In the current financial landscape where gold surpasses all major cryptocurrencies in performance, identifying crypto assets with substantial upward potential remains feasible. Two such cryptocurrencies, XRP and Sui, have witnessed notable price depreciation from their previous year's highs yet hold significant promise for value escalation in 2026.
XRP: Institutional Momentum and Strategic Acquisitions
XRP has been a longstanding preferred asset within the cryptocurrency community, attributed largely to its history of delivering swift and substantial returns. For instance, last year witnessed XRP's price surge from $0.50 to $3.40—a remarkable 580% increase over just two months. However, post this peak, XRP relinquished much of its gains, settling around $2.
Several factors underpin a positive outlook for XRP's resurgence. A key driver is the increasing inflow of institutional capital into spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which is expected to bolster market momentum. Supporting this trajectory is Ripple, the corporation managing XRP, which embarked on a significant expansion via a $2.5 billion blockchain and crypto acquisition campaign during the previous year. Complementing this growth strategy, Ripple secured approximately $500 million in new financing, achieving a $40 billion valuation.
The company now possesses substantial financial resources to integrate its acquisitions and develop comprehensive financial infrastructure centered on XRP. This advancement is anticipated to facilitate broader institutional adoption and create novel applications for XRP, potentially elevating demand and thereby the coin's value. Industry forecasts have even suggested that XRP could reach $8 within the year, implying an estimated fourfold increase from current valuations.
Sui: Emerging Smart Contract Platform with Growth Potential
Sui represents a newer entrant in the smart contract blockchain sector, launched in May 2023. While Ethereum continues to dominate the landscape as a $360 billion asset with a decade of operational success, Sui offers attributes that may cater to market demands for enhanced speed, cost-efficiency, and operational effectiveness. Currently ranked among the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, Sui is poised for potential increased adoption, particularly with upcoming spot Sui ETFs scheduled for 2026.
Anticipated upgrades to Sui's blockchain technology aim to establish it as one of the fastest networks globally. This feature is particularly important for expanding sectors such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming, where rapid transaction processing is critical. However, investing in Sui requires caution; its current price of approximately $1.28 is down 74% from its high of $5.35 in January 2025, highlighting considerable volatility and risk.
The investment premise for Sui depends on its capacity to significantly narrow the market capitalization gap with established rivals like Cardano, which presently holds a $13 billion market cap compared to Sui's $5.4 billion. Achieving competitive parity could lead to substantial price appreciation.
Considerations and Comparative Alternatives
While XRP and Sui embody promising opportunities, other digital currencies may also experience appreciable gains. These include privacy-focused coins, stablecoin-related tokens, real-world asset (RWA) tokenizations, and speculative meme coins. Despite this spectrum, XRP and Sui stand out due to their relatively low current price points and the growing interest from institutional investors and major financial entities.
By the conclusion of 2026, projections indicate that XRP might increase by approximately 80% or more, whereas Sui has the potential to soar by an estimated 270%. These estimates reflect a return to or surpassing of their respective previous highs, driven by enhanced adoption and strategic developments.