The market cap of Ripple, or XRP, grew substantially in November 2024, after the results of the United States elections. At the beginning of 2024, the cryptocurrency had a market capitalization of around ** billion U.S. dollars. One year later, this had changed to *** billion U.S. dollars. The company Ripple faced charges in 2020 from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which led to a *** million U.S. dollar fine in August 2024 as the company was sentenced for violating investor-protection laws. The SEC appealed this decision, deeming the sentence too low. The results of the U.S. elections in November 2024, however, and the announced changes to the leadership of the SEC, made crypto investors believe that the case against Ripple Labs might be dropped in January 2025.

A league table of the 120 cryptocurrencies with the highest market cap reveals how diverse each crypto is and potentially how much risk is involved when investing in one. Bitcoin (BTC), for instance, had a so-called "high cap" - a market cap worth more than ** billion U.S. dollars - indicating this crypto project has a certain track record or, at the very least, is considered a major player in the cryptocurrency space. This is different in Decentralize Finance (DeFi), where Bitcoin is only a relatively new player. A concentrated market The number of existing cryptocurrencies is several thousands, even if most have a limited significance. Indeed, Bitcoin and Ethereum account for nearly ** percent of the entire crypto market capitalization. As crypto is relatively easy to create, the range of projects varies significantly - from improving payments to solving real-world issues, but also meme coins and more speculative investments. Crypto is not considered a payment method While often talked about as an investment vehicle, cryptocurrencies have not yet established a clear use case in day-to-day life. Central bankers found that usefulness of crypto in domestic payments or remittances to be negligible. A forecast for the world's main online payment methods took a similar stance: It predicts that cryptocurrency would only take up *** percent of total transaction value by 2027.

Ripple, or XRP, prices surged in 2021 but went down significantly as 2022 progressed. As of July 20, 2025, one XRP token was worth 3.43 U.S. dollars. Ethereum's price, for example, kept on reaching new all-time highs, a feat not performed by XRP. Indeed, XRP's price spikes followed relatively late - only occurring in early 2021, against late 2020 for most other cryptos - after the US SEC filed a legal complaint against Ripple in November 2020. This legal action caused the XRP price to plummet from around 0.70 U.S. dollars to 0.20 U.S. dollars.Ripple versus XRP: two become oneTechnically speaking, Ripple is not a cryptocurrency. Renamed from a protocol called OpenCoin in 2013, Ripple facilitates open-source payments. XRP, on the other hand, is the cryptocurrency that runs on this network. In that sense, Ripple and XRP have a similar symbiosis to each other, like the Ethereum network and its cryptocurrency, Ether. Unlike Ethereum - whose price changes are connected to the world of Decentralized Finance or DeFI - Ripple/XRP mostly looks at developments in cross-border payments for companies. In 2020, companies worldwide began to favor fintech solutions for future B2B solutions and, in a way, Ripple is an extension of that.What affects the price of Ripple?Ripple is mostly active in Southeast Asia - a region with a splintered payment landscape and that heavily investigates its own types of state-issued cryptocurrency to make cross-border payments a lot easier. Price spikes tend to follow news on this topic in this specific region. In 2019, for example, the XRP price grew after Japan and South Korea began testing to reduce time and costs for transferring international funds between the two countries. In March 2021, Ripple announced that it had agreed to acquire 40 percent of Malaysian cross-border payments firm Tranglo to meet growing demand in Southeast Asia.

The market cap of the top 10 stablecoin initially multiplied over time, reaching a combined value of over *** billion USD in May 2025. Note this value does not include TerraUSD (UST), the algorithmic stablecoin tied to the LUNA crypto which declined severely in May 2022. Up to then, estimates reveal that the market cap had more than tripled within five months - likely following growing interest worldwide in cryptocurrencies, after sudden price spikes in a coin like Dogecoin (DOGE). Stability above all, or what does a stablecoin do? Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies - like the commonly known Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) - but their value is determined differently. Whilst the price of Bitcoin mainly follows supply - how many coins are being mined or are available to purchase - and demand - how many investors want to buy the coin - stablecoins are synthetically connected to the price of an altogether different asset. Tether's USDT, for instance, is connected to the price development of the U.S. dollar (USD): if the U.S. dollar falls in the FX market, so does the USDT. Compare this to the "regular" price history of a cryptocurrency like Ripple (XRP) and stablecoins reveal themselves to be a relatively less volatile digital currency to either use or invest in than their counterparts in the free market. A test ground for digital payments This stability of these particular cryptocurrencies is important for two areas in digital payments that do not prefer volatility. For instance, these coins are a popular choice within the world of Decentralized Finance or DeFi - an online financial market without the supervision of central bank that relies on cryptocurrencies for payments and loans. Because of that reliance, it is a market that can rapidly change in size due to price fluctuations or changing transaction fees of certain cryptocurrencies - something that is less likely to occur when using stablecoins. Additionally, stablecoins are considered the inspiration for so-called CBDC or Central Bank Digital Currencies - such as China's e-CNY currency or the "digital euro" that is being researched in the EU-27. In terms of how advanced countries worldwide are into researching their own cryptocurrency, China ranked third in 2020, behind Cambodia, and The Bahamas.

