After a rough year, Bitcoin is back up above the $80,000 mark, and with it, XRP (XRP -2.64%) is once again trading near $1.50.

The rally has put XRP back on investors’ radar. But the token’s long-term case depends on a lot more than where Bitcoin goes next or any boost it gets from a change in regulation.

So, what does it depend on? And is now the time to jump back in? Where will XRP be in five years?

Why Ripple’s success may not lift XRP

XRP’s thesis has always depended on the success of Ripple, the private company behind the token.

There’s a world in which five years from now, Ripple has become an essential part of international finance. Here, XRP is used to move hundreds of billions of dollars across borders, saving time and money….