Decoding BNB’s strength as XRP loses ground in high-cap rankings

Because the market heads towards 2026, traders are trying to find alternatives.

Notably, Binance Coin [BNB] regarded prefer it’s quietly constructing a strong base. Yearly, BNB has been up 27%, making it the one top-five high-cap nonetheless holding inexperienced whereas others proceed to bleed capital.

That divergence grew to become clearer on a quarterly view. Regardless of the fourth quarter shaping up as 2025’s weakest, BNB nonetheless traded about 30% above its Q3 open.

Supply: TradingView (BNB/USDT)

In brief, Binance Coin held agency regardless of macro strain throughout crypto markets.

In opposition to this backdrop, BNB overtaking Ripple [XRP] in market capitalization can’t be a fluke.

For context, after pushing previous $120 billion, BNB has formally flipped XRP, transferring into the third-largest crypto spot.

Notably, this transfer is beginning to present up within the core technicals.

Wanting on the XRP/BNB chart, the ratio fell about 8.5% over the previous month, sliding farther from its July peak close to 0.003. Capital rotation more and more favored BNB.

The important thing query: Can this momentum maintain into 2026?

BNB’s on-chain power alerts a shift in high-cap rankings

Binance Coin’s power stood out because the broader altcoin market broke down. 

After a powerful Q3 push that despatched the Altcoin Season Index to 80, momentum has light. In opposition to this backdrop, BNB retaining its This autumn losses under 80% suggests traders are already positioning for a restoration.

On-chain information is reinforcing this narrative.

From a DeFi angle, Binance Smart Chain [BSC] has seen solely a modest 9% dip in TVL, which stood close to $6.86 billion at press time.

In contrast, XRP’s DeFi exercise was down 30% to only $68 million.

Supply: DeFiLlama

In brief, the widening TVL hole pointed to capital sticking with Binance Coin.

Buyers seem dedicated to the chain for the lengthy haul, which helps clarify why BNB’s power versus XRP doesn’t appear like a short-term blip, however reasonably the early phases of a reversal in crypto market rankings.

Because of this, 2026 more and more resembled Binance Coin’s 2025 setup. A deeper slide within the XRP/BNB ratio might observe, retaining BNB positioned for stronger relative returns amongst high-cap belongings.

Closing Ideas

• Regardless of a weak This autumn and broader altcoin losses, BNB stays up 27% yearly and 30% above its Q3 open, exhibiting resilience amid macro FUD.
• TVL on BSC is down simply 9% versus XRP’s 30% decline, whereas the XRP/BNB ratio weakens, pointing to a possible long-term rotation and a high-cap rating shift in 2026.