THE LATEST CRYPTO NEWS

On-chain analytics platform CryptoQuant has revealed why the XRP price keeps crashing, recently dropping below the psychological $2 level. The platform noted that the XRP ETF approval has failed to stop the selling pressure but instead looks to have escalated it.  Why The XRP Price Is Crashing Despite ETF Success In a CryptoQuant report, analyst PelinayPA revealed that the XRP price is facing significant selling pressure from whales holding between $100,000 and 1m XRP and those holding above 1m. These XRP whales are said to account for the majority of inflows into the crypto exchange Binance.  Related Reading: Peter Brandt Highlights Bearish XRP Price Chart, ‘You Need To Deal With It’ These transfers indicate that these whales are typically looking to offload these coins, which is putting selling pressure on the XRP price. PelinayPA noted that after each major inflow spike on the chart, the XRP price forms a lower high and lower low structure, suggesting that supply is overwhelming demand at the moment.  The CryptoQuant report noted that this happens because there is no strong new spot buyer in the market. The continuous increase in available supply is also said to keep pushing the XRP lower, even though the whales are not aggressively dumping. Meanwhile, PelinayPA highlighted key price levels to watch out for as the price continues to crash.  The analyst stated that, based on the inflow intensity and price reactions, the first major support zone stands between $1.82 and $1.87. She noted that this range marked where the price briefly stabilized and where small buyers appeared. However, XRP still risks crashing to the $1.50 and $1.66 range if the large outflows continue. The chart does not indicate that the altcoin could rally anytime soon with this selling pressure.  Whales Took Advantage Of The ETF Narrative The CryptoQuant report stated that, in theory, the XRP ETF process was expected to create institutional demand and push the price higher through spot buying. However, that hasn’t been the case, as there have instead been high-volume XRP inflows to Binance. PelinayPA explained that whales were the first to act as ETF approval expectations increased.  Related Reading: XRP Hasn’t Entered A Bear Market Yet; Analyst Shares Why The analyst further revealed that XRP accumulated in advance for the ETF narrative was transferred to exchanges and used as sell-side liquidity. Basically, whales sold the ETF approval story to retail investors. As a result, the XRP price faces significant selling pressure every time it approaches the $1.95 level.  PelinayPA reiterated that expecting a bullish move before exchange inflows decline would be an unrealistic assumption. However, it is worth noting that the XRP ETFs have been successful so far, accumulating over $1 billion in net assets in just over a month since their launch.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.90, up almost 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