This dataset contains historical price data for the top global cryptocurrencies, sourced from Yahoo Finance. The data spans the following time frames for each cryptocurrency:

BTC-USD (Bitcoin): From 2014 to December 2024 ETH-USD (Ethereum): From 2017 to December 2024 XRP-USD (Ripple): From 2017 to December 2024 USDT-USD (Tether): From 2017 to December 2024 SOL-USD (Solana): From 2020 to December 2024 BNB-USD (Binance Coin): From 2017 to December 2024 DOGE-USD (Dogecoin): From 2017 to December 2024 USDC-USD (USD Coin): From 2018 to December 2024 ADA-USD (Cardano): From 2017 to December 2024 STETH-USD (Staked Ethereum): From 2020 to December 2024

Key Features:

Date: The date of the record. Open: The opening price of the cryptocurrency on that day. High: The highest price during the day. Low: The lowest price during the day. Close: The closing price of the cryptocurrency on that day. Adj Close: The adjusted closing price, factoring in stock splits or dividends (for stablecoins like USDT and USDC, this value should be the same as the closing price). Volume: The trading volume for that day.

Data Source:

The dataset is sourced from Yahoo Finance and spans daily data from 2014 to December 2024, offering a rich set of data points for cryptocurrency analysis.

Use Cases:

Market Analysis: Analyze price trends and historical market behavior of leading cryptocurrencies. Price Prediction: Use the data to build predictive models, such as time-series forecasting for future price movements. Backtesting: Test trading strategies and financial models on historical data. Volatility Analysis: Assess the volatility of top cryptocurrencies to gauge market risk. Overview of the Cryptocurrencies in the Dataset: Bitcoin (BTC): The pioneer cryptocurrency, often referred to as digital gold and used as a store of value. Ethereum (ETH): A decentralized platform for building smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps). Ripple (XRP): A payment protocol focused on enabling fast and low-cost international transfers. Tether (USDT): A popular stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar, providing price stability for trading and transactions. Solana (SOL): A high-speed blockchain known for low transaction fees and scalability, often seen as a competitor to Ethereum. Binance Coin (BNB): The native token of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, used for various purposes within the Binance ecosystem. Dogecoin (DOGE): Initially a meme-inspired coin, Dogecoin has gained a strong community and mainstream popularity. USD Coin (USDC): A fully-backed stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar, commonly used in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Cardano (ADA): A proof-of-stake blockchain focused on scalability, sustainability, and security. Staked Ethereum (STETH): A token representing Ethereum staked in the Ethereum 2.0 network, earning staking rewards.

This dataset provides a comprehensive overview of key cryptocurrencies that have shaped and continue to influence the digital asset market. Whether you're conducting research, building prediction models, or analyzing trends, this dataset is an essential resource for understanding the evolution of cryptocurrencies from 2014 to December 2024.

