XRP’s Adoption Journey Mirrors 1992 Internet Surge—Mass Growth Incoming?

• XRP user growth now mirrors that of the early 1990s internet usage, highlighting how early the asset still is.
• Crypto adoption is comparable to the 2002 internet levels, with XRP lagging behind but showing strong growth potential.

The current XRP growth mirrors conditions comparable to those of the internet in its formative days. The statistics demonstrate that today’s uptake of XRP is equal to the levels of internet usage from as far back as 1992. That is a sign of how nascent the digital asset is in its development stage.

History has consistently compared internet trends to cryptocurrencies. In 1991, when the general public was opened to accessing the World Wide Web, there was skepticism across the world. The major media outlets anticipated that it could fail to catch on. 30 years down the line, world internet penetration has surpassed 5 billion, reaching nearly 68% of the global population, according to the International Telecommunication Union.

Cryptocurrency is demonstrating trends that mirror historical patterns. Following the launch of Bitcoin in 2009, there was immense skepticism. Time has seen institutional investing alter that perspective, making a case that greater public acceptance is achievable, indeed probable, for digital assets like XRP.

Crypto Usage Mirrors Internet Growth Curve

One of the clearest comparisons was provided by the Alpha Lions Academy and XRP supporter founder, Edoardo Farina. He published a chart demonstrating crypto adoption today, of approximately 560 million users, very similar to internet penetration in 2002. That was the year 587 million humans enjoyed internet access.

Farina’s plan was to demonstrate that crypto’s current place is where the internet was 23 years ago. The suggestion is that another explosion of users may lie in the future if the trend continues. Triple-A statistics now back that contention. Crypto ownership as of late 2024 totaled around 560 million, with 61% of those owning it being males and 34% of them belonging to the 25- to 34-year-old group.

XRP seems to be even earlier on that chart. On-chain metrics indicate that around 6.5 million XRP wallets are active. The actual number of users is probably lower because multiple wallets are held by each individual. Nonetheless, just for purposes of comparison, that figure still gets XRP to where net usage was in the 1990s.

Long-Term Growth Still Possible for XRP

If XRP develops at anything like the pace of the internet’s development, future user numbers could increase exponentially. Internet use has expanded from approximately 6 to 7 million in 2002 by 78,471% to the levels today. The same increase in XRP users could transform its market presence.

Current market prices are a reflection of the phase of early adoption of XRP. It is trading at $2.31 levels, a far cry from its January 2018 ATH of $3.84. The markets predict far greater levels if the demand continues to grow. $100 or even $1,000 in a few years from now is expected to be achievable if the adoption grows and institutional applications gain momentum.

$XRP to $1,000 could happen a lot sooner than people anticipate

2025 could be the year we see a $100 $XRP

By 2026-2027 we could see #XRP move rapidly from $100 to $1,000

— BarriC (@B_arri_C) May 13, 2025

Similarities between the current cryptocurrency market and the 1990s internet revolution keep emphasizing one fact: digital assets are still in an early stage of development. The current metrics of XRP clearly reflect that stage, and the distance between where it’s used today and where it could grow tomorrow is vast.

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