For years, XRP has made headlines in the crypto world: survivors of some lawsuits, some paying railroads, some speculative assets. But now, the new comparison is to make rounds. Does the future of XRP look very similar to the future of oil?
That's a question raised by analyst Brad Kims on the Paul Baron podcast. He says the tokens may one day be managed in a similar way to how OPEC oversees the crude oil market. This idea is not as far as it looks.
OPEC Playbook Page
Oil producers have long had a balanced supply and demand by opening and closing taps. If prices are too high, the government can rely on strategic reserves and flood the market and cool things down. Results: Global, essential, and closely managed products.
Kimes sees the echo in XRP. Ripple, who created the token, still has a huge escrow of coins. If released gradually and strategically, these reserves argue that they could stabilize price fluctuations and create digital markets due to wild volatility that defines much of the crypto.
Slow march to currency status
XRP has already checked two of the three money boxes. It's a valuable store and exchange medium. The lost third piece, the widely accepted account unit, may involve clarity of time and regulations. He compares this process to the slow rise of the US dollar to global domination after World War II.
Bonds, Crises, and “New Money”
Speculation doesn't stop there. Kimes looks at the future where the US Treasury issuing digital bonds related to assets such as XRP and Bitcoin. Think of it as a new way to create liquidity without burdening taxpayers, a “wartime bond” for the financial crisis.
This, he argues, can solve the problems of modern money that central banks simply cannot leave: what they cannot leave. By linking bonds to digital reserves, the government was able to inject stability into vulnerable systems.
What does that mean in price?
If Ripple secured banking licenses nationwide and access to the Federal Reserve Master Account, that escrow could turn into something like a last resort digital lender. XRP could be released to stable global liquidity, as oil reserves are tapped in emergencies.
It's a heartfelt paper, and Kims admits it's speculative. However, the oil analogy gives investors and policymakers a fresh lens. XRP may not just be just coins fighting for relevance. With the right framework, its prices can evolve into a managed global asset, shaped not only by markets but also by strategies.
