XRP Ledger Gains Traction in Decentralized Finance (DeFI)
XRPL is witnessing skyrocketing TVL with most of the growth taking place on its native decentralized exchange (DEX), alongside its freshly launched EVM-compatible sidechain.
Since its June 30 mainnet debut, this sidechain has attracted over 1,300 smart contracts and more than 17,000 addresses, igniting liquidity flow into pools and trading platforms.
This newfound openness to Ethereum-style contract interaction has made XRPL significantly more appealing to DeFi participants, who are increasingly using it for yield farming and token swapping.
According to DefiLlama data, XRPL’s total value locked hit an all-time high (ATH) of $94.44 million driven by sidechain momentum and rising DeFi activity.
TVL Breakout After Prolonged Stagnation
Before July, XRPL's TVL hovered in a holding pattern near $90 million for months.
Therefore, the jump to more than $96 million marks the first convincing breakout in this cycle.
As a result, metrics like weekly active addresses and transaction counts have surged, reflecting a real increase in on-chain engagement.
Improving Market Position and XRP Dominance
Coinciding with the TVL record is a sharp rise in XRP's share of crypto market capitalization.
The XRP Dominance index has climbed above 5%, near its highest level in 2025 with the 3rd-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization recently jumping to a record high of $3.65.
When measured against the backdrop of aggressive Bitcoin and Ethereum performance earlier this year, this surge in dominance highlights renewed investor interest in altcoin utility particularly those with active DeFi ecosystems.
Therefore, the XRPL reaching $94.44 million TVL is a major milestone because it signals that the network has crossed into genuine DeFi territory, driving developer adoption, liquidity, and investor interest.
Is XRP Ripe for $13?
Marketing technician Tony 'The Bull' Severino has sparked buzz by questioning whether XRP could skyrocket to $13 in just 40 days.
The analyst pointed out, “What if the final move in XRP — projected as high as ~$13 — happened within 40 days? What is your plan?”
Severino’s analysis, rooted in Elliott Wave theory and shared widely on X, formerly Twitter, hinges on a striking pattern where a contracting triangle was formed over nearly seven years between 2018 and late 2024.
He identifies this as a classic fourth-wave setup, followed by an imminent impulsive fifth wave that could mirror XRP’s monumental 2017 rally when the altcoin skyrocketed roughly 1,900% over six weeks.
Notably, the symmetrical drop from 2017’s high to 2018’s low reflects a move of about 1,903%, unfolding across six weekly candles in 42 days.
Bullish Dream or Calculated Hype?
Severino emphasizes that even if XRP does reach near $13, this move would likely complete the fifth-wave impulse, ushering in a classic Elliott Wave correction thereafter.
His critics argue this makes it too perfect that markets rarely repeat fractal patterns so cleanly.
Yet, many on X are captivated by the symmetry and boldness of the forecast.
One enthusiast on Binance Square summarized the sentiment by stating, “Analyst Tony ‘The Bull’ Severino… forecasts a parabolic rally that could push XRP to $13 within 40 days—mirroring the dramatic late‑2017 top.”
Another analysis of XRP’s road to $23, thanks to the Valhalla Gate catalyst recently caught the crypto community’s attention.
Conclusion
In this moment, Severino has succeeded in shaking up the XRP narrative not by pandering to greed, but by framing an audacious question through rigorous analysis of whether the journey to $13 in 40 days is possible.
As this happens, the XRP Ledger’s breakthrough of achieving $94.44 million in TVL not only cements its transition into a DeFi-enabled platform but also signals burgeoning investor confidence.
As XRPL continues to roll out developer tools and expand DeFi capabilities, it could increasingly challenge larger ecosystems.
