In XRP news, the token has remained below its January 2018 record high of $3.84 for almost nine years. Even so, XRP posted a nearly eightfold rally from about $0.49 in November 2024 to $3.66 by July 2025.
YouTuber Moon Lambo argues that years of consolidation do not necessarily prevent a cryptocurrency from making a sharp move higher. He has pointed to Quant (QNT) and Zcash (ZEC) as examples of tokens that spent extended periods moving sideways before experiencing significant rallies.
The examples show that prolonged consolidation can be followed by a major breakout, but they do not establish that XRP will produce a similar return. That distinction is central to the question of whether XRP can make another move into price discovery. In a post on X, Moon Lambo challenged the view that XRP’s inability to surpass its previous record since 2017 means the token cannot establish a new high.
He said investors should examine XRP’s fundamentals rather than rely solely on its historical price performance. He also referenced his personal QNT and ZEC holdings to illustrate his view that extended periods of holding an asset can precede substantial gains.
Moon Lambo purchased QNT at around $98 in 2023. The token subsequently dropped to approximately $54 before recovering to about $193, giving him an unrealized gain of roughly 97% from his entry. QNT later climbed as high as around $352 before retracing.
QNT has previously experienced rapid appreciation following fundamental developments. The token reportedly tripled within a week after a major U.S. banking partnership, highlighting how institutional catalysts can accelerate a previously quiet market.
ZEC provided another example for Moon Lambo. He bought the token near $112 in 2021, after which it fell to around $20. It later climbed to roughly $1,700 this month, representing an unrealized gain of nearly 1,417%. Primary reporting referenced in the analysis said ZEC had remained largely inactive for close to a decade before its recent breakout, a pattern Moon Lambo believes XRP holders should keep in mind.
Despite those gains, QNT and ZEC have different market structures from XRP. Market capitalization, circulating supply, liquidity and the nature of their respective catalysts all differ. As a result, percentage gains achieved by smaller-cap tokens do not directly indicate how much capital would be required for XRP to overcome a long-standing price ceiling.
Could QNT and ZEC Momentum Influence XRP Demand?
XRP has undergone multiple strong rallies since 2018 but has yet to reclaim its January high. Moon Lambo’s position is that previous failed attempts do not necessarily determine whether a future breakout can succeed.
He argues that XRP’s utility has grown since its previous peak and that prices viewed as expensive today could appear relatively low in hindsight if the token establishes genuine price discovery.
However, a prolonged period of consolidation can lead to different outcomes. Some cryptocurrencies eventually regain momentum, while others fail to recover or experience declining adoption. A long period of sideways price action alone does not determine the eventual result.
For XRP, the central issue remains demand rather than the narrative surrounding its potential breakout. Comparisons with QNT and ZEC can demonstrate that extended consolidation does not automatically rule out a major rally, but they cannot establish that XRP will follow the same trajectory.
ETF flows are among the main sources of potential XRP demand currently being monitored. Sustained inflows confirmed through issuer-reported data could provide evidence of continued institutional or investor demand.
However, ETF purchases would need to offset selling pressure in the spot market for that demand to support a sustained move toward or above $4. Without clear evidence that ETF inflows are consistently absorbing broader selling, it would be premature to treat ETF demand as a guaranteed catalyst.
Ultimately, XRP would need to demonstrate sustained buying demand at a market capitalization and liquidity scale measured in the tens of billions of dollars to establish meaningful price discovery. That represents a different market challenge from the one faced by smaller-cap tokens such as QNT and ZEC.
