XRP and Chainlink prices have both lost roughly half their value over the past year, despite high-profile partnerships with major financial institutions. XRP traded at $1.41 on September 5, down 24% since January 1, while Chainlink stood at $11.74, down 4% over the same period. The divergence in their year-to-date performance stems from different starting points in late 2025 rather than the success of their respective business deals.
Chainlink provides software that feeds external data, such as share prices and payment confirmations, into blockchains. The company has partnered with SWIFT since 2024 to facilitate blockchain payments through existing bank messaging systems. In 2025, S&P Global integrated its stablecoin ratings onto the Chainlink network, and SBI Group signed a partnership in August. A recent agreement with Bottomline, a provider of payment software to more than 600 banks moving $16 trillion annually, allows those banks to send payments via blockchain without altering their current systems.
These announcements have not produced sustained price increases for the Chainlink token, known as LINK. On August 25, 2025, LINK fell 6% following the SBI announcement. When Chainlink joined 47 banks in Project Pangea on June 23, 2026, the price remained largely unchanged. Although LINK rose 6% to $12 on September 3 after the Bottomline deal, the agreement does not require the participating banks to buy or hold the token. Consequently, the software is being used while the coin's value declines; LINK is down 48% in the twelve months leading to September 5.
XRP operates differently, designed to bridge currency conversions where payments convert into XRP on one side and out on the other. Ripple sells this service to banks, with the expectation that increased payment volume would drive demand for the coin. However, recent high-profile deals have focused on brand visibility rather than token utility. In July 2026, Kansas Athletics signed a five-year partnership with Ripple to display an XRP patch on jerseys. On September 4, Florida Athletics announced a multi-year deal to place the XRP logo at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Neither university deal requires the institutions, their suppliers, or fans to purchase or hold XRP. The coin fell below $1 on August 11, one month after the Kansas deal was signed. By September 5, when the Florida logo was unveiled, XRP had recovered to $1.41.
The gap between the two coins' year-to-date losses is explained by their price trajectories in late 2025. Chainlink dropped from approximately $24 in August 2025 to $12 by January 1, a decline of about 50%. XRP fell from $2.79 in September 2025 to $1.84 by January 1, a drop of roughly 34%. Because Chainlink began 2026 from a lower base relative to its peak and has since rallied from lows between $8 and $10 to $12, its smaller year-to-date loss reflects this recovery rather than superior adoption.
Neither Chainlink's banking partnerships nor Ripple's sports sponsorships have mandated that partners hold the associated tokens. Until a partnership requires token holding or a bank reports settling payments in XRP with specific volume figures, price movements will likely remain tied to broader market trends. For XRP holders, attention may turn to the Senate's vote on the CLARITY Act scheduled for September 15, as legislative changes could impact the price more directly than marketing deals.