Key Takeaways
- Ripple’s new University of Kansas sponsorship sparked backlash.
- Bullish analysts continue forecasting major upside.
- However, some warn XRP could fall to $0.29.
Some market analysts continue to predict XRP could surge to fresh record highs of $21.50 and even $100, despite growing frustration among traders about the token’s muted price performance.
It comes as Ripple’s latest sponsorship deal has sparked anger across the XRP community, with many traders criticizing the firm’s marketing push as a waste of time and resources.
Ripple Makes College Sports Sponsorship Debut
Ripple has become the first crypto company to place its branding on the uniforms of a major US college athletics program after signing a sponsorship agreement with the University of Kansas’ Jayhawks.
The partnership will see the XRP logo appear on Jayhawks uniforms, following recent NCAA rule changes that permit Division I schools to display corporate sponsorships beginning next month.
In addition to branding, Ripple said it will support financial literacy and technology education initiatives for student-athletes.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who graduated from the university, celebrated the announcement on X:
“Rare moment where my professional and personal worlds collide: XRP is now the first crypto on the jersey of a major college athletics program, at my alma mater,” Garlinghouse wrote.
“XRP Family, meet the Jayhawks. Rock Chalk!”
XRP Holders Question Partnership as Price Lags
The announcement has sparked strong reactions from the XRP community.
A large swathe of users on X responded to the sponsorship, with many arguing that it does little to address the token’s underwhelming price performance.
One user responded directly to Garlinghouse’s post, writing: “Wow! What an epic waste of my f***ing money!
“Why dont you do what you said you would do with XRP and become the bridge asset of world finance!!!! Stop d***ing around!”
Another user questioned its significance posting: “Am I really supposed to be excited about this?” alongside a chart highlighting XRP’s declining price.
A third user wrote: “I don’t even understand some of these partnerships anymore. I’m losing the plot.”
The responses echo much of the criticism often shared by XRP’s longest members, who feel Ripple’s moves have failed to translate into sustained gains for XRP.
XRP Holders Have Previously Criticized Ripple’s Marketing Pushes
The backlash over Ripple’s latest college sports sponsorship is not the first time some XRP holders have questioned the company’s marketing strategy.
Earlier this year, Ripple launched a high-profile advertising campaign across Las Vegas to coincide with the Bitcoin 2026 conference and a separate XRP community event.
The campaign featured XRP-themed slogans on large digital billboards across the city.
However, after Garlinghouse shared the campaign on X, many community members responded by expressing frustration over XRP’s price performance rather than the company’s branding efforts.
One user replied: “As XRP continues to drop like it has been for a very long time now.”
Another accused Ripple of failing investors, writing: “Stop scamming the people Brad we know you just want us to buy XRP so you can dump on us and take our money.”
Analysts Still See Major Upside for XRP Price
Despite the backlash, several market commentators continue to argue that XRP’s long-term outlook remains intact.
Dominic Basulto, an analyst at The Motley Fool, recently reported that market sentiment surrounding XRP had become excessively pessimistic despite Ripple continuing to expand its business.
However, he added that Ripple’s investment strategy could unlock additional value over time, which in a bull case could lead to “truly stratospheric gains” up to $21.50 or even $100.
While he said a return toward the $4 level represents the more realistic base case, Basulto noted that “it’s not uncommon to find XRP price targets in the double-digit range.”
Separately, independent market analyst Tom, who posts under the handle @Tom0nChain, has maintained one of the most bullish public forecasts for XRP.
The analyst claimed that XRP’s price rising to $21.50 was not a “bet” but instead a “measured move.”
Reflecting on his previous trade, he wrote:
“Held XRP at $0.30. → Got $3.84. Holding again. This time it goes higher.”
Tom argued XRP’s current technical structure mirrors its historic breakout, pointing to what he described as a “3W golden cross,” a repeating long-term chart pattern and declining available supply.
Not Everyone Expects XRP Price to Rally
Other analysts remain far more cautious.
Damian Chmiel, senior analyst and editor at Finance Magnates, said XRP’s recent weakness reflected a wider liquidity-driven selloff — and could fall as low as $0.29.
“The June decline was a broad-market event, not an XRP story,” Chmiel said.
“Bitcoin fell roughly 20% on the month and slipped below $59,000, and Ethereum, Solana and BNB dropped with it. When the largest tokens fall together, the selling reflects liquidity rather than any single asset.”
According to Chmiel, XRP price continues to face several headwinds, including the broader crypto market downturn and delays around the US Clarity Act.
Should XRP lose the psychologically important $1 level, Chmiel said downside targets of $0.67, $0.47 and ultimately $0.29 become increasingly plausible.
How Much Would XRP Price Need to Rise to Reach $21.50?
At the time of writing, XRP is trading at around $1.11, meaning it would need to climb by approximately 1,840% — or 19.4 times its current price — to reach the $21.50 target outlined by analyst Tom.
Reaching the more aggressive $100 forecast it would require an even larger move of roughly 8,900%, equivalent to around 90 times XRP’s current value.
Despite those lofty targets, XRP’s recent price action has been far more subdued.
According to CoinMarketCap analysis, XRP gained around 0.8% over the past 24 hours, largely tracking Bitcoin’s broader rally rather than responding to any XRP-specific catalyst.
In the near term, analysts said $1.10 remains the key level to watch.
Holding above that level could allow XRP to test resistance around $1.13, while a break below $1.09 could see the token retest support near $1.07.
The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, nor should it be construed as, financial advice. We do not make any warranties regarding the completeness, reliability, or accuracy of this information. All investments involve risk, and past performance does not guarantee future results. We recommend consulting a financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.
Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.
At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.