Veteran chartist Peter Brandt has once again turned his focus to the XRP community after sharing a technical breakdown that points to a bearish market structure on the weekly timeframe for the cryptocurrency.  Brandt’s technical analysis focused squarely on chart behavior rather than sentiment, warning that the current setup carries downside implications that traders cannot ignore and must deal with. Peter Brandt Calls Out A Potential Double Top Taking to the social media platform X, Brandt highlighted what he described as a potential double top forming on XRP’s weekly chart. He acknowledged upfront that the pattern could still fail but stressed that, as things stand, the structure leans bearish.  Related Reading: Analyst Says This XRP Level Is Keeping Downside Pressure In Check The analysis is based on XRP’s recent price action, which has lost the $2 price level after days of consistent bearish price action in December. Brandt framed the setup as a matter of accepting what the chart is showing rather than arguing against it, bluntly stating that market participants need to deal with the implications instead of dismissing them. His remarks were also directed at persistent XRP optimists, making it clear that his stance is not driven by bias against the asset but by adherence to classical chart principles. Until price action invalidates the pattern, the risk profile is tilted to the downside, and XRP might continue pushing downwards in the near term. “Love it or not — you need to deal with it,” Brandt said. The chart accompanying Brandt’s post shows XRP falling below the support of a flag pattern a few months ago. This breakdown has continued to the lower boundary around $1.80 to $2.00, which has acted as an important support pair against a resistance around $3.5.  This support level has acted as a critical support region two times already this year. However, XRP looks like it might be losing this level now at the third time of asking. The weekly moving averages on the chart also appear to be flattening, a sign that upside strength has weakened compared to earlier phases of the cycle. What Would Change The Bearish Outlook A double top pattern is a bearish reversal signal, meaning an uptrend is likely ending and a downtrend is beginning. However, despite his firm tone, Brandt was careful to note that the pattern is conditional, not absolute. “This is a potential double top. Sure, it may fail, and I will deal with this if it does,” he said. Related Reading: XRP Price Falls To Critical Support Level, Is It Time To Panic? A sustained move back above the support at $2 would delay any breakdown into the $1 range. A further sustained reclaim of highs around $2.2, $2.5, $2.7, and $3 would invalidate the double top and force a reassessment of the broader trend. However, until such happens, Brandt’s technical structure continues to favor caution that many XRP proponents might not agree with. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP holders could be facing another prolonged stretch of downside pressure as the cryptocurrency continues to lose ground in a weakening market. XRP’s performance this period has been underwhelming enough that analysts have seemingly given up hope of the price challenging higher resistance levels in the near term. They revealed that XRP has slipped below key support zones, leaving few technical barriers to slow further declines.  XRP Faces Further Decline As All Support Fails A crypto market analyst who goes by the name ‘Guy on the Earth’ on X has shared a rather bleak outlook on XRP’s near-term prospects. In his post on Thursday, the analyst revealed that XRP looks set for more pain as the market structure continues to deteriorate. He noted that price action is now threatening to lose its Descending Channel, signaling overall weakness rather than stabilization.  Related Reading: Bitcoin Just Entered Extreme Oversold Levels And Analysts Predict New ATH Targets According to the expert, the probability of XRP reclaiming the $1.95 level by the weekly close is incredibly low. However, losing this consolidation range that has contained price since November 2024 opens the door to a technical downside target near $0.90. He also pointed out that a confirmation from the monthly timeframe aligns with the two-week chart, which is fast approaching its close in just a few days.  Guy on the Earth stated there was little optimism left in the current price setup. He emphasized that no meaningful support levels are holding, and the market demand appears thin, leaving XRP vulnerable to continued selling pressure and potential declines. The analyst’s review of the cryptocurrency’s performance was blunt, suggesting that the market “is what it is” at this stage.  Looking at the chart shared alongside the analysis, XRP is clearly trading within a well-defined downward channel that has guided price lower for several months now. Each bounce attempt has been capped by descending resistance, reinforcing the cryptocurrency’s bearish trend. Recent candles also show price drifting toward the lower boundary of the Descending Channel, increasing the risk of a correction.  Momentum indicators at the bottom of the chart also reflect ongoing pressure. XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) sits near the lower end of its range, showing persistent weakness as price fails to recover. Related Reading: Ripple Goes Institutional: What The Doppler Finance And SBI Partnership Means For XRP Analyst Weighs Short-Term Hope For XRP When asked by a crypto community member if a daily close back inside the Descending Channel could temporarily save XRP from an extended downturn, Guy on the Earth acknowledged the possibility. He stated that such a move could help in the short term but described it as a “trivial” development compared to larger structural levels. The crypto analyst’s focus remains on the $1.95 level on the two-week close, highlighting it as the most critical area to watch. He pointed out that this structure has remained intact for the past 13 months, making it a defining support zone for XRP. While bouncing back to the channel would not erase the broader bearish trend, the expert revealed that it would at least suggest that XRP still has a chance to grow.  Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP Ledger operators are staring down a familiar kind of “deadline drama” on Thursday, after one community tracker warned that a large chunk of XRPL servers are about to get amendment blocked, basically pushed to the sidelines until they upgrade. “In about ~10 hours 418 (!!) out of 999 XRPL servers will go DOWN as they become amendment blocked!” wrote X user Krippenreiter, adding that amendment-blocked rippled servers can’t “determine the validity of a ledger,” “submit transactions,” “process transactions,” or “participate in the consensus process.” Will This Impact The XRP Ledger? That sounds catastrophic if you’ve never watched XRPL governance do its thing. But the important nuance is right there in the name: amendment blocking is a safety feature, not a network failure mode. When new protocol rules activate, old software can’t reliably interpret ledgers anymore, so the network forces those servers into a non-participating state rather than letting them guess. Related Reading: XRP Price Falls To Critical Support Level, Is It Time To Panic? So does “almost half the servers” going amendment-blocked matter if activity spikes? “Not at all,” Krippenreiter replied to one user. “All dUNL validators are safe, so all ‘trusted’ validators will continue to validate as expected. (and behave under load)… For everything else there is ‘FeeEscalation’.” The point he’s making: consensus comes from a trusted validator set, and fee escalation is designed to push transaction costs higher as the ledger gets busy, throttling spam and overload attempts. Other XRPL watchers mostly treated it as routine maintenance, not an existential moment. “Is this unusual or dangerous? No. This happens almost every amendment cycle,” another user wrote, listing prior change windows and noting that lagging nodes typically upgrade later. The XRPL amendment process itself is built around a long lead time: an amendment needs sustained supermajority support from trusted validators for two weeks before it flips on. Related Reading: Best XRP Buy Zone? Analyst Breaks Down The Key Levels Still, the optics aren’t nothing. Having hundreds of public servers fall behind at once can be a real-world nuisance for wallets, explorers, and businesses that lean on third-party infrastructure. Even if consensus is fine, fewer up-to-date nodes can mean less redundancy at the edges — more brittle public endpoints, more support tickets, more “why is my transaction not going through?” posts. And there is a concrete upgrade path. XRPL.org’s release notes for rippled 2.6.2 describe a new fixDirectoryLimit amendment plus a critical bug fix — the kind of stuff you don’t want to procrastinate on if you run production infrastructure. The short version: no, XRPL isn’t “going down.” But if you’re still running old rippled in late 2025, the network is about to remind you that upgrades aren’t optional. At press time, XRP traded alongside the broader market wide sentiment, down -1.5% over the past 24 hours. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Market analysts are closely watching the XRP price as recent movements test key support levels. A new technical analysis has highlighted a critical price zone that is currently helping contain further downside pressure on XRP. Over the past few months, the cryptocurrency has struggled to reclaim its previous highs, recently crashing below the $2 psychological level amid increased volatility and market uncertainty.  XRP Key Support Contains Downside Risks Crypto analyst Skipper shared a new technical update on XRP this week, highlighting current market dynamics and a critical support level that could help prevent further downturns. The analyst noted that XRP recently broke below $1.93, signaling heightened selling pressure and ongoing market repositioning. Related Reading: XRP Mirrors 2016 Trend That Led To 69% Crash Before 110,000% Rally Notably, XRP’s decline below $1.93 comes amid broader market weakness, as the cryptocurrency has struggled to hold key levels. Spot market data show the cryptocurrency is currently trading at $1.85, reflecting a significant drop of about 2.7% in the last 24 hours and more than 7.8% over the past seven days.  XRP’s choppy price action has also kept it pinned below many resistance zones. However, Skipper reveals that sustained trading below $1.88 keeps the cryptocurrency’s downside pressure intact in the near term. The analyst also notes that the next meaningful area where buyers may attempt to stabilize price sits around $1.85.  Despite ongoing Spot ETF inflows since its launch in November, Skipper noted that XRP’s short-term price action appears more driven by technical positioning than fundamental developments. He also highlighted that XRP’s market supply has contracted significantly, dropping by 45% from approximately 3.9 billion tokens at the beginning of 2025 to about 1.6 billion tokens by December. This reduction in supply could influence XRP’s price dynamics and overall market scarcity.  XRP Faces Continued Downtrend Amid Market Weakness In a subsequent post, Skipper reported that the XRP price fell 5% as the crypto market experienced fresh selling pressure with major altcoins extending recent declines. The analyst stated that the token had dipped to lows of around $1.81, reflecting growing investor risk aversion. Moreover, despite being one of the top-performing assets earlier in the year, XRP now risks slipping further. Related Reading: XRP Price On The Verge Of Another Crash, But There’s Still Hope According to Skipper, XRP has been in a steady downtrend since July 2025, with each price bounce weaker than the previous one. He emphasized that bulls must reverse this downtrend to restore a positive outlook, which would require XRP to rise above the $2.27 high from the last weak bounce in late November.  The analyst also noted that in past cycles, when XRP breaks below the 50-week Simple Moving Average (SMA) and stays there for roughly 50 to 84 days, a strong rally typically follows. He disclosed that the price has now spent approximately 70 days below its 50-week SMA, placing it within the same historical window. Featured image from Pxfuel, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP’s weekly chart has entered a technical zone that has repeatedly acted as a turning point in recent years. A recent analysis shared on the social media platform X highlights a recurring relationship between XRP’s price behavior and its 50-week simple moving average, a long-term trend indicator closely watched by traders.  Instead of focusing on XRP’s short-term volatility, which has been bearish, the analysis zeroes in on how extended periods below this moving average have coincided with the end of downside phases and the beginning of rally expansions. The 50-Week SMA And Why It Matters For XRP Cycles Technical analysis of XRP’s price action on the weekly candlestick chart, which was posted on the social media platform X by Steph, reveals a repeating cycle around the 50-week simple moving average (SMA).  Related Reading: Here’s What To Expect With The XRP Price Trading Under $2 This analysis is interesting because the 50-week simple moving average functions as a structural divider between bearish compression and bullish continuation on higher timeframes. In XRP’s case, previous cycles show that brief dips below this level have not been as significant as sustained stretches beneath it.  The XRP price chart below tracks how long XRP stayed below the 50-week SMA before a change in momentum. In the first instance in 2017, XRP spent roughly 10 weekly candles, equivalent to about 70 days, under the moving average before staging a sharp upside move.  A similar pattern appeared in the 2021 cycle, where the duration was shorter, with 49 days, but still acted as an inflection point on the weekly chart. However, the most aggressive move highlighted on the chart came in the 2024 period, where XRP traded below the 50-week SMA for about 84 days before posting a much larger rebound of about +850%. XRP Sitting Inside The Same Window Once Again According to the analysis, XRP is currently approaching about seventy days below the 50-week SMA, placing it squarely within the same historical window observed in prior cycles. Particularly, Steph noted that XRP has now spent roughly 70 days below the 50-week SMA again, and this places an outlook on what to look for in the next price action. Related Reading: Crypto Analyst Predicts How Low The XRP Price Will Go Before Bouncing Resulting price action in the past has seen XRP rallying anywhere from 70% in 2021 to 850% in 2024. If XRP resolves to the upside again from the current structure, history suggests the initial signal would be a decisive weekly reclaim of the 50-week SMA, followed by continuation rather than an immediate rejection. Featured image from Pngtree, chart from Tradingview.com

