XRP Delivers 387% Gain on $1,000 Since 2021, Outpacing Bitcoin's 120%

As of July 7, 2026, a hypothetical $1,000 investment in XRP from early 2021 is now worth about $4,870, compared to $2,198 for Bitcoin. XRP surged from $0.23 to $1.12 after recovering from an 80% drawdown triggered by the 2020 SEC lawsuit, while Bitcoin rose steadily from $29,000 to $63,730 amid ETF inflows and corporate adoption. Bitcoin reached a 2025 peak near $126,000. The latest articles emphasize XRP's higher-risk upside versus Bitcoin's resilient institutional appeal over the five-year period.