $199. XRP traded at only $0.011, so buying that phone instead of XRP meant passing on 18,090 tokens. Meanwhile, the iPhone 6 followed in 2014 with the same $199 price tag, but because XRP slipped to $0.00517, the cost jumped to 38,491 tokens.
When the iPhone 6s arrived in 2015 at $199, XRP had inched up to $0.00671, putting the equivalent price at 29,657 tokens. Notably, Apple raised the bar in 2016 with the iPhone 7 at $649. XRP stayed low at $0.00839, so the purchase would have taken 77,354 tokens.
In 2017, Apple released both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X. The iPhone 8 cost $699, which equaled 4,090 tokens at XRP’s $0.1709 price. However, the iPhone X carried a $999 price tag, or 4,981 tokens with XRP trading at $0.2005. By then, XRP’s climb had slashed the token’s cost compared to earlier years.
In 2019, the iPhone 11 launched at $699. With XRP trading for $0.3015, buyers gave up 2,317 tokens. The iPhone 12 followed in 2020 at $799, requiring 3,105 tokens at $0.2572. Meanwhile, the iPhone 13, released in 2021 at the same $799, came when XRP briefly touched $1.002. As a result, only 797 tokens were necessary.
Prices changed again in 2022 when the iPhone 14 cost $799 at an XRP price of $0.3259, or 2,451 tokens. The iPhone 15 in 2023 stuck to $799, but XRP rose to $0.507, dropping the cost to 1,576 tokens. A year later, the iPhone 16 came at the same $799, equal to 1,360 tokens with XRP at $0.5869.
Total XRP Passed Up for the iPhone
Adding everything up, anyone who bought every iPhone from the 5s to the 16 spent the equivalent of 184,277 XRP. Buying and holding those tokens instead of trading them for phones would leave that person with $552,831 today at XRP’s current price of $3.
This amount could buy 691 units of the upcoming iPhone 17 with money to spare. While those who chose to upgrade each year enjoyed the latest tech, any investor who stuck with XRP instead saw impressive returns. Interestingly, with predictions of a possible XRP rally to prices like $10, the 184,277 XRP could potentially cross the $1 million mark.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
