CNBC Host of ‘Crypto Trader’ Says Never to XRP

Ran Neuner, Host of CNBC’s “Crypto Trader” show, insists he will never get along with the XRP community despite recent developments surrounding the XRP and Solana ecosystems.

Neuner (@cryptomanran), who has been a persistent XRP critic, is not ready to extend an olive branch just yet. The veteran market commentator confirmed this in a recent disclosure on X when asked about the possibility of such a move following a recent development that brought the XRP and Solana communities together.

XRP Now on Solana

For context, on Dec. 12, Hex Trust, an institutional custodian, confirmed the launch of wrapped XRP (wXRP), a 1:1 version of native XRP that works across multiple blockchains, including Solana, Ethereum, Optimism, and HyperEVM. 

Hex Trust built the project on LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) standard, allowing holders to mint and redeem through fully compliant systems while keeping full custody. Notably, this opens up XRP for lending, liquidity pools, and yield farming.

Neuner Maintains Hostility

Following the development, Vibhu Norby, Solana Foundation’s Head of Product Marketing, who has also been a persistent critic of XRP, turned a new leaf, taking to X to acknowledge XRP’s unique value proposition. Vibhu stressed that he has come to understand the uniqueness of XRP and its community.

However, Neuner, who has also identified as a long-term Solana proponent, confirmed he would not be changing his stance. Citing the latest XRP-Solana development, crypto investor Pedro Silva suggested that it may be time for Neuner and the XRP community to finally get along on Solana, which Silva called Neuner’s favorite network.

Responding, Neuner simply said “Never,” suggesting he has no intentions of building back the bridges he has burned with the XRP community after years of persistently criticizing the token and its investors.

Neuner’s Persistent XRP Criticisms

Neuner’s criticisms go as far back as 2018, after XRP collapsed from the $3.3 peak earlier that year. While the market pundit has often made positive statements surrounding XRP, especially after its legal victory against former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, his overall stance on XRP is that it is overvalued and centralized.

For instance, in February 2022, when Terra (LUNA) continued to gain ground in the market, Neuner suggested that the token was on the verge of overtaking Solana. 

However, he questioned how XRP actually remains above both SOL and LUNA, implying that it ought to be valued less. Interestingly, three months later, LUNA crashed by 99%.

Meanwhile, in January 2021, Neuner predicted that XRP would lose its top 10 spot by June 2021 and further drop below the top 20 list of largest crypto assets by the end of 2021. Nonetheless, this failed to materialize, as XRP held its 7th spot throughout 2021. Today, it has claimed the 4th spot despite ongoing market turbulence.

Some XRP Critics Have Flipped

Notably, some other market pundits who also persistently criticized XRP appear to have changed their stance. For instance, veteran analyst Raoul Pal, who insisted that XRP holders switch to other assets, admitted his wrong after XRP soared in November 2024. Pal has since flipped bullish. 

In addition, industry leader and billionaire Mike Novogratz also changed his stance on XRP after years of criticism, suggesting earlier this year that XRP has remained relevant due to its vibrant community. Last month, Novogratz said XRP is one of the few assets that actually turned into money.