On Saturday, USA Today posted a headline to 5.1 million followers on X, claiming that "XRP is the smartest cryptocurrency to buy for $500 right now." The post quickly caused a stir on social media, generating a wave of lively comments from loyal Bitcoin fans as well as enthusiastic XRP supporters.

Cryptocurrency Community on Twitter Outraged by USA Today's 'Smart Buy' XRP Claim

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding USA Today's August 2 post, which included a reposted article by Will Ebiefung from The Motley Fool. The headline causing a stir on social media was: "XRP is the smartest cryptocurrency to buy for $500 right now."

Many XRP critics have seized this opportunity to criticize USA Today, calling the article nonsense and deeming it fake news. The post faced strong backlash from those who have long been skeptical about XRP.

"The smartest way to waste $500," one X user mocked. Another chimed in, "I wonder if there's any fake news." Some simply responded with memes. On the other hand, XRP supporters were completely delighted with this backlash. One fan enjoyed the outrage by posting, "Let the games begin." Another XRP fan wrote:

“USA Today, thank you for pointing that out. People are not indifferent to XRP. Don't listen to the haters.”

However, some critics continue to criticize, calling XRP a "scam," while others warn to "never trust the media." Laura Shin, host of the Unchained podcast and cryptocurrency journalist, spoke out: "Erm... this post was just published on the Twitter of 5.1 million followers USA Today. USA Today, you need journalists knowledgeable about cryptocurrency..." Her criticism resonated with many who agreed with her concern.

However, XRP fans are not very enthusiastic. When asked about the possibility of bias, Shin replied:

“What I mean is, the fact is that after 13 years, Ripple has barely any appeal or trading volume.”

Shin is not the only one opposing USA Today's post. One critic pointed out that the article's author, Will Ebiefung, had previously hyped the token, sandbox (SAND), back in 2022. In another Motley Fool article titled "This is the top cryptocurrency I should buy in February," Ebiefung chose SAND as his pick.

The critic reinforced his point by sharing a chart showing the decline of SAND - from around $4 in February 2022 to just $0.2577 - highlighting what they consider to be poor performance for Ebiefung's cryptocurrency picks.

Others were even harsher in their response to USA Today's post about XRP, not only criticizing the article but also the publication itself for amplifying what they see as a misguided recommendation.

One person said:

“This seems like unlicensed financial advice, promoting XRP as 'the smartest cryptocurrency to buy for $500 right now' — without any disclaimers or disclosures.”

The reaction to USA Today's post about XRP shows just how deeply divided the cryptocurrency community still is when it comes to media articles and investment advice.

While some readers see this recommendation as a bold gamble, others view it as a reckless clickbait — exposing the growing tension between mainstream media and skeptics of digital assets, who demand more scrutiny.