thecryptobasic.com
Supporters of $XRP are once again pointing to its long-term performance compared to Bitcoin and traditional stocks.
In a tweet, lawyer and $XRP advocate Bill Morgan argued that the token has outperformed major assets over the last decade by an extraordinary margin.
Notably, the debate started after Bitcoin Magazine shared a comparison of asset returns over the past 10 years. According to the post, Bitcoin gained 17,240% since 2016.
Meanwhile, during the same time, Tesla rose 3,122%, Apple climbed 1,355%, Google advanced 1,015%, Amazon gained 654%, the S&P 500 rose 323%, and Gold increased 255%.
Morgan responded by saying $XRP outperformed them all during the same period, citing up to 24,000% gains.
Key Points
- $XRP gained nearly 24,000% in 10 years, outperforming Bitcoin, Tesla, Apple, Gold, and the S&P 500.
- Bitcoin rose about 17,300% since 2016, while $XRP climbed from $0.006 to around $1.42 today.
- Critics say $XRP’s gains depend on a selective timeframe, as the token remains below its 2018 peak.
- The debate highlights Bitcoin’s steady growth versus $XRP’s higher volatility and slower recovery to all-time highs.
$XRP 10-Year Growth Compared to Bitcoin
Morgan referenced a response generated by xAI chatbot Grok, which estimated $XRP’s 10-year gain at roughly 23,000% to 24,000%. Remarkably, market data supports that calculation.
At press time, $XRP was trading around $1.42. On May 16, 2016, $XRP traded at about $0.006018. That means the asset increased by approximately 23,500% over the period.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin traded near $79,000 at press time compared to $452.95 on May 16, 2016. That represents a gain of around 17,300%.
Based on those numbers, $XRP delivered larger percentage gains than Bitcoin over the exact 10-year window highlighted in the discussion.
Critics Say the Timeframe Is Selective
However, not everyone agreed with Morgan’s comparison. Several users on X argued that the data relies on a carefully selected starting point that benefits $XRP.
X user @TheyLiveYouDie criticized the comparison, saying $XRP reached around $3.80 nearly nine years ago and still trades far below that level today. The user argued that, despite strong growth from 2016 levels, many investors who bought near previous cycle highs remain at a loss.
Another user, @Encrypt_ed, also questioned the argument and suggested using 2019 as the starting point instead. The user claimed to have bought $XRP around the 2018–2019 period at roughly $3.40 and said the investment remains underwater despite believing in the technology behind the asset.
The criticism highlights that while some investors focus on long-term percentage gains from early adoption, others pay closer attention to whether an asset consistently sets new highs across multiple market cycles.
Bitcoin’s Consistency Versus $XRP’s Volatility
Morgan responded to critics by saying he did not choose the timeframe himself. According to him, he simply added $XRP to the list originally shared by Bitcoin Magazine.
Calm down. Did I cherry pick the 10 year period? I just added $XRP to the Bitcoin maxi created list of asset prices over that period.
— bill morgan (@Belisarius2020) May 15, 2026
The debate shows how different timeframes can dramatically change the perception of crypto performance. Early $XRP buyers from 2016 may see enormous gains today, while investors who entered during later market peaks may still be waiting for a recovery.
The discussion also highlighted a key difference between Bitcoin and $XRP over the years. Indeed, $XRP posted larger percentage gains from 2016 lows. Yet, Bitcoin maintained a more consistent long-term upward trend and repeatedly broke previous all-time highs.
$XRP, on the other hand, has experienced greater volatility and has struggled to revisit its 2018 peak of $3.84, according to CoinMarketCap data.