Ripple’s push to advance XRP’s institutional relevance took a concrete step forward following a post published by Doppler Finance confirming its partnership with SBI Ripple Asia. The announcement marks a strategic shift from retail-driven narratives to regulated, institution-ready financial infrastructure on the XRP Ledger. The collaboration positions XRP as part of a framework centered on yield generation, compliant custody, and real-world financial integration. Doppler Finance And SBI Ripple Asia To Expand XRP’s Role Beyond Payments The partnership between Doppler Finance and SBI Ripple Asia represents a major evolution in XRP’s role in finance. While XRP has long been valued for fast, low-cost cross-border payments, it has lacked infrastructure for institutional investors to earn a regulated yield. This collaboration aims to change that by developing XRP-based yield products designed specifically for compliance-conscious institutions, creating a pathway for professional investors to use XRP as a productive financial asset. Related Reading: Dogecoin RSI Hits Levels That Have Triggered ATH Rallies Before Unlike experimental DeFi initiatives, this effort prioritizes regulated access, risk management, and compliance. SBI Ripple Asia—a joint venture between SBI Holdings and Ripple—anchors the project within an established financial ecosystem, lending credibility and operational rigor. Notably, this is the first time SBI Ripple Asia has partnered with an XRP Ledger-native protocol, signaling that the focus is on building durable, scalable financial infrastructure rather than marketing hype. Custody and security are central to making these yield products viable for institutional participants. SBI Digital Markets will provide segregated custody for all assets, meeting the strict standards required by asset managers, corporate treasuries, and funds. For traders and institutional users, this means they can access XRP-based yield opportunities without assuming self-custody responsibilities or exposure to smart-contract risks typical in retail DeFi.  The framework transforms XRP from a token primarily used for payments into a balance-sheet-compatible asset that can generate regulated returns, opening new avenues for institutional adoption, portfolio diversification, and professional-grade risk management. Strategic Implications For XRP And Ripple In The Broader Market The partnership strengthens XRP’s role in real-world asset tokenization. Doppler Finance and SBI Ripple Asia plan to leverage the XRP Ledger to support regulated financial products tied to tangible value, positioning XRPL as infrastructure for institutional-grade applications beyond digital payments. This approach lays the groundwork for a structured rollout of XRP-based solutions. Related Reading: Why This Week Could Be Transformational For The XRP Price Formalized as a memorandum of understanding, the collaboration signals phased implementation rather than immediate launches. While timelines and yield structures remain undisclosed, the framework reflects clear strategic intent, creating conditions for XRP to expand its role in institutional finance. For XRP, the impact is structural. Combining yield generation, compliant custody, and real-world asset integration broadens its utility in capital markets and reinforces Ripple’s institutional narrative in Asia, where regulatory clarity typically precedes retail adoption. Ultimately, the Doppler Finance–SBI partnership redefines XRP’s value proposition. The asset moves from a transaction medium to becoming an integral part of institutional financial architecture. If executed as intended, XRP’s role in global finance could shift from speed-focused transactions to long-term, durable adoption. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

