Crypto Founder Explains the Hardest Part of Holding XRP

Versan Aljarrah, founder of Black Swan Capitalist, has added his voice to the ongoing discussion about the psychological challenge of holding XRP.

In a recent post, he emphasized that the market tests investor conviction at every stage of XRP’s cycle, making patience the most difficult yet most valuable trait for long-term holders.

Why Holding XRP Is So Challenging

Aljarrah noted that holding XRP is hard because it forces investors to confront their emotions during every major price swing. This mirrors commentary from pro-XRP engineer Vincent Van Code, who previously argued that it takes “serious conviction — or mental illness” to resist selling during rallies or crashes.

XRP often experiences big price jumps which usually leads to major drops. This pattern tests investors’ confidence, and even long-term holders can doubt themselves when the market slows or other assets do better.

Liquidity, Infrastructure, and Fundamentals: The Case for Patience

While volatility challenges most investors, Aljarrah stresses that patience becomes an advantage once investors clearly understand the fundamentals. 

Notably, the fundamentals supporting XRP include Ripple’s ongoing work in building global liquidity and settlement infrastructure, as well as XRP’s role as an asset that powers the next phase of cross-border settlement.

According to Aljarrah, once market participants grasp these fundamentals, holding XRP stops being an act of blind faith and becomes a strategic position.

History of Lagging Before Explosive Moves

Notably, XRP’s pattern of lagging during market rallies, followed by sudden and sharp breakouts, is well-documented. 

In the 2017 bull run, XRP underperformed for months before exploding by over 70,000%. Meanwhile, a price crash of over 95% followed this run.

Also, in 2024, XRP lagged for most of the year before skyrocketing dramatically by over 500% by the end of the year. Since the momentum cooled off, the coin has been struggling to stage a comeback, which appears to have stirred the ongoing frustrations among holders. 

This rhythm of “long patience, fast payoff” makes holding XRP uniquely difficult. Investors often capitulate right before the strongest part of XRP’s move begins.

This is why Aljarrah and others argue that XRP tests patience more than any other major asset.

Can You Hold to $1,000?

Across the community, many hope they’ll hold XRP to $1,000 or higher, but the majority won’t. Van Code illustrated this through the Bitcoin example:

• Many claim they would have held Bitcoin from under $1 to $110,000
  
• Yet most people would have sold at $100

Essentially, the hardest part of holding is not the volatility but resisting the urge to sell when life-changing amounts appear on the screen. As Van Code said, some investors only succeed because they mentally “write off” the investment entirely.

Ultimately, as XRP trades at $2.2, down 23% over the past month, proponents believe the coin will eventually have its moment again, and when it does, it will be explosive.