Crypto influencer John Squire recently challenged the common evaluation of XRP. His message was clear in its intent: the main issue surrounding XRP is not its current price level, but the limited awareness of what is being built around it.
The statement suggests that much of the public conversation remains focused on short-term valuation, while significant technical and institutional developments continue with little mainstream attention. In Squire’s view, this disconnect has led to widespread misunderstanding about XRP’s long-term direction.
The problem with $XRP isn’t the price.
It’s that very few understand what’s coming.— John Squire (@TheCryptoSquire) January 15, 2026
XRP Ledger Development Moves Beyond Payments
Squire’s position reflects the ongoing evolution of the XRP Ledger as a financial network with expanding capabilities. Development efforts are increasingly centered on extending the ledger’s functionality rather than maintaining its original role as a fast settlement system alone.
Engineers and contributors are advancing features that support more complex financial activity, including programmability, interoperability, and on-ledger financial tools.
One of the key areas of progress is the introduction of smart contract compatibility through sidechain solutions. This enables developers to deploy applications while benefiting from the XRP Ledger’s transaction efficiency and reliability.
At the same time, native lending features and automated liquidity tools are being introduced directly on the ledger. These changes indicate a shift toward enabling financial activity within the network itself, rather than relying on external systems.
Institutional Use Cases Take Priority
The tweet also aligns with the increasing involvement of institutional participants using the XRP Ledger for real-world financial products. Tokenized assets, including regulated debt instruments and stablecoins, are being issued and settled on the network.
This activity focuses on practical financial use rather than speculative trading. Institutions typically prioritize infrastructure that supports compliance, transparency, and operational efficiency, all of which are areas receiving sustained attention in XRP Ledger development.
Alongside asset issuance, efforts are underway to ensure the network meets regulatory and operational requirements. Privacy-focused transaction options designed for regulated entities, combined with permission-based access controls, signal that institutional adoption is a central objective. These types of developments tend to progress quietly, often without immediate visibility to retail market participants.
Utility Over Short-Term Valuation
Squire’s message emphasizes XRP’s function within the ecosystem rather than its market price. As activity on the XRP Ledger grows, XRP plays a direct role in transaction processing, liquidity movement, and settlement operations. This ties the asset’s relevance to usage and network activity rather than short-term sentiment or speculative cycles.
From this perspective, focusing solely on price movements risks overlooking the structural changes underway. Network upgrades, institutional integration, and financial product deployment often take time to influence market behavior, even as they reshape the underlying system.
A Shift in How XRP Is Viewed
John Squire’s statement encourages a reassessment of how XRP is understood. Rather than treating it as a purely speculative asset, his viewpoint points to its emerging role within a developing financial network.
The changes taking place suggest that the most significant developments may still be ahead, and that understanding XRP requires attention to infrastructure, adoption, and real-world use rather than price alone.