Perplexity AI's shocking prediction: XRP will increase fivefold by the end of the year, with SOL and ZEC leading the gains.

Perplexity AI’s latest predictions indicate that XRP, SOL, and ZEC holders will see substantial gains by Christmas 2025. XRP is forecasted to reach $10 to $15 by the end of the year, Solana aims for $450, and Zcash targets $1200. Since the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, market sentiment has improved, and investors are increasingly favoring risk.

XRP End-of-Year Forecast $10 to $15, Legal Victory Paves the Way

(Source: Trading View)

Perplexity AI predicts that Ripple’s XRP could rise to the $10-$15 range by the end of this year, representing nearly a 500% increase from the current level of around $2.54. This XRP forecast is not unfounded but based on multiple catalysts. Earlier this year, Ripple won a lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, boosting market confidence and driving XRP to a seven-year high of $3.65 in July.

Over the past year, XRP’s price surged approximately 335%, outperforming Bitcoin and Ethereum significantly. This outperformance indicates XRP is attracting independent capital flows, a hallmark of strong assets. Ripple’s launch of the RLUSD stablecoin, along with close ties to regulators and policymakers—including CEO Brad Garlinghouse’s engagement with the White House—has helped position Ripple as one of the most compliance-focused companies in the industry.

During summer, XRP’s price chart showed two unrealized bullish flag patterns, with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) soaring to 72, indicating strong buying momentum in the past 24 hours, with a 10% increase. Bullish flags are key continuation patterns in technical analysis, often signaling a strong upward breakout. The presence of two unrealized flags suggests XRP still has unexploited upside potential.

New catalysts, such as ETF approvals, strategic partnerships, or further regulatory clarity, could push XRP toward the $15 target by 2026. Canary Capital and 21Shares have submitted 8(a) forms, with a 20-day countdown underway. If ETFs are successfully launched and attract institutional inflows, XRP could realize the $10-$15 forecast before year-end. Additionally, if Ripple’s application for a U.S. national bank charter is approved, it could open a new chapter for institutional adoption of XRP.

SOL Forecast $450, ETF Effect Sparks Institutional Demand

(Source: Trading View)

Perplexity AI states that Solana is one of the strongest-performing blockchain projects heading into the end of the year. With a market cap exceeding $93.7 billion and over $10 billion locked in DeFi protocols, Solana continues to demonstrate robust network activity and developer engagement. Recently, Bitwise and Grayscale received approval to list Solana ETFs in the U.S., reigniting optimism among agents and retail investors. In the coming months, SOL is expected to see significant capital inflows similar to those experienced after Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF launches.

Known for its high throughput, minimal fees, and growing adoption in stablecoin settlement and tokenization, Solana appears poised to attract institutional attention. It can process over 65,000 transactions per second with transaction fees typically below $0.001, making it ideal for high-frequency trading and large-scale applications.

After reaching a high of $250 in January, SOL fell to around $100 in April and is currently trading near $166, down approximately 42% from its all-time high of $293. It is now in a breakout phase of a bullish flag pattern, increasing the likelihood of reaching the $450 target forecasted by Perplexity AI in December.

From the current $166 to $450, this represents a 171% potential increase. While aggressive, this forecast is plausible considering the ETF catalysts and technical breakout patterns. Success depends on ETF capital inflows in the first month and Solana’s ecosystem maintaining leadership in DeFi, NFTs, and tokenized assets.

Three Pillars Supporting Solana’s $450 Target

Continued ETF Capital Inflows: Institutional buying provides structural demand

Ecosystem Expansion: TVL surpassing $15 billion, growing dApp ecosystem

Technical Strength: High-performance advantages validated in RWA and stablecoin settlement

ZEC Forecast $1200, Privacy Coin King Gains 1255% Annually

(Source: Trading View)

Launched in 2016 as a fork of Bitcoin, Zcash employs advanced cryptography to prioritize user privacy and confidentiality. Its core protocol, zk-SNARKs (“Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge”), allows transaction verification without revealing sender or receiver details. Zcash offers flexible options for secure and transparent transactions, balancing privacy with regulatory compliance.

Over the past year, ZEC’s price soared by 1255%, with a 60% increase in the last 7 days. Currently trading around $605, it outperforms all other top 100 cryptocurrencies. Notably, this rally appears unrelated to the broader privacy coin market and shows low correlation with Monero (XMR) and similar cryptocurrencies, indicating Zcash’s unique value proposition rather than sector-wide hype.

The RSI for Zcash is near 55, suggesting room for further gains. An RSI below 70 typically indicates the asset is not overbought, leaving technical space for continued upward movement. Perplexity AI believes Zcash has enough momentum to approach $1200 before the new year. From $605 to $1200, this forecast implies nearly a doubling opportunity of about 100%.

Zcash’s explosive rise is driven by increasing global demand for digital privacy amid tightening financial surveillance and data tracking. Prominent investors like Arthur Hayes have publicly stated that Zcash is the second-largest holding in their family offices after Bitcoin, providing strong narrative support for its growth.

Three Major Black Horse Assets: Synergy and Investment Strategies

XRP, SOL, and ZEC are all leaders in their respective sectors and face key catalysts. XRP signifies a compliant payment network post-regulation clarity; SOL represents a high-performance smart contract platform; ZEC embodies privacy protection technology. Perplexity AI remains optimistic about all three, suggesting market conditions by late 2025 will favor multiple sectors simultaneously.

Veteran traders note that deep corrections often mark the end of distribution phases, clearing excessive leverage before a bull restart. Unlike previous cycles dominated by Bitcoin’s “store of value” narrative, the next major rally may be led by altcoins. Since the Fed’s recent 25 basis point rate cut, market sentiment has improved, and risk appetite has increased as Christmas approaches. A month-long correction appears to be concluding, indicating the crypto market may be preparing for a strong rebound.

Investment Allocation Recommendations

Conservative: XRP 60% (most regulation-clear), SOL 30%, ZEC 10%

Balanced: XRP 40%, SOL 40%, ZEC 20%

Aggressive: ZEC 50% (highest upside potential), SOL 30%, XRP 20%

Considering risk-reward, XRP’s potential 500% gains combined with its minimal regulatory risk make it a relatively stable choice. SOL’s 171% upside, supported by ETF catalysts and technical breakout patterns, offers a balanced risk-return profile. ZEC’s doubling potential is the highest, but regulatory uncertainties for privacy coins mean it suits risk-tolerant investors.