Cardano (ADA) Is “Going to Zero” – But That’s Exactly What They Said About XRP and SOL Before They Exploded

Cardano has become one of the most debated cryptocurrencies of 2026. ADA price recently slipped below $0.20, a level many investors never expected to see again after the token reached an all time high of $3.09 during the previous bull market.

That steep decline has fueled a wave of criticism. Questions about Cardano’s future have become louder as several ecosystem projects shut down and founder Charles Hoskinson delivered a series of unusually blunt assessments about the network’s challenges.

Yet one analyst believes this situation looks surprisingly familiar.

Don Digital Finance recently pointed to two major crypto stories from the past. Both XRP and Solana faced moments when many observers viewed them as effectively finished. Both later delivered some of the strongest recoveries in the industry.

His argument is simple. The point where everyone agrees an asset is dead can sometimes become the moment worth paying attention to.

Don Digital Finance compared today’s Cardano narrative with previous periods when XRP and Solana faced severe crises.

His comments came after ADA price fell below $0.20 and criticism surrounding the Cardano ecosystem intensified. Don Digital Finance noted that many people once believed XRP was heading to zero after Ripple’s legal battle with the SEC began. Similar claims appeared when Solana collapsed below $10 during the aftermath of the FTX disaster.

Now, he argues, Cardano is facing many of the same accusations. The analyst did not claim ADA will definitely recover. His point focused on market psychology. Assets often receive their harshest criticism near periods of maximum pessimism. History shows that some projects never recover from such moments. Others manage to rebuild and surprise the market.

That possibility is why Don Digital Finance says Cardano currently has his attention.

XRP Looked Finished After The SEC Lawsuit Before Producing A Massive Recovery

XRP’s darkest chapter began in December 2020 when the SEC filed a lawsuit against Ripple Labs.

The case accused Ripple of conducting an unregistered securities offering involving XRP. Major exchanges quickly reacted. Trading restrictions and delistings followed across several large U.S. platforms. XRP suddenly lost access to much of its retail liquidity.

Critics argued the token had no viable future.

XRP price fell from roughly $0.75 to around $0.17 within weeks. Legal uncertainty remained a major obstacle for years. During parts of the 2021 bull market, XRP struggled to keep pace with many competing assets.

Everything changed when Ripple began securing favorable legal outcomes in court.

A federal judge eventually ruled that programmatic sales of XRP on public exchanges did not constitute securities offerings. That decision removed a major source of uncertainty. Exchanges moved to relist XRP and confidence gradually returned.

The recovery became one of crypto’s most notable comeback stories. XRP later climbed to a multi year cycle high near $3.65. An asset many critics considered finished managed to return to the center of the market conversation.

Solana Survived The FTX Collapse And Returned From A $8 Low

Solana experienced a very different crisis.

The collapse of FTX and Alameda Research in late 2022 created enormous pressure on the Solana ecosystem. Sam Bankman-Fried and his companies had become closely associated with the network. When FTX entered bankruptcy, many observers questioned whether Solana could survive.

The situation appeared severe. SOL had already fallen from its peak above $250. The FTX disaster accelerated the decline and pushed the token down to roughly $8 by December 2022. Numerous projects left the ecosystem, and confidence deteriorated rapidly.

Despite those challenges, the blockchain itself continued operating.

Developers remained active and new applications continued launching. Support from prominent industry figures helped separate Solana’s technology from the FTX scandal. Strong network performance, low transaction costs, expanding DeFi activity, and growing retail interest eventually fueled a dramatic turnaround.

SOL later returned to the $200 area. Investors who accumulated near the lows witnessed one of the strongest recoveries of the current crypto cycle.

Related Article: 5 Reasons Why It Could Be All Over for Cardano Holders – ADA Price at $0.18

Cardano Faces Real Problems That Have Fueled The ADA Price Debate

Cardano’s current situation differs from both XRP and Solana, though several challenges have created fears about ADA’s future.

Charles Hoskinson recently warned that the second half of 2026 could bring project failures, consolidations, and additional stress across the Cardano ecosystem. His comments came as several Cardano-related businesses struggled with funding and liquidity pressures.

Hoskinson also announced that he would step back from his highly visible social media role. That decision created additional speculation. Some observers interpreted his comments as a sign of abandonment.

The Cardano founder rejected that interpretation. He explained that decentralized governance means he no longer controls the network’s direction and that boosting ADA price was never his responsibility.

Several ecosystem setbacks have added to concerns.

TapTools, one of the most recognized Cardano analytics platforms, announced plans to wind down operations. JPG Store, which served as the network’s leading NFT marketplace, also ceased operations after activity and revenue declined.

Governance disagreements have created another source of tension. Community representatives voted against funding for the planned Cardano Summit 2026 in Singapore. Treasury spending debates have also become increasingly contentious.

Network data has added pressure as well. Cardano’s total value locked has fallen sharply and the network remains absent from many of the major institutional ETF discussions that have benefited other cryptocurrencies.

Related Article: Cardano Founder Just Warned More ADA Projects Will Die

Cardano’s Future May Depend On Whether History Repeats Itself

The comparison made by Don Digital Finance does not guarantee that ADA price will follow the same path as XRP or Solana.

Each project faced unique circumstances and each recovery depended on catalysts that eventually changed market sentiment. XRP received legal clarity. Solana proved it could survive the collapse of its biggest supporter.

Cardano now faces its own test. ADA remains under pressure and legitimate concerns continue to surround the ecosystem. Yet the examples of XRP and Solana demonstrate that crypto markets have a long history of declaring projects dead long before their stories are finished.

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The post Cardano (ADA) Is “Going to Zero” – But That’s Exactly What They Said About XRP and SOL Before They Exploded appeared first on CaptainAltcoin.