Wall Street analyst Rob Cunningham has shared a ten-year projection for how just $15,000 invested in XRP DeFi could make investors millionaires.
The audacious outlook comes amid Ripple’s latest institutional DeFi update. The announcements position the XRP Ledger (XRPL) as a major platform for institutional decentralized finance (DeFi).
Notably, the update cited over $1 billion in monthly stablecoin volume and expanding real-world asset (RWA) activity on XRPL. With this, the network is evolving into a go-to platform for compliant, scalable finance solutions.
Key new features like Credentials for compliance verification, Deep Freeze to block illicit token transfers, and an upcoming native lending protocol are attracting institutional investors by offering a secure and regulated DeFi ecosystem.
In this context, Cunningham released a bullish investment model demonstrating how an initial $15,000 investment in XRP-based DeFi could grow into over $1 million in 10 years.
September 22, 2025 – A @Ripple Announcement that will live in history!
5,000 XRP ($15k) locked in XRPL DeFi could easily make you a millionaire with no risk, over a 10 year period!!
READ MORE ABOUT IT! https://t.co/OVLJXibZCK pic.twitter.com/pykDYPBym2
— Rob Cunningham | KUWL.show (@KuwlShow) September 22, 2025
5,000 XRP Could Turn Into Seven Figures
His assumptions include:
- Locking 5,000 XRP at an average price of $3 per token.
- Earning a 5% annual yield, paid monthly in Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD.
- Experiencing a 50% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in XRP price over a decade.
According to Cunningham’s calculations, the combined effect of monthly yield and price appreciation could generate over $100,000 in interest income. At the same time, the underlying XRP holdings will increase in value to $865,000.
Interestingly, this outlook suggests 1 XRP will be worth $173 by 2035. Prediction platforms like Telegaon believe XRP could someday reach $170 but project a timeline exceeding 2040, more than 15 years away and five years beyond Cunningham’s timeline.
Meanwhile, by the same date, the Changelly exchange expects XRP’s price to be above $1,000. This suggests 5,000 XRP alone could be worth $5 million by 2040, without factoring in interest from Cunningham’s analysis.
The Infrastructure Behind the Opportunity
Notably, Ripple’s announcement also revealed that a native lending system (XLS-65/66) will come with XRPL Version 3.0.0 later this year. This will create low-cost, rule-following credit markets directly on the blockchain.
Moreover, the team is working on zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to keep transactions private but still verifiable. This includes confidential Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs), coming in early 2026.
Ripple noted that these updates aim to make XRPL a top platform for stablecoin payments, collateral management, and tokenizing real-world assets, making XRP more useful.
First Liquid Staking Token on XRPL
Meanwhile, the buzz around the XRP DeFi opportunity intensified this week as Axelar Network introduced mXRP, XRPL’s first liquid staking token offering a 10% APY.
The product unlocks DeFi opportunities for XRP holders, enabling them to stake their tokens and earn rewards while maintaining liquidity for DeFi use. The team dubbed the concept the “Infinite Money Glitch.”
mXRP aims to deliver passive income with minimal risk. Anodos Finance founder Panos Mekras praised it as a major catalyst for XRPL adoption, highlighting near-zero impermanent loss and high yield potential.
Since launch, mXRP has quickly gained traction, with $6.5 million locked on the XRPL EVM sidechain. Mekras called it “a dream come true” for XRP investors.
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.
