XRP vs. LINK: The SEC-aligned play you shouldn’t ignore

Key Takeaways

XRP has lost the $3 support three times this month as whales rotated $56M into LINK. Is smart money positioning Chainlink as the SEC-aligned play?

August looked like the perfect breakout setup for Ripple [XRP].

SEC settlement tailwinds, risk-on flows, Bitcoin’s [BTC] all-time high, and altseason rotation were all stacked in its favor. Yet, XRP has remained range-bound, up just 0.13% from its $3.02 open.

In contrast, Chainlink [LINK] has outperformed with a near 50% move to $24. On the relative chart, LINK/XRP printed a decisive +42% monthly candle, signaling its largest structural breakout since 2020.

Source: TradingView (LINK/XRP)

That kind of move screams rotation. 

Backing this, whales have piled roughly $56 million into LINK, highlighting a sharp divergence in capital flows away from Ripple and into Chainlink’s momentum, where relative ROI confirms the shift.

In short, the LINK/XRP breakout isn’t purely technical. Smart money inflows, structural momentum, and on-chain FOMO are driving the move. The key question: Is Chainlink now the superior SEC-aligned play?

XRP’s legal drag contrasts with LINK’s SEC edge

Chainlink’s edge over Ripple isn’t just about on-chain flows.

Instead, it’s about infrastructure. LINK’s oracle network, seen as far more “regulatory-friendly,” powers most of DeFi’s data layer. In fact, Chainlink now controls 68% of the oracle market, making it the sector’s standard.

Put simply, LINK’s grip on “SEC compliant” infrastructure leaves XRP stuck playing catch-up. The scoreboard shows it: Chainlink has added nearly $10 billion in DeFi TVS, pushing the sector to a three-year high.

Source: DeFilLama

For context, unlike protocols tracking traditional TVL, Chainlink tracks Total Value Secured (TVS). It is the total capital in DeFi protocols relying on its oracles. Notably, by mid-August 2025, that number hit $60+ billion.

The kicker? XRPL’s DeFi TVL clocked in at just $90+ million, a 700× gap showing why Chainlink dominates as the default DeFi data layer and the strength of its “SEC-friendly” infrastructure.

In summary, the LINK/XRP breakout reflects structural positioning. Chainlink is capturing smart money, while Ripple struggles around $3, highlighting where capital concentration is shifting.