OpenAI’s latest artificial intelligence (AI) model, ChatGPT-5, has outlined scenarios in which XRP could potentially surpass Ethereum (ETH) in market capitalization, ranking second behind Bitcoin (BTC).
While Ethereum’s entrenched position remains difficult to challenge, the model stressed that a possible window for a ‘flippening’ toward the end of the decade.
Notably, both assets have shown strong momentum in 2025, breaking out of major resistance levels. At press time, ETH was trading at $4,477 with a market cap of $540 billion, while XRP was valued at $3.13, giving it a market cap of $185 billion.
Timelines for XRP surpassing Ethereum
On the timeline, ChatGPT-5 highlighted three possible scenarios. In the short term between 2025 and 2026, the probability was assessed at below 5%.
Even with a favorable outcome in Ripple’s legal battles and approval of a U.S. spot ETF, XRP would need to more than triple in value while Ethereum stagnates. Ethereum’s dominance in decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and enterprise adoption makes such an outcome unlikely.
In the medium term spanning between 2027 and 2029, the odds improve to around 15% and 20% if XRP secures global regulatory clarity and becomes integrated into major payment rails, including central bank digital currency (CBDC) corridors and cross-border banking settlements.
Under this scenario, ChatGPT noted that XRP at $12 (around $700 billion market cap) could narrow the gap with ETH at $20,000 (about $2.4 trillion cap). However, Ethereum would likely still lead unless it significantly underperforms.
For the long term, post-2030, the probability highlighted by the AI tool rose to between 25% and 30%, contingent on Ripple’s technology becoming a backbone of global settlements, CBDC infrastructure, and tokenized asset transfers.
Realistic flippening timeline
Overall, ChatGPT-5 projected that the first realistic timeframe for XRP to surpass ETH would be between late 2028 and 2030. This would require decisive regulatory victories for Ripple, widespread banking adoption, strong institutional inflows into XRP ETFs, and slower Ethereum growth due to regulatory or scaling challenges.
According to the model, if Ethereum remains near $5,000 and XRP climbs above $12, XRP could overtake ETH. If Ethereum advances toward $7,500 and $10,000 range, XRP would need to exceed $20 per token.
At Ethereum’s longer-term forecast of $25,000, XRP would have to trade above $50, a level considered highly ambitious given its circulating supply.
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