A growing number of crypto analysts are drawing an interesting comparison between XRP and the early days of the internet. The idea is simple: just as the internet changed how information moves around the world, XRP could be doing the same for money.
The comparison was recently discussed by Paul Barron and Apex Crypto Consulting, which outlined how today’s XRP Ledger mirrors the early foundations of the internet. Back in the 1990s, the internet was powered by a basic technology called TCP/IP. While most people never heard of it, it allowed data to move in small packets across networks and quietly laid the groundwork for the digital world we know today.
According to Apex Crypto Consulting, Ripple and the XRP Ledger are positioned in a similar way. Rather than focusing on apps or speculation, the network is designed to move value itself, leading to what many now call the “internet of value.”
The expert explains that not all blockchains are built for this role. While many networks focus on smart contracts or tokenization, XRP is designed specifically as a bridge asset. When money needs to move between different currencies or financial systems, XRP can sit in the middle and complete the transfer quickly and at low cost.
This vision is not new. Ripple has spoken publicly about building the internet of value for more than six years. Apex Crypto Consulting also points out that even Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has previously acknowledged that Ethereum is not aiming to be the internet of value, while Ripple is.
That leads to a bigger question: if XRP helps settle value for an entirely new financial network, how valuable could that network become?
Measuring the value of today’s internet is difficult because there has only ever been one. It started slowly, gained adoption in the late 1990s, and then expanded at an extraordinary pace. Today, more data is created in minutes than was produced in years during the early days of the web.
Apex Crypto Consulting says value transfer could follow a similar path. As more payments, trades, and financial activity move onto blockchain-based systems, demand for a neutral bridge asset could increase sharply.
Unlike the internet of information, which never had a token capturing its utility, the internet of value does. According to Apex Crypto Consulting, XRP plays that role by capturing the utility of moving value between different assets and networks.
As transaction volumes grow, institutions may initially source XRP through private channels such as OTC desks. Over time, however, sustained demand would likely push activity toward public markets and on-ledger order books.
The expert said that as usage increases, the price mechanism becomes important, allowing XRP to handle larger volumes of value through its divisibility.
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