They were boom times for Bitcoin (BTC). But while the leading cryptocurrency has risen significantly over the past year, consistently hitting new highs, its recent gains have been overshadowed by another competitor. ripple (XRP) is taking center stage and has risen almost 350% since Trump’s election victory.

The timing is important because Trump’s return to the White House is widely seen as a resoundingly positive development for the crypto space. The new administration counts several crypto advocates on its staff, suggesting favorable regulations for an industry that has long been at odds with the establishment.

Particularly promising – both for the industry and for Ripple in particular – are the changes taking place at the SEC. Anti-cryptocurrency leader Gary Gensler, who led the lawsuit against Ripple for allegedly selling XRP as an unregistered security, will be replaced by cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins.

The enthusiasm for Ripple’s new stablecoin RLUSD is also contributing to the momentum. Approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), RLUSD aims to challenge established players like Tether’s USDT and further fuel investor enthusiasm.

As Ripple focuses on cross-border payments, top investor Anders Bylund, who ranks in the top 1% of TipRanks stock professionals, notes that the stablecoin will make the cross-border payment experience “even smoother.” “It should also inspire new business ideas and financial applications, such as foreign exchange markets and token-based transfers of real-world assets,” Bylund added.

Meanwhile, the XRP network is attracting new users at a rapid pace, with active accounts hitting record highs in early December and transactions per account increasing.

But the real question is whether there is still room to run after such a big jump. Bylund agrees and believes that “this helpful crypto token has serious long-term value.”

“I still believe XRP will deliver strong returns in 2025 and continue to rise in the long term,” he added. “The global market for cross-border payments is hundreds of trillions of dollars per year, and even a tiny fraction of these transactions could turn XRP and Ripple Labs into financial giants.”

However, keep in mind that the journey will by no means be smooth. Crypto is known for its volatility, a trait that is unlikely to change anytime soon. But for those willing to take the ride, Bylund believes that loading up on some cheap tokens now “could serve you well over the years.” (To view Bylund’s track record, click here)

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured investor. The content is for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before investing.