This has been a strange year for XRP investors. About a year ago, Ripple was only trading at $0.50. However, in November, the value of this cryptocurrency surged above $2. After several months of volatility, the value of XRP remains just above $2. If you are considering buying, there are two reasons to get in before 2026.

1. Blockchain Solutions Are Quickly Gaining Trust

Since its launch in 2012, Ripple has struggled to turn its grand vision into reality. Essentially, Ripple seeks to revolutionize the global banking industry by improving how cross-border transactions are processed.

Today, global banks rely on the SWIFT system. Payments often take several days, typically involving multiple intermediary banks, adding complexity and costs. Tracking money throughout this process can be challenging, if not impossible, until the entire process is complete.

Meanwhile, Ripple uses a single ledger to track each transaction. Fees are just a fraction of those of the SWIFT system, and every transaction can be tracked in real-time. Payments occur within seconds, with automated reconciliation ensuring everything goes according to plan.

Theoretically, Ripple presents a superior approach. The issue is how major financial institutions adopt a relatively new transaction processing method. While Ripple has run several pilot projects to demonstrate the network's capabilities, adoption has been slow. Why? According to one report, "Many banks are hesitant to use XRP due to regulatory uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrency."

The cryptocurrency industry in general still has a bad reputation. On top of that, Ripple itself has been involved in SEC investigations.

However, the SEC recently settled its lawsuit with Ripple. Meanwhile, blockchain solutions continue to be adopted across various industries and use cases. More than half of all Fortune 100 companies are now using blockchain technology in some form.

As the adoption of adjacent technologies gains increasing attention, don't be surprised to see Ripple's acceptance rise accordingly. In fact, there is a catalyst that could drive XRP adoption faster than most people expect.

2. Global Instability Can Actually Benefit Ripple

There is no shortage of geopolitical events. Everything seems to be happening right now, from political instability and regulatory changes to currency volatility and shifts in trade policy. All of these factors could ultimately support Ripple's adoption.

One of the main advantages of Ripple is that it is relatively borderless. It is less controlled by major regulatory bodies that have more influence over the SWIFT network, and the transparency in tracking transactions, coupled with execution speed, can be a major plus in a world where global trust is lower than historical norms. Meanwhile, its decentralized ledger may be considered more resilient than centralized solutions that could be more vulnerable to attacks.

Of course, global instability could also affect global economic output and thus impact the value of cross-border transactions -- a direct blow to Ripple's business model and therefore the price of XRP as an asset. But for long-term thinkers, geopolitical instability could ultimately be a boon for Ripple. Its system is said to have more built-in trust than other frameworks that could change at any moment due to political or regulatory shifts.

While global events are difficult to predict, it is hard to imagine the world being more stable in 2026 than in 2025, providing long-term investors with more reasons to buy in this year, potentially before banks begin seeking more flexible alternative payment solutions like Ripple.