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- LINK’s DeFi adoption dwarfs XRP, controlling 68% of total market TVL.
- For LINK to match XRP’s market cap, its price must surge to around $286.
- Recent Chainlink activity and institutional partnerships boost bullish sentiment.
Chainlink (LINK) has recently captured the crypto spotlight with strong bullish momentum, while XRP has seen a more cautious market sentiment, trading around $3. Market analyst Miles Deutscher highlighted LINK as one of the smarter plays this season, citing its adoption potential compared to XRP.
Deutscher pointed out that XRP’s DeFi total value locked (TVL) is roughly $85 million, whereas Chainlink secures a massive $84.65 billion—over 1,000 times more on-chain capital. Chainlink now controls 68% of the DeFi market, suggesting robust utility. In contrast, XRP’s market cap remains 12.1 times larger than LINK’s, meaning LINK could offer more value at its current price.
It's hard to know what the winning L1 will be, especially with the raft of new corporate chains entering the market.
— Miles Deutscher (@milesdeutscher) August 13, 2025
We also don't know what the winning RWA dApp will be.
But we know that Chainlink is powering it all.
It becomes the ultimate pick-and-shovel play. https://t.co/rYIxDZRYb5
Market Cap Gap: How High Could LINK Go?
XRP currently trades at $3.27 with a market cap of $194.17 billion, ranking third in overall cryptocurrency standings. LINK, priced at $23.64 with a market cap of $16.025 billion, sits in 11th place. To match XRP’s valuation, LINK would need a staggering 1,111% market cap increase, pushing its price toward $286 per token—far above its all-time high of $53.02 and record market cap of $22.8 billion from May 2021.
Despite this gap, recent performance has favored LINK in the short term. Over the past week, LINK rose 40.67%, outpacing XRP’s 9.39% gain. However, XRP maintains stronger long-term growth, with a 424% increase over the past year versus LINK’s 82%.
On-Chain Activity and Institutional Partnerships
Analytics firm Santiment reports heightened activity for Chainlink, with 6,463 active addresses—the highest in eight months—and 4,624 whale transactions over $100,000, marking a seven-month peak. Social sentiment is strongly bullish, with 3.3 positive comments for every bearish one.
🔗 Chainlink marines are regarding crypto's #11 market cap with the highest level of bullishness since February 1st. On the on-chain side, we're seeing the most active $LINK addresses in 8 months, and most whale transactions in 7 months.
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) August 13, 2025
👀 Track it: https://t.co/rR8LtBxl2F pic.twitter.com/rShzH1KcDk
Chainlink advocate Zach Rynes emphasized LINK’s institutional partnerships, including collaborations with Swift, positioning it as a bridge between blockchains and traditional finance. Meanwhile, XRP commentator Alex Cobb noted that XRP’s $3 level may represent a new normal, despite its top-performing status year-over-year.
Diverging Paths, Shared Spotlight
While XRP and Chainlink serve different roles in the crypto ecosystem, comparisons between the two continue to spark discussion. LINK’s rising adoption and bullish metrics suggest potential for further growth, but XRP’s market dominance and historical performance keep it in a leading position. Investors tracking DeFi and institutional engagement are closely watching which narrative will prevail.
Chainlink (LINK) has recently captured the crypto spotlight with strong bullish momentum, while XRP has seen a more cautious market sentiment, trading around $3. Market analyst Miles Deutscher highlighted LINK as one of the smarter plays this season, citing its adoption potential compared to XRP.
Deutscher pointed out that XRP’s DeFi total value locked (TVL) is roughly $85 million, whereas Chainlink secures a massive $84.65 billion—over 1,000 times more on-chain capital. Chainlink now controls 68% of the DeFi market, suggesting robust utility. In contrast, XRP’s market cap remains 12.1 times larger than LINK’s, meaning LINK could offer more value at its current price.
XRP currently trades at $3.27 with a market cap of $194.17 billion, ranking third in overall cryptocurrency standings. LINK, priced at $23.64 with a market cap of $16.025 billion, sits in 11th place. To match XRP’s valuation, LINK would need a staggering 1,111% market cap increase, pushing its price toward $286 per token—far above its all-time high of $53.02 and record market cap of $22.8 billion from May 2021.
Despite this gap, recent performance has favored LINK in the short term. Over the past week, LINK rose 40.67%, outpacing XRP’s 9.39% gain. However, XRP maintains stronger long-term growth, with a 424% increase over the past year versus LINK’s 82%.
Analytics firm Santiment reports heightened activity for Chainlink, with 6,463 active addresses—the highest in eight months—and 4,624 whale transactions over $100,000, marking a seven-month peak. Social sentiment is strongly bullish, with 3.3 positive comments for every bearish one.
Also Read: Chainlink Price Breaks $24 as Whales and FOMO Fuel 42% August Surge
Chainlink advocate Zach Rynes emphasized LINK’s institutional partnerships, including collaborations with Swift, positioning it as a bridge between blockchains and traditional finance. Meanwhile, XRP commentator Alex Cobb noted that XRP’s $3 level may represent a new normal, despite its top-performing status year-over-year.
While XRP and Chainlink serve different roles in the crypto ecosystem, comparisons between the two continue to spark discussion. LINK’s rising adoption and bullish metrics suggest potential for further growth, but XRP’s market dominance and historical performance keep it in a leading position. Investors tracking DeFi and institutional engagement are closely watching which narrative will prevail.
Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. The author’s views are personal and may not reflect the views of Chain Affairs. Before making any investment decisions, you should always conduct your own research. Chain Affairs is not responsible for any financial losses
I’m your translator between the financial Old World and the new frontier of crypto. After a career demystifying economics and markets, I enjoy elucidating crypto – from investment risks to earth-shaking potential. Let’s explore!
