Adam Kagy, founder of the XRP-focused NFT marketplace xrp.cafe, recently said investors complaining about slow price growth are overlooking the asset’s past gains.
In a post on X, Kagy highlighted that XRP had gained around 22,000% over its lifetime, with an average annual return of more than 66% over 10 years. He also claimed that XRP had outperformed Bitcoin and most major technology stocks during that period.
“If you bought XRP and are complaining, maybe you need a reality check,” Kagy wrote.
He believes XRP’s past performance and the continued growth of blockchain technology help it remain a strong-performing asset in the long run.
XRP Price vs. Major Tech Stocks
Kagy compared XRP’s claimed annual returns over 10 years with those of major technology companies and stock market indexes. According to his figures:
- XRP: More than 66% annually
- Nvidia: Around 62%
- Apple: Around 29%
- Microsoft: Around 24–25%
- Alphabet (Google): Around 23%
- Amazon: Around 19–20%
- Nasdaq-100: Around 20%
- Meta: Around 15–17%
- S&P 500: Around 15.5%
These figures suggest that XRP outperformed the other assets over the period in question. However, critics questioned the comparison, arguing that XRP’s results are influenced by the starting date, given its sharp price increase during the 2016–2017 crypto bull market.
XRP Holders Disagree With the Historical Returns
Several users on X challenged Kagy’s claims, arguing that XRP’s long-term returns do not reflect the experiences of investors who bought the asset at higher prices.
One user, Benny (@bennyblkchain), argued that XRP’s massive gains came primarily from its 2016–2017 rally. He said investors who bought before that period benefited the most.
“It’s currently down 60+% from 2017,” Benny wrote, arguing that XRP had performed worse than many other assets since then.
Another user, Blake H. Preston, also questioned the claimed 22,000% return, saying it does not reflect the gains most XRP investors have actually made. Their main argument is that XRP’s overall price growth does not tell the full story, as investors entered the market at different prices.
Retarded post. Both metrics are massively skewed becuase of the appreciation 2016-2017. The people that won got in pre 2017.
Its currently down 60+ % from 2017. Pretty much everything has outperformed it. Keep coping
— 🚜benny (@bennyblkchain) October 27, 2026
Why XRP’s Reported Price Gains Can Be Misleading Today
Although XRP outperformed Bitcoin over the past 10 years, the results vary depending on when investors bought. Using the approximate October 2026 prices of $81,100 for Bitcoin and $1.33 for XRP, the comparison looks very different across various periods.
- From October 2016 to October 2026: XRP had an estimated annual return of 71.6%, compared with Bitcoin’s 61.1%.
- From October 2017 to October 2026: Bitcoin returned around 32.4% annually, while XRP returned 18.4%.
- From January 2018 to October 2026: Bitcoin gained approximately 357.87%, while XRP lost about 65.36%.
$1,000 Invested in XRP vs. Bitcoin
For those who invested $1,000 in Bitcoin and XRP at their respective January 2018 monthly highs, their investments would be worth approximately $4,579 and $346, respectively, as of today.
This shows why XRP’s reported lifetime gain of 22,000% can be misleading. Much of that growth happened when XRP was extremely cheap in 2016 and surged in 2017. Investors who bought at different times experienced very different results.
Kagy’s comparison also overlooks Bitcoin’s reported lifetime gain of approximately 131 million percent, far higher than XRP’s reported 22,000%.
Bitcoin has also reached new all-time highs across multiple market cycles, despite experiencing significant price drops along the way. XRP, meanwhile, remains below its reported all-time high of $3.84 since January 2018. Its long struggle to return to that level has disappointed investors who bought near the peak.
In sum, timing matters. Investors who bought XRP early may have made substantial profits, while those who bought near its 2017–2018 peak have faced significant losses. Ultimately, investment returns depend on when you buy, how long you hold, and when you sell.