Cardano's Surge Fades Without Real-World Adoption

Cardano's recent surge of nearly 30% is not yet sustainable without real-world adoption, experts warn. The price increase stems from a single test transaction on x402 and a short squeeze, rather than actual usage.

XRP, on the other hand, has already processed over 1.4 million AI-agent payments via x402, holds $1.4 billion in U.S. ETFs, and lost fewer percentage points in 2026 compared to Cardano.

For Cardano to maintain its gains, it must launch x402 payments on the mainnet with real transaction volume soon. Delays could significantly retrace this 30% gain.

XRP's recent week also benefited from a short squeeze, as exchanges liquidated around $300 million worth of short positions across the market in just one hour on September 21.