Veteran chartist Peter Brandt is flagging what he calls a “potential double top” on XRP’s weekly chart, a classic reversal setup that, if confirmed, would argue for materially lower prices — even as other traders point to a washed-out weekly RSI reading that has historically aligned with prior bottom zones. Peter Brandt Flags XRP Double Top Pattern Brandt posted the chart to X on Dec. 17 and didn’t bother softening the message for XRP’s online faithful. “I know in advance that all you Riplosts $XRP will forever remind me of this post — ask me if I care,” he wrote, before adding: “This is a potential double top. Sure, it may fail, and I will deal with this if it does. But for now this has bearish implications. Love it or not — you need to deal with it.” The chart shows XRP-USDT on Binance in weekly bars, with two highs clustered around $3.40 and $3.66 and a clearly marked support shelf near $2.00. In classical chart terms, that $2 region functions as the neckline: lose it with follow-through, and the market is no longer in “pullback inside a range” territory — it’s in “failed structure” territory. Related Reading: XRP Price Falls To Critical Support Level, Is It Time To Panic? That distinction matters because double tops tend to be less about the second peak itself and more about what happens at the midpoint low between the two peaks. Brandt’s framing reflects that: the pattern is “potential” until either support holds and price reclaims prior levels, or the neckline breaks and the market accepts lower. In this case, Brandt’s chart is already showing XRP trading below the $2.00 line, with the most recent marker around $1.8859. That puts the focus squarely on whether the breakdown becomes a sustained weekly close-and-hold below support, or whether the move gets reversed quickly enough to treat it as a bear trap. Or Is The XRP Bottom In? Not everyone reading the same tape is leaning into the bearish conclusion. Trader Cryptollica posted a separate XRP/USD weekly chart (Bitstamp) on Dec. 15 highlighting the weekly RSI at roughly 33, accompanied by the comment: “$XRP WEEKLY RSI : 33 ????”. The chart highlights that, in the past five cases, similarly low readings in XRP’s weekly RSI have tended to occur around market bottoming zones. Brandt was receptive to the conditional logic — specifically, the idea that a failed double top can flip from bearish to bullish if the breakdown doesn’t stick. Responding, he wrote: “Yea, if this dbl top fails then this could become exciting. I agree. I am not championing a bear case — just showing charts for what they are.” Related Reading: Best XRP Buy Zone? Analyst Breaks Down The Key Levels That exchange captures the actual tension here. Momentum measures like RSI can identify stretched conditions and recurring historical zones, but they do not, on their own, invalidate a price-structure breakdown. Notably, Brandt did not provide a price target in his comment. But the chart he shared contains enough structure to infer the standard “textbook” projection many technicians would use. With peaks near $3.60 and a neckline near $2.00, the pattern height is about $1.60. The conventional measured move subtracts that height from the neckline after a break, implying a target in the neighborhood of $0.40 if the setup fully plays out. That is not a forecast, and it’s not a promise the market will cooperate — it’s simply the arithmetic implied by the pattern Brandt is pointing at. The more immediate question is whether XRP can reclaim the $2.00 area decisively enough to turn the breakdown into a failed move. If it can’t, the chart conversation shifts from “potential double top” to “confirmed break,” and the downside math stops being hypothetical in traders’ positioning models. At press time, XRP traded at $1.83. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

A new XRP price outlook from a crypto analyst outlines its recent breakdown below $2 and the factors that could influence its next moves.  According to the analysis, Bitcoin’s ongoing retracement and key support levels could trigger a stronger correction for XRP. However, this projected downtrend is expected to pave the way for a reversal to higher target levels. XRP Price Outlook Tied To Bitcoin Retracement While the broader crypto market continued to trend lower, crypto market expert Tara shared a fresh technical analysis on XRP. On Tuesday, she stated in an X post that the current XRP price structure shows it is completing a deeper pullback compared to Bitcoin, which is still progressing through its corrective phase. According to her, this mismatch is likely to create irregular price behavior for XRP in the near term. Related Reading: Crypto Analyst Predicts How Low The XRP Price Will Go Before Bouncing Tara noted that XRP recently touched the 0.382 Fibonacci retracement level near $1.95 after crashing below $2 last week. On the other hand, Bitcoin’s price is only halfway to a similar Fibonacci level. She notes that Bitcoin’s gradual retracement could slightly disrupt XRP’s price movements. However, if BTC pushes for its 0.382 retracement near $88,800, the analyst believes that it could eventually serve as a major catalyst for renewed strength in XRP.  In her analysis report, Tara highlighted key downside levels for XRP traders to watch closely. She disclosed that a breakdown below $1.916 could open the door for a short-term move toward $1.90, where the Lower Time Frame (LTF) support sits. She further added that another test near $1.88 remains possible as long as XRP continues to trade under $2.0. Notably, Tara has marked $2 as a key resistance zone that could cap any recovery attempt from XRP. She notes that a move back to this level would likely depend on Bitcoin pushing higher during its retracement.  The accompanying chart clearly shows XRP trading in a downtrend on the 4-hour timeframe with price remaining below short-term Moving Averages (MA). Fibonacci levels also highlight $1.95 as a complete retracement area, while deeper support zones cluster between $1.90 and $1.88. The RSI indicator at the bottom of the chart is hovering in the lower range, suggesting weakening momentum but also the potential for a relief bounce if support holds.  XRP Short-Term Rally Stays Under $2.30 Responding to questions under her X post, Tara provided insights into XRP’s price outlook, focusing on both short- and long-term expectations. She noted that the $2 level only represents the LTF resistance for XRP, while the real barrier lies much higher at $9. Currently trading around $1.91, a move to $9 would reflect a more than 374% price increase.  Related Reading: XRP Hasn’t Entered A Bear Market Yet; Analyst Shares Why Given XRP’s downtrend and broader market uncertainty, Tara has indicated that a rally to $9 is unlikely in the near term. She also dismissed claims that the cryptocurrency could crash to $1 this December. Instead, she shared her bullish expectations, suggesting that XRP could reach no higher than $2.30 before the year runs out. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

Will Taylor, founder of CryptoinsightUK, frames XRP’s “best buy area” as a risk-to-reward question, not a certainty call. In his latest YouTube video from Dec. 17, he argues that XRP is trading back in the lower portion of a well-defined range, which is typically where entries make the most sense for range traders—because invalidation levels are clearer and upside targets are structurally defined. “We’re at the bottom of the range […] this area, the bottom of the range, and the bottom of the range has been quite wide,” Taylor said. “So, I’d say between like $2.01, then all the way down to about $1.60. This has been the best area to enter […] for the last […] basically year and a bit.” And his emphasis is that it’s attractive because the trade is measurable, not because it’s guaranteed. “Does this mean we can’t break down further? Does this mean we can’t lose support? No, that’s not what I’m saying at all,” he added. “But what I am saying is if you use range trading, if you want to know the best areas for risk-to-reward, we’re at them now.” Related Reading: XRP Liquidity Dries Up: Futures Buy Volume On Binance Falls from $5.8B to $250M On lower timeframes, Taylor said XRP has already swept much of the downside liquidity, leaving a smaller pocket below that could still get tagged. He pointed to ~$1.83 as the remaining area of interest. “XRP has taken most of this red liquidity to the downside. There’s a small pocket of liquidity below us still at $1.83,” he said. And crucially, that level is not academic for him — it’s tied to his own stop placement and whether the market is likely to wick lower before any sustained move up. “This is something that I’m considering […] as to whether to move my stop loss below this liquidity down at like say $1.79,” Taylor said. “My stop loss [is] $1.834 at the minute. Do I take it to say like $1.79 […] give us […] the bottom of this wick as potential support and that liquidity. That’s a potential discussion.” The Upside Trigger For XRP Taylor’s near-term bullish trigger is a reclaim of ~$2.07. His reasoning is positioning-driven: he thinks the market has built a meaningful amount of short exposure during the drawdown, and a move back above that level could force covering. Related Reading: XRP Falls Below $2 As $721 Million Profit-Take Hits Market “When you start to get a buildup of […] lower highs like this, all it takes is a bit of momentum to break us above,” he said. “So, say for XRP, if we start to get back above $2.07, you probably should see price squeeze to $2.58-$2.60 quite quickly […] as we squeeze out all of this […] open interest that’s been adding in as price has been coming down.” Taylor’s XRP view is nested inside a broader “crypto is mispriced” thesis. When comparing crypto’s market cap performance against a basket of traditional assets, he argues that crypto has decoupled sharply since the Oct. 10 crash, while sentiment has deteriorated. “Crypto has like decoupled from every other asset class […] crypto is about the only asset that has decoupled this hard,” he said. “I personally believe this is a deep value zone […] we’re clearly mispriced versus other assets.” He also repeatedly leaned on the idea that positioning is skewed: rising open interest into downside, negative premium, and funding flipping between positive and negative — conditions that can set up a squeeze if price starts reclaiming levels. “I think a lot of the market generally is setting up for a bit of a short squeeze to the upside,” Taylor said. “And I think that people are overly negative and […] the sentiment’s overly bearish compared to where the price is.” At press time, XRP traded at $1.92. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

