AI models project XRP could reach $2.50–$10 if Ripple secures a Federal Reserve master account, with approval paused until December 31, 2026.

President Trump's May 19 executive order has put Ripple's application for a Fed master account back in the spotlight. A Fed master account would give Ripple a direct line into the U.S. payment system, allowing it to clear and settle transactions through Fedwire and FedNow without intermediaries—a privilege previously reserved exclusively for traditional banks.

Four AI models mapped out XRP price scenarios: ChatGPT projects $2.50–$3.00 by August 2026 under base conditions (with a 25% probability bullish scenario to $5); Grok targets $2.50–$2.80 base with $10 as an upper target tied to Bitcoin clearing $100,000; Claude forecasts $1.35–$1.65 for the remainder of 2026 with 50% probability, leaving room for $8–$14 if ETF inflows exceed $10 billion; Vincent Van Code's model targets $6–$10 for 2026 and projects $80 by 2032.

Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick cut his year-end target to $2.80 (from an original $8 set in April 2025) after XRP crashed to $1.16 in February, but raised his longer-term roadmap to $28 by 2030, with stepping stones of $7 in 2027 and $12.60 in 2028. Broader analyst consensus clusters between $5 and $10 if the CLARITY Act clears Congress.

The Federal Reserve has paused new Tier 3 master account decisions until December 31, 2026, and approval is far from guaranteed. Kraken became the first crypto firm to receive a master account through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City in March 2026.