CRYPTO INSIDER: XRP is surging

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Ripple's XRP has been on a tear for the past month, skyrocketing to the number-two spot behind bitcoin with a market cap of $139 billion - potentially making its cofounder a billionaire.

Here are the standings as of Thursday morning:

• Bitcoin (BTC): $14,621.47 (-3.91%)
• Ripple (XRP): $3.029 (+11.05%)
• Ethereum (ETH): $987.33 (+5.00%)
• Bitcoin Cash (BCC): $2,373.26 (-6.74%)

What's happening:

• XRP hit an all-time high of $3.315 per token early Thursday. There's a lot of misinformation about the cryptocurrency's market cap and the value of Ripple, the company behind it.
• Merrill Lynch has barred its clients and financial advisors from buying bitcoin, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Bitcoin is in a tricky legal situation in India - it's not banned, but the government has made known its discomfort with the cryptocurrency.
• Finally, a Swedish blockchain guru explains why bitcoin cash is no cure-all for bitcoin problems.

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