"The hottest crypto trade of the year is not Bitcoin, it is not Ether, it is XRP." Mackenzie Sigalos called it the "new cryptocurrency darling" and "breakout investment of 2026." This is MAJOR mainstream financial media validation.

The Performance: XRP +24% YTD (Jan 1-7) vs BTC +5.5%, ETH +9.7%. Only DOGE (+28.6%) outperformed among top-20. XRP overtook BNB to become 4th largest crypto by market cap. Currently trading $2.25 after healthy profit-taking from $2.40 Monday high. ETF inflows: $1.25B cumulative, ZERO outflows, fastest to $1B after BTC

• Supply shock: 4.8B XRP projected absorbed by ETFs in 2026

• Outperforming everything: +24% YTD vs BTC +5.5%

• Less crowded than BTC/ETH = higher percentage gains possible

XRP ETF EXPLOSION: RECORD $46M single-day inflows January 6th (highest since launch). Total XRP ETF assets now $1.65B. 30 consecutive days positive inflows through December with ZERO outflows—fastest crypto ETF to $1B after Bitcoin. Exchange balances dropped to 8-YEAR LOWS (1.6B tokens from 3.76B October). Supply squeeze playing out LIVE.

• Supply shock: Exchange balances 8-year lows (1.6B from 3.76B). ETFs locking supply. Spring-loaded for explosion.

• Retail capitulation: Sold at $1.85, XRP now $2.40. Classic bottom signal—pessimism was BUY.

• Institutional quality: Franklin Templeton, Bitwise, Canary = pension funds, endowments, sovereign wealth. This is SERIOUS money.