XRP Outperforms Bitcoin and Major Stocks Over 10 Years but Numbers Are Easy to Misread

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 All-Time Price Performance Chart | CoinMarketCap

$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.

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.

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 All-Time Price Performance Chart | CoinMarketCap

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.