Forecasts that XRP's potential value could surpass gold and silver are stirring debate in the community.

On Jan. 3, blockchain outlet The Crypto Basic highlighted the possibility that XRP could outstrip the existing precious metals market. As gold and silver post strong gains and record historical returns, some see XRP potentially following a similar path.

XRP analyst Chad Steingraber said, "XRP will obliterate metals by 10x," citing a past case in which silver surged 150 percent and reached a market capitalisation of $4.4 trillion. JPMorgan forecasts that gold will rise to $5,000 per ounce and silver to $110 per ounce by 2026. Against that macro backdrop, he argues that XRP could surge if it replaces gold and silver.

XRP's circulating supply is about 60.6 billion tokens, its price is around $1.90 and its market value is only $115 billion. By contrast, silver's market value is about $4.17 trillion. If XRP were assumed to replace it, its price could rise to $65 to $70.

Some also project that if XRP exceeds the gold market by more than 10 times, its price could reach $5,000. But that is described as an extreme scenario that assumes a major overhaul of the global financial system, and its likelihood remains uncertain.

XRP supporters argue the current price is undervalued and stress the possibility it could play a core role in global financial networks over the long term. But whether XRP can actually replace the gold and silver markets remains controversial.

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