XRP now finds itself trading around the $1.90 region due to an extensive pullback in the past 30 days. The question is now whether this pullback is a structural weakness or a necessary reset within a larger bullish structure.  A technical analysis shared by crypto analyst Tara focuses on this exact moment, highlighting why the current level could be far more important than it looks on the surface. XRP Tests A Macro Fib Support Zone Around $1.88 XRP’s price action in the past 24 hours saw it declining to an intraday low of $1.88, according to data from CoinGecko. However, technical analysis shows that this move has pushed the price action to a major macro support level around $1.88, which is defined by an important macro 0.5 Fib retracement on higher-timeframe charts. This zone has previously acted as a pivot, just like the bounce on November 21, which pushed the XRP price back to $2.26 within 48 hours.  Related Reading: XRP Mirrors 2016 Trend That Led To 69% Crash Before 110,000% Rally The chart included in the analysis, which is shown below, illustrates multiple Fibonacci confluences clustered between roughly $1.88 and $1.86, and this further adds to the idea that this region is structurally significant rather than arbitrary. From a price-action perspective, XRP’s current pullback has been orderly, with no sharp breakdowns below this support as of now, and sellers may be losing momentum as price compresses into this level. What A Bounce Or Breakdown Could Mean From Here Tara noted that moments like this tend to feel the scariest for traders, precisely because the price is sitting on support rather than moving away from it. These are the points where sentiment is weakest, and fear is most visible, even though risk-reward technically improves.  Therefore, retesting support is not inherently bearish. Instead, repeated support tests can absorb selling pressure and create the conditions for a stronger bounce. The most important takeaway from the analysis is not that XRP must rally immediately, but that the reaction at this level matters more than the level itself. If XRP holds above the $1.88 price level and avoids printing a decisive new low, the structure would favor a bullish continuation.  In this case, the upside targets will be between $2.18 and $2.20. From here, any bullish follow-through could carry XRP to $2.31. These are all midterm price targets that can be achieved before the end of the year. Related Reading: XRP Price Needs To Hold This Macro Support For Hope Of Revival Momentum indicators, including the RSI, are already in oversold territory on the 4-hour candlestick chart. This indicator adds to the possibility of a clean bounce for XRP from the strong support around $1.88. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $1.90 and is already showing signs of holding above $1.88. On the other hand, a breakdown below $1.90 to $1.80 would invalidate the current bullish setup and redirect attention to lower retracement areas. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

The XRP price structure and recent momentum are pointing toward a potentially transformational shift this week. Although the cryptocurrency has experienced an extended period of downside pressure, technical signals suggest that XRP may be nearing the end of its corrective phase. If key support levels are tested and defended this week, it could redefine XRP’s short-term trend and set the tone for price action heading into the end of the year.  XRP Price Eyes Dip To $1.64, Builds Uptrend Base Crypto market analyst CasiTrades believes that this week could mark a pivotal turning point for XRP’s price action. In a recent X post, she shared a chart showing XRP trading within a well-defined descending structure marked by lower highs and multiple Fibonacci values.  Related Reading: Dogecoin RSI Hits Levels That Have Triggered ATH Rallies Before CasiTrades noted that XRP’s recent price behavior has confirmed her downside scenario, with the cryptocurrency now approaching the final support zone of its current corrective phase. She highlighted that XRP failed to reclaim the $2.0 level as support over the weekend, confirming what she described as “the pink scenario.” For context, XRP suffered an unexpected breakdown below $2 last week and is currently trading at $1.91 after a slight recovery.  According to the analyst, the market is now firmly in subwave Wave 3 to the downside, with momentum and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) pushing to new extremes that typically precede a major uptrend reversal. She stated that the next key level to watch is around $1.73, which could provide short-term relief if buyers step in.  Below this, CasiTrades emphasized that a more critical area sits near $1.64, the macro support aligning with the 0.618 Fibonacci level. She predicts the XRP price could decline further, from $1.91 to $1.64, this week, viewing this area as the most likely final low of the cryptocurrency’s broader corrective move.  In her post, CasiTrades pointed out that XRP may drop to the projected support in Wave 3 without first bouncing to $1.73. If this direct move occurs, she notes that the market may not require a second retest of the zone, as the support could hold on the first touch. The analyst further explained that a move to $1.64 would align closely with Bitcoin potentially crashing to $79,000.  While she acknowledged that BTC still has a lower support near $64,000 if the $79,000 level fails, CasiTrades emphasized that XRP is unlikely to break below the $1.64, even though a nearby support exists around $1.54 at the golden pocket.  XRP To See Major Rebound This Week While CasiTrades predicts that XRP could first decline to the $1.64 support, she expects the cryptocurrency to bounce sharply from this level, potentially opening the door for an explosive move above the $2.41-$3.00 range. She highlighted that this powerful reversal could occur by Friday, December 19, 2025.  Related Reading: Silk Road Bitcoins Are On The Move Again, Is The BTC Price Ready For Another Dump? The analyst also emphasized that a potential rally to this bullish range is XRP making its decision at the final moment. She remarks that the market is heading into the week excited and in time for the holiday celebrations.  Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