Ethereum's price history suggests that that crypto was worth more in 2025 than during late 2021, although nowhere near the highest price recorded. Much like Bitcoin (BTC), the price of ETH went up in 2021 but for different reasons altogether: Ethereum, for instance, hit the news when a digital art piece was sold as the world's most expensive NFT for over 38,000 ETH - or 69.3 million U.S. dollars. Unlike Bitcoin, of which the price growth was fueled by the IPO of the U.S.'s biggest crypto trader, Coinbase, the rally on Ethereum came from technological developments that caused much excitement among traders. First, the so-called 'Berlin update' rolled out on the Ethereum network in April 2021, an update that would eventually lead to the Ethereum Merge in 2022 and reduced ETH gas prices - or reduced transaction fees. The collapse of FTX in late 2022, however, changed much for the cryptocurrency. As of July 20, 2025, Ethereum was worth 3,594.32 U.S. dollars - significantly less than the 4,400 U.S. dollars by the end of 2021.Ethereum's future and the DeFi industryPrice developments on Ethereum are difficult to predict but cannot be seen without the world of DeFi, or decentralized finance. This industry used technology to remove intermediaries between parties in a financial transaction. One example includes crypto wallets such as Coinbase Wallet that grew in popularity recently, with other examples including smart contractor Uniswap, Maker (responsible for stablecoin DAI), moneylender Dharma and market protocol Compound. Ethereum's future developments are tied with this industry: Unlike Bitcoin and Ripple, Ethereum is technically not a currency but an open-source software platform for blockchain applications, with Ether being the cryptocurrency that is used inside the Ethereum network. Essentially, Ethereum facilitates DeFi, meaning that if DeFi does well, so does Ethereum.NFTs: the most well-known application of EthereumNFTs or non-fungible tokens, grew nearly tenfold between 2018 and 2020, as can be seen in the market cap of NFTs worldwide. These digital blockchain assets can essentially function as a unique code connected to a digital file, allowing to distinguish the original file from any potential copies. This application is especially prominent in crypto art, although there are other applications: gaming, sports, and collectibles are other segments where NFT sales occur.

Market Segmentations: Application: Transaction

Cryptocurrencies used for online and retail payments

Application: Investment

Cryptocurrencies held as speculative assets or for long-term investments

Application: Others

Blockchain applications in supply chain management, healthcare, and other areas

Type: Bitcoin

The largest and most dominant cryptocurrency in terms of market capitalization

Type: Ethereum

A blockchain platform enabling decentralized applications (dApps) development

Type: Ripple (XRP)

A cryptocurrency designed for cross-border payments and remittances

Type: Litecoin

A faster and more scalable alternative to Bitcoin

Type: Dashcoin

A privacy-oriented cryptocurrency

Type: Others

A wide range of other cryptocurrencies with varying use cases and functionalities

Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Regional Insights

North America: Advanced cryptocurrency and blockchain infrastructure, favorable regulatory environment Europe: Growing adoption of blockchain solutions, particularly in financial services Asia-Pacific: High concentration of cryptocurrency mining and trading, developing regulatory frameworks Latin America: Emerging adoption of cryptocurrencies for remittances and financial inclusion Middle East and Africa: Limited cryptocurrency adoption, evolving regulatory environments

Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Trends

Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Emerging financial services on blockchain platforms Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs): Unique digital assets representing ownership or access Metaverse: Immersive virtual worlds powered by blockchain technology Quantum Computing: Potential to disrupt cryptocurrency mining and blockchain security

Driving Forces: What's Propelling the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Industry

Technological advancements enabling secure and efficient transactions Growing demand for decentralized financial solutions Regulatory clarity and acceptance in key markets Increasing awareness and adoption among institutional investors

Challenges and Restraints in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities and hacking threats Scalability limitations of certain blockchains Regulatory uncertainties and inconsistent enforcement Environmental concerns over cryptocurrency mining

Emerging Trends in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain

Interoperability and Cross-Chain Transactions: Innovations enabling seamless exchange of assets and data between blockchains Digital Identity Management: Blockchain solutions for secure and verifiable digital identities Central Bank Digital Currencies: State-backed cryptocurrencies potentially disrupting traditional payment systems

Growth Catalysts in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Industry

Increasing investment in blockchain startups and R&D Growing demand for blockchain solutions from enterprises Government initiatives to support digital transformation and innovation Potential for wider adoption of cryptocurrencies as a payment and investment vehicle

Leading Players in the Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Industry

Intel Corporation Microsoft Corporation NVIDIA Corporation BitFury Group Limited Alphapoint Corporation Advanced Micro Devices Xilinx BitGo Ripple BTL Group Ltd.

Significant Developments in Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Sector

Bitcoin breaking new all-time highs in value Launch of Ethereum 2.0 upgrade, improving scalability and reducing transaction costs Growing adoption of blockchain solutions in healthcare, supply chain management, and finance Regulatory bodies around the world establishing frameworks for cryptocurrency and blockchain businesses

