In a bold reaffirmation of Bitcoin’s dominance, renowned crypto analyst PlanB has once again positioned Bitcoin (BTC) as the true north of the cryptocurrency market—leaving Ethereum (ETH) and XRP trailing in its wake. With market dynamics shifting and investor sentiment evolving, PlanB’s latest insights spotlight a crucial divergence: while altcoins struggle to keep pace, Bitcoin remains the sole driver of the current bull cycle.
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Bitcoin’s Unmatched Market Leadership
PlanB, best known for creating the Stock-to-Flow (S2F) model that predicts Bitcoin’s long-term price trajectory, recently took to social media to emphasize a striking trend. According to his analysis, both Ethereum and XRP are losing significant ground against Bitcoin, not just in price but in relative market strength.
The ETH/BTC trading ratio—a key metric for gauging Ethereum’s performance against Bitcoin—has dropped below 0.03 BTC. This marks a 44% decline over the past year and represents one of the weakest performances during a bull market in Ethereum’s history. For context, this level was last seen back in 2016, suggesting that despite technological advancements and widespread adoption in DeFi and NFTs, Ethereum is failing to gain meaningful traction against the original cryptocurrency.
Similarly, XRP’s value in Bitcoin terms has plummeted to just 0.00003 BTC per coin. This means it would take over 33,000 XRP to equal one Bitcoin—a level not seen since 2013. Such a prolonged stagnation underscores growing skepticism around XRP’s ability to evolve beyond its core payment use case.
PlanB summed up the sentiment succinctly: “Bitcoin is the signal, shitcoins are noise IMO.” This stark assessment reflects a growing belief among institutional-grade investors and long-term holders that Bitcoin stands alone as digital gold—immune to the speculative swings that plague altcoins.
Why Altcoins Are Losing Ground
While Ethereum and XRP each have compelling narratives, they face structural challenges that limit their upside relative to Bitcoin.
Ethereum: Innovation vs. Market Reality
Ethereum has long been hailed as the “world computer,” powering decentralized applications, smart contracts, and the entire DeFi ecosystem. Its role in enabling yield farming, NFTs, and Web3 infrastructure has earned it a loyal developer base and investor following.
However, despite these innovations, Ethereum has yet to surpass Bitcoin in market capitalization—even during peak hype cycles. It came close in 2017 during the ICO boom and again in 2021 amid the NFT explosion, but each time, Bitcoin reasserted its dominance.
One reason lies in market psychology. Bitcoin benefits from first-mover advantage, scarcity (capped supply of 21 million), and increasing institutional adoption through ETFs and treasury holdings. In contrast, Ethereum’s uncapped supply and ongoing scalability debates create uncertainty.
Moreover, while Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism aim to reduce fees and improve speed, they fragment the user experience—something Bitcoin avoids by prioritizing security and simplicity over feature bloat.
XRP: Payments Promise Without Price Momentum
XRP, developed by Ripple Labs, aims to revolutionize cross-border payments with fast settlement times and low transaction costs. Its partnerships with financial institutions have generated headlines for years.
Yet, despite real-world utility, XRP’s price performance remains lackluster. With a current market cap of $152.6 billion compared to Ethereum’s $341.1 billion, it lacks the network effects needed to challenge top-tier cryptos.
Even more telling is its recent surge in trading volume—XRP briefly surpassed Ethereum with $27.6 billion in 24-hour volume. While this indicates short-term speculative interest, high volume doesn’t always translate to sustainable value growth. Without broader ecosystem development or regulatory clarity, XRP risks becoming a trading vehicle rather than a store of value.
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The Broader Bull Market: Driven by Bitcoin Alone?
On February 2, 2025, the broader crypto market saw a rebound, fueled largely by Bitcoin’s 4.2% surge to $99,335. Ethereum followed with a modest 3.7% gain, while other major altcoins—including Solana (SOL), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Binance Coin (BNB)—posted smaller increases.
This pattern reinforces PlanB’s thesis: Bitcoin leads, others follow. When BTC moves decisively upward, altcoins experience temporary rallies—but they fail to sustain momentum independently.
Market analysts attribute this latest rally to macroeconomic factors, including the postponement of proposed tariffs by former U.S. President Donald Trump on China, Canada, and Mexico. Such geopolitical shifts often boost risk appetite, benefiting volatile assets like cryptocurrencies.
Still, the fact remains: no other digital asset has demonstrated the same resilience or global recognition as Bitcoin. From corporate balance sheets adding BTC to national reserves considering it as strategic holdings, Bitcoin continues to mature as an asset class—while altcoins remain speculative plays.
Core Keywords Driving This Narrative
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These keywords reflect what users are actively searching for: clarity on which assets are leading the market, whether altcoins can catch up, and how expert analysts interpret current trends.
FAQs About Bitcoin’s Market Position
Q: Is Ethereum still a good investment if it's losing ground to Bitcoin?
A: Yes, but with caveats. Ethereum offers real utility in DeFi, NFTs, and smart contracts. However, its price growth may lag behind Bitcoin during risk-off periods. Long-term investors should consider diversification but recognize that BTC remains the benchmark.
Q: Why is the ETH/BTC ratio important?
A: It shows how much Ethereum is worth in terms of Bitcoin. A declining ratio means ETH is weakening relative to BTC—often signaling reduced investor confidence in altcoins during bull markets.
Q: Can XRP ever surpass Bitcoin in value?
A: Based on current adoption and market structure, it’s highly unlikely. XRP serves a specific purpose in payments but lacks the scarcity, brand recognition, and decentralized security model that make Bitcoin a global reserve asset.
Q: What does 'Bitcoin is the signal' mean?
A: It means Bitcoin reflects true market sentiment and macroeconomic trends. When BTC rises sustainably, it signals genuine demand—not just speculation. Altcoins may spike temporarily, but only BTC confirms lasting bullish momentum.
Q: Should I sell my altcoins and buy only Bitcoin?
A: That depends on your risk tolerance and goals. Many investors hold a mix of BTC for stability and select altcoins for higher growth potential. However, during uncertain times, rotating into Bitcoin often reduces portfolio volatility.
Q: How reliable is PlanB’s analysis?
A: PlanB gained credibility with his Stock-to-Flow model, which accurately predicted past BTC price movements within broad ranges. While not infallible, his focus on data-driven metrics makes his insights valuable for long-term investors.
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