As the crypto market recovers from the latest pullback, XRP is attempting to climb up from its recent lows. Some analysts have suggested that the cryptocurrency must defend its current levels or risk a 50% drop to levels not seen since 2024. Related Reading: Solana Leads As Most Popular Blockchain Ecosystem For Second Consecutive Year – Report XRP At Make-Or-Break Level Amid the start-of-week market correction, XRP recorded a 6% drop toward its lowest level in weeks. The price lost $2.00 support on Monday morning and continued to lose key levels despite uninterrupted institutional interest. The cryptocurrency has been trading within the $2.00-$2.25 price range over the past month, only losing its lower boundary during the late November pullback. Monday’s correction sent the altcoin below the range’s lower support again, hitting a multi-week low of $1.88 before bouncing around an area that has been crucial for the past year. Notably, XRP has bounced from the $1.85-$1.90 support zone after every major correction since the November 2024 breakout, climbing back above the $2.00 level each time. However, some market observers have suggested that the price risks a significant correction if it is unable to hold the current levels. Ali Martinez pointed out that the cryptocurrency has fallen below its one-year price range, between the $1.92-$3.27 levels, which could lead to a 50% drop below this area. To the analyst, XRP’s price must secure a daily close above $1.92 to prevent a drop to the $1.00 support, which has not been seen in over a year. Similarly, Cheds Trading affirmed that XRP is “flirting with a high time frame breakdown.” Per the chart, the altcoin appears to be forming a high-timeframe rounding top or double top pattern with a higher high. The analyst noted that in the case of the latter, the M formation would be confirmed if the $1.88 level, where the pattern’s neckline is situated, is lost. This could lead to a “measured move to roughly [the] MA 200 area/$1.00 range.” Price Ready For 2026 Markup Phase? Despite the warnings, other market watchers shared a positive outlook for XRP in the coming months. Trader Niels affirmed that the leading altcoin is “looking good” at the current levels. According to the post, the cryptocurrency is “sweeping the $1.8 support zone again” while showing a bullish divergence on the daily timeframe, which suggests that the price could soon move to higher levels. To the trader, once XRP breaks above $2.20 resistance, it could surge 27%-37% towards the $2.80-$3.00 area “within a month.” Meanwhile, analyst ChartNerd highlighted that XRP appears to be repeating its 2023-2024 price action, which led to its massive breakout in November 2024. The chart shows that the altcoin accumulated for a year and a half, bouncing between the range’s lower and upper boundaries before its markup phase in late Q4 2024. Related Reading: XRP Hasn’t Entered A Bear Market Yet; Analyst Shares Why Following this expansion period, the cryptocurrency is showing a similar accumulation range, leading the analyst to suggest that XRP may continue consolidating within its current range before another markup phase occurs. “Regardless of scenarios, or how ugly/beautiful it gets, a massive markup phase similar to November 2024 is likely between now and late 2026,” he stated. As of this writing, XRP is trading at $1.92, a 1.65% increase in the daily timeframe. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

Despite recent positive closes from spot XRP ETFs, the cryptocurrency’s price action is sending a clear warning to traders. Market structure remains weak, and without signs of a confirmed reversal, short-term risks persist. XRP’s current behavior highlights that bullish sentiment from ETFs alone isn’t enough to drive a sustained rally, making caution essential for anyone entering the market. New Year Volatility Hits Crypto Markets Hard Efloud, in a recent update, highlighted that with the start of the new year and continued uncertainty across the markets, cryptocurrencies have once again been among the hardest hit. Low trading volume and a lack of clear direction have kept pressure on the sector, and without an obvious reversal signal, altcoins continue to grind lower day by day. Related Reading: XRP Dominates Institutional Inflows, But Why Is Price Still Low? Given this backdrop, caution remains essential. As emphasized in previous analyses, any attempt to trade against the prevailing trend at support levels should be backed by clear bullish breakout structures on lower timeframes. Without such confirmation, moves higher are more likely to be short-lived reactions rather than meaningful reversals. From a technical standpoint, XRP’s price has now lost the “Daily Imb” zone, weakening the overall structure. If price dips below the most recent swing low and then attracts buying interest, the $1.98 area is expected to act as the first major resistance. As previously noted, the outlook remains negative unless the YO region is reclaimed. Beyond $1.98, another key resistance lies within the red boxed zone. Together, $1.98, the YO area, and the red boxed region form three critical hurdles where price is likely to face selling pressure in the near term. Price Action Still Outweighs ETF Optimism According to Efloud, while spot XRP ETFs have posted positive closes for 18 consecutive days, this development alone does not outweigh what the chart itself is signaling. He emphasized that price action and market structure remain the most important factors. Until these begin to shift in a clearly bullish direction, any purchases are better seen as part of a gradual accumulation strategy rather than a confirmation of a trend reversal.  Related Reading: XRP Price Needs To Hold This Macro Support For Hope Of Revival From this perspective, these buys are primarily aimed at averaging down while the market searches for a more stable structure. Efloud added that if market suppression continues and a sharper correction unfolds, the area around $1.53 could emerge as a potential buy zone. However, this scenario depends on broader market behavior and is not a certainty. Finally, the analyst clarified that the $1.53 level was illustrated as a hypothetical example. Efloud warned that entering positions at support zones or key levels without observing clear breakout or reversal structures carries added risk and should be approached with caution. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

