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Pierre Rochard Explains Why XRP and ETH Fall Short Against Bitcoin
Will XRP and ETH Ever Beat Bitcoin? Prominent Bitcoin advocate Pierre Rochard has dismissed the idea that popular altcoins such as Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) could surpass Bitcoin. His argument centers on what he calls the clash between the utility thesis of altcoins and the monetary thesis that underpins Bitcoin.
According to Rochard, many alternative cryptocurrencies—including ETH and XRP—derive their value from specific use cases. For example, XRP’s price is believed to grow as adoption increases in cross-border payments. In contrast, Rochard argues that Bitcoin’s value is not tied to transaction volume. Instead, its strength comes from decentralization, censorship resistance, fixed supply, and powerful network effects.
Why Altcoins Can’t Win
Rochard also suggested that any major company could launch its own blockchain to replicate the functionalities offered by altcoins. This, he argues, undermines the long-term advantage of tokens that rely heavily on utility-driven narratives. By contrast, Bitcoin stands apart as a monetary asset, immune to competition based on individual use cases.
The XRP Question
This debate isn’t new. Tom Zschach, an executive at Swift, recently questioned whether banks would be willing to absorb the extra costs of using XRP as a bridge currency. His comments echo ongoing doubts about the real-world viability of some utility-based cryptocurrencies.
Adding to the confusion, a fake CoinMarketCap screenshot from 2018 continues to circulate on social media, falsely suggesting that XRP once overtook Bitcoin. The misleading image relied on the fully diluted market cap figure of $238 million, which counted all 100 billion tokens, including those not in circulation.
Bitcoin’s Enduring Role
For Rochard, these examples underscore a broader truth: while altcoins may find niches through utility, they are unlikely to dethrone Bitcoin’s dominant position as the world’s leading digital store of value.
