The price of XRP has been climbing lately, recently touching $3.66 — sparking debate across the crypto community:
Did XRP just break its all-time high (ATH), or is it still chasing the old peak from 2018?
Many point to the widely cited $3.84 figure as XRP’s historic top. But according to Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, that number might not be accurate.
In multiple posts — including one from April 2023 — Schwartz clarified that prices above $3.30 were mostly seen on South Korean exchanges and were heavily distorted. Why? Because those exchanges converted Korean won (KRW) to USD using inflated rates, not the true market value.
> 🔍 Schwartz explained that very few people actually bought XRP above $3.30 globally — unless they bought into a quick price spike.
He believes XRP's real ATH is somewhere between $3.30 and $3.50, not $3.84 or higher.$$
🥢 Enter the "Kimchi Premium"
This inflation is largely due to what’s known as the "Kimchi Premium" — a phenomenon where crypto trades at higher prices on South Korean exchanges due to strong local demand and limited capital flow.
During the 2018 bull run, XRP prices in Korea briefly converted to as high as $4.40, but those numbers didn’t reflect global market consensus.
🔎 Real ATHs on Major Global Exchanges in 2018:
Bitstamp: $3.31
Binance: $3.35
Bitfinex: $3.30
Poloniex: $3.50
None of them hit the legendary $3.84.
📈 So… Did XRP Just Set a New ATH?
If we go by Schwartz’s explanation, XRP’s recent climb to $3.66 may already be a new true all-time high on a global scale. That would mean XRP is now in price discovery mode — exploring new territory it hasn't seen before (at least on non-Korean exchanges).
While some community members still argue over the ATH numbers, one thing is clear:
Exchange data can vary, and not all ATHs are created equal.
As Schwartz reminds us — when local premiums, exchange rate conversions, and isolated markets are involved, price history gets complicated.$XRP
