BNB Overtakes XRP as the Third-Largest Crypto by Market Cap

BNB has claimed the third spot among cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, surpassing XRP in the process. On October 7, it hit an all-time high of $1,336.57, taking its market cap beyond $180 billion and leaving XRP and Tether behind. Traders and analysts are now debating whether this is long-term growth or just a short-term rise.

What Caused BNB’s Market Cap Growth?

BNB’s rise has been impressive. Over the past seven days, its market capitalization grew by nearly 28%, adding around $40 billion in value. By comparison, Bitcoin increased about 5% and Ether rose 8.4% in the same period. The pace and scale of BNB’s growth have attracted attention from investors and analysts tracking market trends.

The rally coincided with XRP’s decline, which fell 3.27% during BNB’s surge. BNB reached a market cap of $185 billion at its peak, later settling near $182 billion, keeping it above XRP’s $171 billion. This demonstrates how momentum can move between assets, especially when they compete for investor focus and liquidity.

The increase is underpinned by price trends and on-chain metrics. Maintaining levels above $1,200 shows steady demand for BNB, while BNB Chain recorded more than 60 million monthly active addresses, a sign of rising usage and adoption that reinforces the coin’s strength.

The Speculation Around BNB’s Rally

BNB’s recent surge has sparked a lot of discussion on social media. Some people have raised concerns about market manipulation. Claims include Binance buying millions of BNB to influence prices or creating artificial rallies. Binance and founder Changpeng Zhao have not commented on these rumors.

Other analysts say the rally is supported by real network activity. CZ has promoted development on BNB Chain, suggesting the ecosystem’s growth is behind the token’s gains. Experts like Momin Saqib point out that strong chain activity and technical levels show BNB’s rise is not only speculation, even if social media spreads doubt.

It is worth noting that rapid rallies can trigger overbought conditions. BNB’s Relative Strength Index is 77.38, which could mean a short-term pullback, but the overall trend remains positive.

XRP’s Position and Potential Recovery

Compared to BNB, XRP’s price action has been more restrained. The token has had trouble exceeding the $3 resistance level, limiting its upside. For XRP to strengthen, it needs to break past $3.10 to $3.20 with sufficient trading volume, which could lead it to $3.50. BNB’s strong support levels and active network activity continue to offer a foundation for growth, though small pullbacks remain possible.

Broader market conditions also play a role. Modest gains in ETH and BTC provide context for BNB and XRP, illustrating that individual tokens may not always follow overall market trends. In this environment, traders should carefully manage liquidity and positioning when looking at short-term opportunities.

What’s Next for BNB and XRP?

BNB surpassing XRP underscores its increasing role in the cryptocurrency market. Backed by strong price movements, high network activity, and active use on BNB Chain, the token has built a solid foundation that could support continued growth, although short-term pullbacks are still possible. XRP’s recovery will rely on breaking key resistance levels and regaining trading volume to regain upward momentum.