XRP vs. Ethereum: Which Is More Likely to Be a Millionaire Maker?
XRP (XRP0.16%) and Ethereum (ETH+0.28%) are two of the best high-upside cryptocurrency investment options. They both have demonstrated the ability to skyrocket in price, and both have strong potential catalysts. In the past, both have minted their fair share of millionaires.
So which one is more likely to be a millionaire maker? To answer that question, it's important to consider the following two factors.
Historical price performance
A good starting point is historical performance. While past returns are no guarantee of future performance, they can help to provide a quick snapshot look at how a cryptocurrency does over time. Is the cryptocurrency a one-hit wonder, or is it capable of replicating its performance over an extended period of time?
From 2017 through 2025, XRP grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 94%. Since its launch back in 2012, XRP is up an impressive 40,000%.
Based on those numbers alone, you might conclude that a single XRP token is trading for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. But you would be wrong. XRP still trades for a price of about $2.
There's a good reason for this low price. XRP's performance has been extremely uneven over the years. In fact, the standard deviation of XRP's returns from January 2017 to November 2025 is a head-spinning 334%. By way of comparison, the standard deviation of an S&P 500 stock is typically about 15%, while the standard deviation of a fast-growth tech stock is typically anywhere from 20% to 30%.
That's why it's hard to trust XRP. It's the type of cryptocurrency that's either soaring or collapsing in value. If you're trying to build a million-dollar nest egg, you might lose everything after one bad year. Or maybe one bad month.
