XRP Marks Its First Major Victory by Surpassing Bitcoin in Trading in Australia

In the first orbit around the sun since its 2025 rebirth, XRP achieved a historic milestone in Australia: for the first time in four years, it surpassed Bitcoin as the most traded digital asset on BTC Markets, the country’s leading cryptocurrency platform. The data reveal not just a momentary shift in preference but a significant pattern reflecting how Australian investors are repositioning their strategies in the digital asset market.

The First Time XRP Leads in Trading Volume

According to BTC Markets’ 2025 annual investor research report, XRP took the lead in trading activity, dethroning a cryptocurrency that had dominated trading for years. This transformation is particularly notable considering Bitcoin’s performance during the same period: BTC saw an impressive 70% increase, reaching new all-time highs in 2025. Despite this extraordinary performance, trading momentum shifted to XRP.

Ripple’s asset experienced a volatile trajectory in 2025: starting the year at US$3.34 in January, increasing to US$3.66 in July, before a significant correction brought the price back to approximately US$1.80 at year’s end. Even amid this price volatility, interest in trading XRP remained high, signaling that traders were focused on something beyond pure speculation.

The Role of Real Utility Driving Interest

BTC Markets attributed this historic shift to XRP’s unique positioning as a demand-driven liquidity tool (ODL - On-Demand Liquidity) with Ripple. This connection places the token directly into real-world payment flows, offering a practical function beyond purely speculative cycles. Utility-based demand tends to generate consistent trading volume, especially during periods of market instability.

The Australian XRP community also played a crucial role. This community engagement kept volumes high even when prices fluctuated, suggesting traders were continuously readjusting their positions rather than abandoning their exposure to the asset. XRP’s value proposition for fast, low-cost international payments continues to attract users focused on practical applications.

Bitcoin and XRP: Two Distinct Roles in the Portfolio

While XRP leads in trading activity, Bitcoin maintains an uncontested dominance in another crucial aspect: long-term ownership. BTC Markets’ national consumer survey revealed that 68% of respondents own Bitcoin, reinforcing its role as a strategic foundation of portfolios. This dichotomy between trading volume and ownership reflects a sophisticated strategy among Australian investors: they separate utility-based operations from conviction-based long-term holdings.

Bitcoin continues to benefit from its economic scarcity and unique macroeconomic position, while XRP draws attention for its applicability in real-world payments. This complementarity explains why Bitcoin remains widely held even as XRP leads trading dynamics in the local market.

The Broader Evolution of the Australian Market

Beyond XRP and Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Solana complete the top 5 assets traded on BTC Markets during FY24 to FY25. The reduction of USDC in the preference list suggests investors are less focused on capital preservation strategies and more oriented toward assets with substantial network activity and real-world use.

BTC Markets served 374,000 Australians during the fiscal year, with an aggregate trading volume reaching US$4 billion. Indicators of sophistication include a 25% increase in average trade size and a 17% growth in daily volumes, suggesting a more deliberate and strategic capital allocation rather than impulsive speculative activity.

The Deeper Meaning of This First Orbit

XRP’s first dominance in trading volume on BTC Markets does not signal any decline of Bitcoin. Instead, it reflects an evolving market where more sophisticated traders explore utility narratives while firmly positioning Bitcoin as a core asset for long-term strategies. Australian data demonstrate that it is possible to have multiple winners in different usage contexts—a pattern that may repeat in other markets as the crypto space continues to mature.