The Bitcoin (BTC) price again reached an all-time high in 2025, as values exceeded over 117,901.63 USD on July 20, 2025. Price hikes in early 2025 were connected to the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the United States, while previous hikes in 2021 were due to events involving Tesla and Coinbase, respectively. Tesla's announcement in March 2021 that it had acquired 1.5 billion U.S. dollars' worth of the digital coin, for example, as well as the IPO of the U.S.'s biggest crypto exchange, fueled mass interest. The market was noticeably different by the end of 2022, however, after another crypto exchange, FTX, filed for bankruptcy.Is the world running out of Bitcoin?Unlike fiat currency like the U.S. dollar - as the Federal Reserve can simply decide to print more banknotes - Bitcoin's supply is finite: BTC has a maximum supply embedded in its design, of which roughly 89 percent had been reached in April 2021. It is believed that Bitcoin will run out by 2040, despite more powerful mining equipment. This is because mining becomes exponentially more difficult and power-hungry every four years, a part of Bitcoin's original design. Because of this, a Bitcoin mining transaction could equal the energy consumption of a small country in 2021.Bitcoin's price outlook: a potential bubble?Cryptocurrencies have few metrics available that allow for forecasting, if only because it is rumored that only a few cryptocurrency holders own a large portion of the available supply. These large holders - referred to as 'whales'-are' said to make up two percent of anonymous ownership accounts, while owning roughly 92 percent of BTC. On top of this, most people who use cryptocurrency-related services worldwide are retail clients rather than institutional investors. This means outlooks on whether Bitcoin prices will fall or grow are difficult to measure, as movements from one large whale are already having a significant impact on this market.

The price of the cryptocurrency based on the famous internet meme broke its price decline in early November 2022, as people started buying the coin after FTX's collapse. This rally only lasted for a few days, however, as a Dogecoin was worth roughly 0.24 U.S. dollars on July 20, 2025. This is a different development than in 2021, when the crypto became very popular in a short amount of time. Between January 28 and January 29, 2021, Dogecoin's value grew by around 216 percent to 0.023535 U.S. dollars after comments from Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The digital coin quickly grew to become the most talked-about cryptocurrency available, not necessarily for its price - the prices of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), and several other virtual currencies were much higher than those of DOGE - but for its growth.

Bitcoin ranked as one of the most expensive cryptocurrencies existing by April 2024 - although values changed noticeably. Bitcoin had the most expensive cryptocurrency for a while, but Ethereum was significantly cheaper, with a price that was roughly 30 times less than that of the most well-known digital currency. However, Bitcoin is in a unique position. Ethereum is one of several cryptocurrencies, for instance, that come from blockchains that focus on making financial applications possible. Bitcoin, or a digital equivalent of gold When one categorizes the different types of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin stands out as it is one of the few that are essentially meant to store digital value. Some describe Bitcoin as a digital version of gold, purely designed to hold or possibly purchasing power over time. It has no other applications built around it, and is considered too slow to perform financial transactions. Stablecoins, the less volatile cryptocurrency Many coins in this ranking stand out as their price seemingly has not changed as much as others. This is because these are stablecoins - cryptocurrencies pegged to the price development of an external asset. This group of digital assets comprise an increasing share within the overall crypto market. Some see these coins as the future of retail payments, whereas others view these coins as a "safe" addition to their crypto investments.

Blockchain transactions of XRP - otherwise known as Ripple - reached over *** million in early February 2021, a sudden increase from previous months. Compared to other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, this transaction volume was significantly larger. Despite the high transaction volume, when contrasted to the market capitalization of several cryptocurrencies, Ripple holds a small share of the overall market.

Based on Google searches, consumers from Africa and Latin America made up ***** of the top 10 countries with the most interest in Bitcoin in 2020. This according to information that was compiled from Google Trends, which compared searches with the keyword "Bitcoin" against searches for **** other cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Dogecoin, Ethereum, IOTA, Litecoin, Monero, XRP, and Tron. Bitcoin search interest was especially high in Kenya, whilst Nigeria and South Africa were fifth and ***** in a ranking that compares the ** different countries against each other. Note that the figures provided here were from before the surge in both the price of Bitcoin as well as the Bitcoin market cap observed at the end of 2020 and early 2021.

After several fluctuations in earlier years, the price of Tether or USDT since 2020 achieved the stability against the U.S. dollar that it was designed to reach. In 2021, Tether ranks as one of the biggest cryptocurrencies in the world and is regarded as the most well-known "stablecoin", or cryptocurrency that is connected to the price development of another, real-world asset. As Tether's USDT code suggest, the token is, in this case, connected to the U.S. dollar. This effectively means that a single Tether will nearly always be worth one single U.S. dollar. This relative stability, unlike the price development of, say, Ripple (XRP), is what defines a stablecoin and is especially important for decentralized lending and borrowing. This particular segment made up roughly half of the overall value locked in Decentralized Finance or DeFi.