[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Chainlink (LINK) has rebounded more than twofold from its June low, recouping all of this year’s losses. LINK has climbed to around $15, turning its return since the start of the year positive. XRP has rebounded over the same period but remains in negative territory on a yearly basis.

TheCryptoBasic, a blockchain outlet, reported on Sept. 29 that LINK is trading around $15, up 9 percent over 24 hours. It is up 22.3 percent since the start of the year. Over the past 90 days, it has gained 108 percent, and was classified as one of the major cryptocurrencies showing a strong recovery trend in 2026.

LINK’s rebound is more pronounced compared with its June low. LINK started 2026 at about $12.19 and slid to $7.02 in June, but later extended gains and erased all first-half losses.

XRP, by contrast, has lagged LINK in the pace of recovery. XRP is trading around $1.50, up 1.7 percent over 24 hours and 44 percent over the past 90 days. Still, it remains down 18.35 percent compared with its price at the start of 2026.

XRP has also risen sharply from its June low. XRP started 2026 at about $1.84 and fell to $0.93 on Bithumb in June. It later rebounded to around $1.70 in August, but slipped again and is now holding around $1.50. The outlet also pointed out that "both cryptocurrencies recovered, but LINK’s recovery was stronger."

The market is paying attention to the fact that LINK has moved above its start-of-year price while XRP has yet to regain that level. In numerical terms, XRP would need to rise from $1.50 to about $1.85 to fully recoup this year’s losses. That would require an additional gain of about 23.3 percent from current levels.

Still, it is difficult to conclude that the two assets will follow the same path. LINK and XRP differ in their demand structure, liquidity and level of market activity. TheCryptoBasic also drew a line, saying, "LINK’s recovery does not mean XRP will take the same path."

These differences are also bringing renewed attention to rivalry between the two communities. As LINK posts relatively strong performance, Chainlink supporters are prodding XRP holders, while the XRP side is pinning hopes on the possibility that an equivalent rebound will continue. Ultimately, the key point to watch is not whether there is a short-term bounce, but whether XRP can secure enough upward momentum to recover its start-of-year price range.