One of the cleaner tells in crypto is when the old supply decides it’s time. Not “made a quick 20% and clipped it” time — years old. That’s basically what Glassnode researcher CryptoVizArt flagged after an XRP wallet aged roughly 5–7 years (with a cost basis around $0.40) realized more than $721.5 million in profit on Dec. 11. A single wallet doesn’t “break” a market on its own. But the timing is the point: this wasn’t profit-taking into a rip. It landed while XRP was showing weakness right at the $2.0 key level. Related Reading: XRP Dominates Institutional Inflows, But Why Is Price Still Low? CryptoVizArt wrote via X: “On December 11th, a 5-7 year old XRP wallet address (with a cost basis of $0.4) realized over $721.5M in profit! A rare sizable profit-taking while the price shows weakness right at the $2.0 key level.” What This Means For XRP Price That $2 handle matters for the usual reasons — round number, obvious chart magnet, psychological line in the sand — but also because the market’s been treating it like a live wire lately. Since early December last year, the support zone between $2 and $1.90 has been tested endless times. XRP bulls always managed to close above the zone on the weekly timeframe. So what does the $721M print mean? It’s a reminder that supply overhang isn’t theoretical. A 5–7 year wallet taking profits can be read as “de-risking,” sure. But in tape terms, it’s also distribution that the market has to absorb while price is already leaning. If bids are deep, it’s a shrug. If bids are thin, it turns $2 into a trapdoor. And right now, “thin” is kind of the vibe across crypto, not just XRP. Related Reading: Why XRP Isn’t Reacting to Major Institutional and Regional Developments CryptoVizArt’s broader framing from Dec. 13 is that the $80K–$90K Bitcoin consolidation is producing stress “comparable to late Jan 2022.” Via X, he wrote: “The current $80K–$90K consolidation range is generating a magnitude of stress comparable to late January 2022, with Relative Unrealized Loss approaching ~10% of market cap. This places the market in a regime where liquidity is constrained, and sensitivity to macro shocks is elevated, yet still below the levels typically associated with full bear-market capitulation.” That backdrop matters because alts don’t trade in a vacuum. When the whole complex is jumpy, big sell events at key levels have more punch. Not because every XRP holder suddenly panics, but because market-makers and discretionary traders tend to pull risk at the same time. Spreads widen, depth thins, and “one-off” flows start to move price more than they should. Still, it cuts both ways. A single, chunky realization can also be the market clearing a problem — old supply exiting, new demand stepping in, the kind of transfer that (eventually) makes a base sturdier. The trick is whether $2 holds while that handoff happens. At press time, XRP was trading at $1.89, which could make Sunday’s weekly close another extremely important event. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

Despite the recent crash that saw the XRP price fall below $2, many analysts claim that the cryptocurrency could still skyrocket to $100 by the end of the year. However, one expert has thoroughly dismissed these projections, urging investors to temper expectations and warning that those who believe such predictions need a “reality check.” Why XRP Can Never Reach $100 By Year’s End Crypto market expert Zach Humphries has delivered a detailed assessment of XRP, calling out extreme price predictions and overly optimistic expectations, especially during the current downtrend. In a video on X, he warns that claims suggesting XRP will reach $100 by the end of 2025 are unrealistic and potentially misleading for investors and traders.  Related Reading: Crypto Analyst Predicts How Low The XRP Price Will Go Before Bouncing Humphries emphasized that while he supports XRP and believes in its long-term potential, the spread of exaggerated price targets in the crypto space is harmful. He explained that many investors assume that owning 100 XRP tokens will make them wealthy quickly, holding on to false hope and unrealistic financial expectations. The analyst points out the need for realism in the crypto space, arguing that viral hype posts and overinflated price forecasts can hoodwink people into making genuine financial decisions that could lead to losses. He noted that investors need to understand market structure and the underlying math behind XRP’s price action before believing in any extreme predictions.  Humphries stated a $100 XRP price would imply a $5 trillion market capitalization, surpassing the size of Apple, Microsoft, and even the entire crypto market at some historical peaks. He noted that reaching this seemingly impractical price target would require XRP achieving overnight global adoption, full-scale replacement of existing payment rails, and massive sustained institutional inflows. The analyst also highlighted a common misunderstanding about liquidity. Humphries explained that for XRP to reach $100, it would require substantial global liquidity. He noted that despite XRP Spot ETFs recording over $1 billion in inflows recently, the cryptocurrency’s price did not rise; instead, it declined further. He highlighted that this is because institutional investors prioritize stability, deep liquidity, and predictability over volatile, high-risk payment assets.  Although his statements may seem like a critique of XRP’s outlook, Humphries emphasized that the cryptocurrency has genuine strengths, including robust cross-border payment capabilities, strong enterprise relationships, and liquidity. He pointed out that, ironically, the more XRP succeeds as a payment rail, the less explosive its price becomes.  Analyst Says XRP Could Still Outperform Many Assets In his video, Humphries stated that XRP has survived many market cycles, making it one of the rare resilient cryptocurrencies. Under the right conditions, he believes that the XRP price could outperform many digital assets, which is why it remains a top altcoin in his portfolio.  Related Reading: XRP Price To Reach $27: The Technical Formation That Paints 1,300% Surge The analyst emphasized the importance of realistic growth driven by gradual institutional adoption, ETF integration, regulatory clarity, and steady price increases tied to actual usage and utility. He highlighted that these factors could help XRP perform very well, potentially reaching new all-time highs. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

A private investment firm has outlined why XRP constitutes the largest share of its portfolio. The firm explains that its investment rationale is anchored in XRP’s Proven operational performance and functional utility rather than aspirational projections, community momentum, or speculative price expectations. As a result, the position reflects a deliberate focus on infrastructure value, reinforcing XRP’s status as a core long-term holding rather than a tactical crypto trade. Why XRP Aligns With A Function-First Investment Approach The investment firm’s reasoning positions XRP as a natural fit for a portfolio strategy that prioritizes function over narrative. According to the firm, its heavy allocation is the byproduct of a disciplined evaluation of how well an asset performs its intended role. In this framework, concentration is justified only when an asset demonstrates clear operational strengths, and XRP is presented as having earned that status through its design and execution. Related Reading: Why Now Is The Perfect Opportunity To Short Bitcoin Down To $40,000 Building on that premise, the firm points to XRP’s specialization as a settlement-oriented digital asset as the primary driver of its allocation decision. The network is structured to deliver rapid and definitive transaction completion, eliminating the uncertainty that can complicate value transfer on many blockchain systems. This reliability is reinforced by consistently low transaction costs that remain stable regardless of usage levels, enabling predictable large-scale transfers without exposure to fee volatility. As transaction volume increases, XRP’s ability to maintain high throughput without congestion further supports its suitability for continuous, real-world payment activity. These technical attributes also connect directly to the firm’s broader investment thesis around institutional usability. By operating without a proof-of-work mechanism, the ledger avoids the inefficiencies and regulatory friction often associated with energy-intensive networks.  In the firm’s assessment, this design choice enhances operational clarity and aligns more closely with the compliance and efficiency standards expected by financial institutions. Taken together, these factors explain why the firm views XRP less as a speculative vehicle and more as functional infrastructure, reinforcing its alignment with a function-first investment approach and justifying its central role within the portfolio. Positioning For Institutional Adoption And Market Repricing The firm frames its investment thesis around how markets evolve under regulatory pressure. As digital asset regulation advances, financial institutions are expected to prioritize reliability, compliance, and operational efficiency over popularity or community momentum. Adoption is therefore driven less by attention and more by seamless integration into existing financial frameworks. Related Reading: Here’s Why Strategy’s $1 Billion Bitcoin Purchase Did Not Trigger A Price Rally This perspective also informs how digital assets may be valued. The firm expects a gradual shift from narrative-based pricing toward metrics such as transaction throughput, liquidity efficiency, and real-world demand. Assets able to move value at scale will likely be repriced as usage rises and speculative excess fades. In the firm’s assessment, XRP is one of the few assets already meeting these standards, and by concentrating its portfolio in XRP, it positions itself ahead of this transition. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

