Ripple’s possible approval to hold a Federal Reserve (Fed) master account could be the spark that pushes XRP into another major phase of upside momentum.
Fed Settlement Access
In his latest report, market analyst Sam Daodu said AI models broadly agree that XRP may rise if Ripple gains access to Fed settlement infrastructure.
A major reason behind the optimism is that Fed access would allow Ripple to settle directly through those rails, rather than routing transactions through banks that currently act as middlemen.
Daodu suggested the process may already be moving toward reality. In March 2026, Kraken became the first crypto firm to receive a master account through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, which he cited as evidence that the approval pathway is no longer purely theoretical.
Building on this development, Daodu shared model-driven forecasts for XRP, drawing comparisons between various AI systems and their respective approaches to weighing catalysts and risks.
XRP Forecasts Watch
According to Daodu, ChatGPT points to a measured recovery under base conditions. The model places XRP in a $2.50 to $3.00 range by August 2026, while also flagging $1.50 as a key level XRP needs to hold for the prediction to remain on track.
Currently, the altcoin is trading well below that level, having retraced to $1.32 per token. Still, Daodu said that the rationale centres on exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows and growth in Ripple’s payment corridor.
In a more bullish scenario—assuming ETF inflows and corridor growth accelerate meaningfully through the second half of the year—ChatGPT sees upside to $5.
Grok’s projections are more aggressive at the top end, according to Daodu. Grok’s base forecast lands between $2.50 and $2.80, but it lifts the upper target to $10 under the right conditions. Daodu reported that Grok links the $10 level to a scenario in which Bitcoin clears $100,000.
Why $80 Could Happen By 2032?
Claude’s outlook is described as more cautious, though it still leaves room for gains. The model’s base projection, Daodu said, calls for XRP to remain in the $1.35 to $1.65 range for the rest of 2026, with a 50% probability assigned to that outcome.
Claude’s reasoning points to a familiar pattern: momentum can spark short-term rallies, but those moves may fade quickly if there is no fresh catalyst to extend the trend. At the same time, Claude’s longer-term view is more constructive than the base case.
It leaves room for XRP to reach between $8 and $14 if ETF inflows exceed $10 billion and banking adoption accelerates. Still, Claude stresses that price alone cannot carry XRP to those levels; the market would need sustained demand drivers to support the move.
Among the models Daodu reviewed, Vincent Van Code’s AI forecast is presented as the boldest. Rather than focusing on a single near-term target, Vincent Van Code maps a year-by-year trajectory that reaches $80 by 2032.
The foundation for that call is Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse’s projection that 30% of Ripple Treasury’s $13 trillion annual payment flow could move on-chain within five years. For 2026 specifically, the AI model targets price targets ranging from $6 to $10.
