The CEO and founder of Inversion recently admitted that he is more bullish on XRP than Ethereum, insisting that Ripple is a force to be reckoned with.
During a recent episode of the Empire podcast, host Jason Yanowitz spoke with Santiago Roel Santos, founder and CEO of Inversion, and Rob Hadick, General Partner at Dragonfly, about their expectations for the crypto market in 2026.
The discussion focused on Ripple, XRP, and Ethereum, with Santos presenting a notably strong endorsement of Ripple’s strategy.
Inversion CEO More Optimistic about Ripple than Ethereum
Santos explained that he entered the year believing crypto projects with large treasuries needed to use those resources deliberately to grow into their valuations
He said he publicly pushed this view early and emphasized that Ripple stood out as the only major project that acted on it. He noted that while he originally thought narratives would lose importance, Ripple proved that strong storytelling combined with decisive execution still matters.
Looking ahead to 2026, Santos said investors should reassess Ripple, especially given the long-standing criticism it has faced from crypto-native circles. He argued that Ripple delivered meaningful results through several acquisitions during the year
As a result, the industry leader said he now feels more confident in Ripple’s business development capabilities than those of any other crypto project, aside from his own company. “I’m actually more optimistic about Ripple and their BD muscle than any other project in the space,” Santo said.
Yanowitz asked Santos to confirm whether he truly ranked Ripple’s business development above all others. Santos responded without hesitation, stating his full confidence. “100%,” he affirmed.
XRP and Ripple Misjudged
When Hadick asked whether he personally owns XRP, Santos said he does not. He explained that underwriting XRP does not fit his current focus, adding that he lacks the time and does not operate as a trader.
Despite not holding XRP, Santos criticized crypto-native investors for repeatedly misjudging Ripple. He said they often resist momentum, narratives, and market psychology, only to fall behind year after year
To him, Ripple presents a rare case where a company may actually grow into its valuation due to its acquisition strategy. He described Ripple’s recent deals as impressive and highlighted that the company also raised a large funding round during the year.
Ripple a Force to Not be Reckoned with
The discussion then turned to Ripple’s acquisition activity. Hadick referenced multiple deals, including G-Treasury and Rail. Meanwhile, expanding his analysis, Santos said he began the year concerned about whether crypto projects could justify their valuations with real performance
He admitted he felt uneasy about valuations across both crypto and equity markets. In hindsight, he said Ripple executed better than any other major project. He contrasted this with Ethereum, arguing that high-profile figures do not translate into effective business development
He criticized Ethereum’s ecosystem for what he said was Fundstrat’s Tom Lee’s mixed public and private messaging. According to him, this behavior undermines credibility. However, Santos called Ripple a serious competitor that many had underestimated. “What I’m saying is that Ripple, I think, is a force not to be reckoned with,” he said.
XRP Holds a Greater Chance to Revisit ATHs
Hadick then asked whether XRP or Ripple’s equity would hold greater long-term value over a ten-year horizon. Santos responded by noting that Ripple controls roughly billions worth of XRP. He predicted that 2026 will likely prove difficult for both crypto and equity markets
Even so, he argued that XRP holds a stronger chance than most top-10 crypto networks to revisit all-time highs if markets decline. He said he remains highly skeptical that Ethereum can achieve the same recovery.
Reacting to the discussion, Digital Asset Investor (DAI), a prominent XRP community figure, said the conversation validated what XRP supporters have long believed
He argued that XRP holders correctly viewed the token as a tool for building infrastructure, not a shortcut for executive profits. DAI stated that XRP deployment is now approaching and concluded that neither Bitcoin nor Ethereum fits this role besides XRP.
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