Mark Yusko Clip Rekindles XRP Scam Debate
A four-week-old interview clip of Mark Yusko, Morgan Creek Capital’s CIO, was republished by XRP advocate Digital Asset Investor (DAI) this week. In the clip, Yusko admits he “kind of stands by” calling XRP a “scam” and argues that price moves reflect order flow rather than improved functionality.
Scott “The Wolf of All Streets” Melker quickly distanced himself from the “scam” claim. Melker says he does not think XRP is fraudulent and is surprised by Yusko’s blunt remarks. He dismissed the broader “dinosaur” coin narrative applied to XRP and Ethereum.
XRP supporters on Crypto-Twitter countered the renewed FUD. Analyst Cryptoinsightuk noted that XRP is no more a scam than Bitcoin (BTC) or the US dollar. Lawyer Bill Morgan called anti-XRP claims “deliberate FUD.” They also cited the SEC’s August 2025 settlement with Ripple, which cleared XRP of fraud but imposed a $125 million fine and restrictions on institutional sales.
Impact on trading could be muted. The debate underscores sensitivity around FUD and regulatory history, but the SEC ruling has already reduced uncertainty. Traders may watch XRP liquidity and on-chain metrics for clearer signals.
Neutral
The resurfaced claim that XRP is a scam reignites familiar FUD, but the firm SEC settlement in August 2025 has already clarified XRP’s legal status. In past instances—such as when Ripple’s ongoing lawsuit first drew regulatory scrutiny—negative narratives led to short-term price dips but price recovered as clarity emerged. Similarly, this debate is likely to increase volatility and trading volume in the short term as traders react to renewed FUD. However, with the lawsuit concluded and institutional investors assessing on-chain fundamentals, the market’s long-term outlook for XRP remains effectively unchanged. Consequently, the direct impact on market sentiment is expected to be neutral, with neither a significant bullish nor bearish bias, but a potential uptick in short-term volatility and order flow shifts.