The debate over the true value of XRP<\/a> resurfaces cyclically, but it takes on a different dimension when Santiago Santos drives the conversation. As an investor who has funded over 150 companies<\/strong> in the crypto ecosystem, Santos delivered a sharp analysis in a recent podcast with Keith and Ben. His main argument does not focus on the technology behind the XRP Ledger or on-chain metrics, but rather on something much harder to build: mainstream recognition. “Walk down the street… people won’t say Solana or Ethereum. They will say Ripple. Without a doubt.” This quote sums up a reality that many in the industry prefer to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mainstream awareness of the Ripple name is no coincidence. It has been built on years of media exposure, amplified by the legal battle with the SEC, which paradoxically kept the project in the headlines for years. Santos claims that Ripple managed to “meme itself into existence,” capturing a mindshare that few crypto projects have successfully achieved outside the insider bubble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To understand why this brand awareness matters in crypto adoption, we need to look at past cycles. During every bull run, the assets that retail investors already know are the first to capture capital inflows. Bitcoin<\/a>, then Ethereum<\/a>, then Ripple\/XRP. The hierarchy of awareness translates directly into a hierarchy of incoming capital during FOMO phases. It is a structural advantage that is hard to quantify but difficult to dispute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n