On August 20, 2025, CNBC’s MacKenzie Sigalos called XRP the standout crypto trade of 2026, citing its 20%+ weekly surge to overtake BNB as the third-largest crypto by market cap, per Cryptopolitan_News. XRP’s rally, holding steady during market dips, stems from Ripple’s resolved SEC case (August 2, 2025), reduced overcrowding versus BTC and ETH, and sustained fund inflows amid Q4 outflows from Bitcoin ETFs, per. Sigalos emphasised XRP’s focus on cross-border payments as a bridge asset, differentiating it from Bitcoin’s digital gold narrative and stablecoins’ tokenised dollar role.
Sigalos also spotlighted Solana (SOL) alongside XRP as a top altcoin, driven by tokenisation of money market funds and real-world assets. Morgan Stanley’s S-1 filing for Bitcoin and Solana ETFs underscores institutional interest, expanding from its early spot Bitcoin ETF support. Solana’s speed and cost-effectiveness are cheaper than Ethereum at times, making it ideal for tokenised equities, per. Coinbase’s Base network offers fee-free stablecoin transfers, while Tron competes on pricing.
XRP’s lower base offers higher upside potential, with inflows rising as Bitcoin ETF flows dipped in Q4 2025, per. MSCI’s upcoming decision on Strategy’s index inclusion could trigger selling, boosting alternatives like XRP and SOL, per. Robinhood’s Vlad Tenev and Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong push tokenised assets and diversification, per. Goldman Sachs upgraded Coinbase to buy for its non-exchange growth, per. BTC ($113,234) and ETH ($4,070) face pressure, but XRP and SOL lead altcoin momentum.
XRP could target $3.50 by year-end with sustained inflows, while SOL eyes $250 on tokenisation growth, per Techopedia. Monitor ETF filings on sec.gov and inflows on CryptoQuant. Dollar-cost average into XRP or SOL with stop-losses below $2.20 and $170, respectively, or hold USDC for stability, per TradingView. Follow @TheBlock__ on X for updates. CNBC’s bullish stance signals XRP and SOL as key plays in 2026’s altcoin rotation.
