Veteran trader Peter Brandt didn't hold back when he labeled XRP a "fool coin," arguing that its role in payments does nothing to increase the token's value — especially when compared with Bitcoin. But when asked the same question, ChatGPT delivered a far more balanced verdict, complete with a fair value estimate and two wildly different scenarios for 2027.
Banks Can Use XRP Without Ever Holding It
ChatGPT's analysis starts with how payments actually flow. When a bank uses XRP as a bridge asset to move dollars across borders, it buys XRP, transfers it almost instantly, and the recipient converts it into local currency. The result: billions of dollars can pass through the network while almost no XRP stays in anyone's hands.
On top of that, Ripple earns revenue through payment software and its RLUSD stablecoin — income that doesn't necessarily flow into XRP's price. Bank adoption is a crucial first step, but the token's value ultimately hinges on gaining real economic significance.
ChatGPT Puts XRP's Fair Value at $1.35
According to ChatGPT, only 25% of XRP's market value currently comes from visible ledger activity, while the remaining 75% is priced on future adoption. Its fair value estimate lands at $1.35 — roughly 9% below the current price of ~$1.48 — built from three pillars:
- 40% based on current ledger use
- 35% on the likelihood of adoption by major institutions
- 25% on future network value
At that price, XRP's market cap would sit near $85 billion across 63.1 billion tokens, versus about $94 billion today. ChatGPT also estimates funds hold around 1.18 billion XRP (~$1.7 billion), with $2.4–2.5 billion in stablecoins living on the ledger — meaning current buyers are paying for a healthy but reasonable bet on future adoption.
Swift's 17-Bank Ledger Could Grow Without XRP
A major competitive threat looms: Swift's blockchain ledger pilot, involving 17 banks preparing to handle tokenized deposits — everyday bank deposits converted into digital tokens. Blockchain payments could boom while XRP sees minimal benefit.
ChatGPT sketched two scenarios for the end of 2027 (explicitly not predictions):
| End-2027 Scenario | XRP Value | Implied Market Cap | Change from $1.48 | |---|---|---|---| | Swift's ledger dominates cross-border payments | $1.80 | ~$114 billion | +22% | | Ripple's networks take the lead | $4.25 | ~$268 billion | +187% |
ChatGPT views the Ripple scenario as ambitious but possible, assigning a 65% chance that XRP remains a top 10 cryptocurrency by early 2030.
The Price Record Still Backs Brandt
XRP's chart gives Brandt's skeptics plenty of ammunition. The token peaked near $3.65 in July 2025 and now trades roughly 60% lower, bouncing between $1.25 and $1.66 in September. XRP supporters still have everything to prove.
That said, ChatGPT is a language model with no market track record, and its supply and value estimates are speculative — a fair value quoted down to the cent guarantees nothing.
XRP has the potential to become a widely held, liquid asset, but its effectiveness as a payment method has yet to translate into price appreciation — precisely the gap Brandt highlighted. The best real-world gauge may be fund holdings, currently around 1.18 billion XRP. If that number grows through 2027 and XRP reclaims its January 2026 close of $1.65 (an ~11% gain), the token is effectively capturing value. If bank ledgers expand while fund holdings stagnate, Brandt's "fool coin" distinction will have been validated.
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