Persistent skepticism about XRP’s price trajectory is misreading where the asset is at, according to a prominent cryptocurrency researcher, and a recently leaked video panel shows why doubters are likely to fall brief.

SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG), recently a popular cryptocurrency researcher on the X platform common footage from the Crypto Valley panel in Zurich, in which Ripple’s sales director outlined the growing scope of the company’s infrastructure.

The post has reignited a broader debate about whether XRP bears are underestimating what is quietly building below the price chart. XRP enthusiast Tony (@_Sab3r_6) reinforced this point, posting that critics will “be proven wrong” as the utility argument becomes harder to dismiss.

There is a lack of infrastructure arguments

The panel in Zurich presented the substance of this belief. Tania Griffith, director of sales at Ripple, explained during the discussion that banks and financial institutions are becoming more comfortable using crypto rails and blockchain for payments – a change that would have seemed far away just a few years ago.

Griffith noted that Ripple has moved from relying on a few limited-volume exchanges to building a global network of liquidity providers, stablecoins and major financial infrastructure players. The result, she said, is basic: larger payments and better currency exchange rates. The system now supports true settlement 24/7/365 – a capability that classic cross-border payment railways have never provided.

Ripple’s approach, as described during the panel, views blockchain and cryptocurrencies as complements to existing financial infrastructure, not a replacement. XRP sits in the liquidity layer of this architecture, facilitating the rapid flow of value between currencies and jurisdictions.

A structural issue, not a conversation about sentiments

This development represents a key differentiator for XRP in the current market cycle. The bear case was largely based on price action and regulatory uncertainty. The bull case is increasingly based on adoption rates and infrastructure depth – two things, the panel made clear, that continue to grow regardless of short-term chart noise.

At the time of writing, XRP is trading around $2.11, holding steady after a week of consolidation.

XRP's price trends sideways on the daily chart. Source: XRPUSD on Tradingview

Cover photo from Grok, XRPUSD chart from Tradingview