A veteran Bitcoin investor is drawing attention again after showing strong confidence in XRP.

On Jan. 7, blockchain outlet The Crypto Basic reported that Michael XBT, who has been investing in Bitcoin since 2014, reaffirmed that his biggest altcoin position is still XRP. He increased his XRP buying sharply even during the recent market correction. He said his publicly disclosed cumulative purchases have risen by almost 10 times compared with the past.

Michael said he was mocked by the market when he first held XRP, but that the investment outperformed critics over the long term. He added that his belief in XRP's structural potential remains valid.

Michael has said that in September 2022 he made a $150,000 purchase when XRP was around $0.33. He cited technical analysis, saying XRP was trying to break out after forming a long-term falling wedge pattern against Bitcoin. He later increased his XRP holdings through several additional buys.

XRP was weighed down for years by weakness and bearish sentiment at the time, but the situation has changed significantly. XRP has risen about 20 percent over the past week and is trading around $2.25. It is a recovery phase after a bearish trend that lasted more than six months, and some say it is looking again toward the prior cycle peak of $3.66. Michael said the recent correction was a process of repositioning in the market, and he analysed it as having laid the groundwork for further gains.

Michael is also known as someone who accurately predicted major market turning points in the past. In April 2025, when Bitcoin was in a correction around $82,000, he expected a break above $100,000 and presented a target range of $112,000 to $116,000. Bitcoin later surged to $126,200 in December 2026, confirming his outlook. After reaching the target, Michael posted a tweet saying, "Retired. Thanks for playing," and said he had closed the trade.

On XRP, Michael also highlighted in mid-2024 a rare bullish pennant pattern formed for the first time in seven years. XRP was trading at $0.58 at the time, but later jumped to around $3 in early 2025.

During an XRP correction in November 2025, he said that "impatience is the real cost" and described it as a process of assets moving from weak hands to strong hands.

Michael noted that XRP has already risen 800 percent from its low. He forecast that as it stabilises above $2 and sentiment recovers, a strong move will soon emerge that brings it back close to $3.

XRP remains my largest Altcoin holding. Despite this market correction, my public buys have increased almost 10x. Most people laughed at me for buying XRP at the time… I outperformed all of the doubters and will continue to do so. https://t.co/bse4JGAkdo