Crypto analyst Dark Defender has been one of the most vocal supporters of XRP, and this stance has not changed despite the altcoin’s current price action. If anything, the analyst believes that the current downtrend actually plays into the XRP long-term target, claiming that the cryptocurrency remains inherently bullish. If the analyst is right, then it means that the XRP price could be gearing up for another major uptrend that could send it to new peaks. XRP Price Is Only In Wave 4, Not A Bear Market In the post that was shared on X, Dark Defender explained that the XRP cryptocurrency was not in any kind of bear market. Instead, the current downtrend is only a result of the altcoin entering Wave 4 of the Elliot Wave, leading to the decline. Related Reading: Can Bitcoin Price Still Hit $140,000? What The Global M2 Money Supply Says Given that Wave 4 is a historically bearish wave, it would explain why the XRP price has dropped so quickly. However, the crypto analyst explained that this wave did not just start, as it has been in play since February 2025. Hence, it would need to play out completely before the next wave can begin. Going by this analysis, it would mean that the last and final wave of the theory is yet to play out, which is often the most bullish of all the waves. As a result, the analyst urges XRP investors not to panic as the price continues to play out according to plan. In the end, the target remains $5.85, according to Dark Defender, beating its previous all-time high of $3.8. Price Could Be Rounding A Bottom Another analyst also contributes that the XRP price is not in a bear market, and could, in fact, be putting in a bottom. STEPH IS CRYPTO points out that the XRP RSI is actually showing a rare bullish divergence on the daily chart, one of the few times that this has happened over the years. Related Reading: Why Did The Bitcoin, Ethereum, And XRP Prices Crash, And Will It Continue? This is significant because back in 2022, a similar bullish divergence had appeared on the daily chart ,and the result was a rapid rise once the distribution was done. As the crypto analyst explains, the fact that this bullish RSI divergence has appeared on the XRP daily chart again suggests that the sellers are actually running out of steam. While there is no set target for where the XRP price is headed, the prediction suggests that a rally could be in the works. “Nothing is guaranteed — but from a technical perspective, this is one of the strongest early reversal signals you can get,” the analyst stated. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com

As the week began, the XRP price experienced a 4% decline, bringing it nearly 50% below its all-time highs. However, analysts forecast significant gains for one of the market’s leading altcoins in January 2026, citing three major catalysts that could reshape its market outlook. A Major Step Towards Broader Access In a recent analysis, Sam Daodu, a market expert from 24/7 Wall St., emphasized the importance of Vanguard’s decision to approve trading of XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Daodu emphasized that the real significance lies in the facilitation of distribution; with Vanguard’s advisors able to allocate XRP exposure through regulated ETFs without additional cumbersome processes. He indicated that three interrelated factors are now at play: the influx of institutional capital through ETF investments, a reduction in supply, and the influence of Vanguard in altering the approach towards the asset. Related Reading: Bitcoin Pulls Back Under $89K, Michael Saylor Smells Opportunity Notably, the results of the token’s exchange-traded fund launch have already been notable, with XRP inflows hitting $1 billion within the first four weeks of trading, making it one of the fastest-growing crypto ETF launches to date.  Additionally, XRP’s market supply has contracted significantly, dropping by 45% from approximately 3.9 billion tokens at the beginning of 2025 to about 1.6 billion by December.  This contraction can be attributed to large holders refraining from distributing their tokens, leading to an accumulation in whale wallets and the removal of tokens from liquid markets due to ETF custody. This decreased supply implies that smaller inflows now carry greater influence. With only 1.6 billion tokens available on exchanges, investments of $20-30 million in daily ETF purchases can have a substantive impact on market supply.  A Key Driver For Price Appreciation  The Vanguard XRP ETF launch is particularly significant in this context, as it locks tokens into regulated custody vehicles that are less likely to be sold frequently.  Unlike tokens held on exchanges that can be quickly moved in and out, ETF custody tends to encourage a buy-and-hold strategy, fostering conditions for gradual price appreciation fueled by sustained institutional demand amid a diminishing available supply. Given that the decision to provide ETF access came late in the year, year-end trading typically focuses on maintaining existing allocations rather than creating new positions.  While the ETF adds credibility to XRP without causing immediate price pressure, its journey to a $3 valuation by January will depend on how swiftly advisory capital mobilizes, the durability of supply compression, and the overall stability of the markets. XRP Price Path To $3 Three potential scenarios present themselves for XRP’s future. The most optimistic scenario sees advisory capital moving quicker than typical, perhaps allowing advisors to integrate small XRP allocations during January’s rebalancing.  In this case, XRP ETF inflows could remain robust, ranging from $40-60 million daily, while the locked-up supply on exchanges supports a price increase that could see the XRP price surpass $2.25, aim for $2.60, and potentially test $3 by the end of January. Related Reading: Ethereum Price Compression Deepens as Analysts Debate if the Next Move Is a Rally or Breakdown The middle-ground perspective suggests a more conventional institutional timing. In this scenario, while the XRP ETF access will gain attention in December, actual allocations might ramp up gradually, leading to a daily influx of about $20-30 million instead of the earlier expected pace.  Here, the XRP price could establish higher lows and breach the $2.25 mark, facing resistance between $2.40 and $2.80. Price fluctuations would focus more on future adoption rather than immediate implications. According to Daodu’s conclusions, and given these circumstances, the XRP price reaching $3 could take until the first or second quarter of 2026 rather than being an immediate milestone.  Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com

XRP’s price action in recent days has led to speculations among crypto traders over whether it could fall below the $2 support zone and how deep any pullback might go before a bottom is established.  Popular XRP analyst Zach Rector addressed this concern shared by many market participants during an interview on the Paul Barron Podcast as to how low XRP could realistically fall before buyers step in and whether a return to the $1 level is still possible under current conditions. Zach Rector Says $1 XRP Is Virtually Impossible Inflows into Spot XRP ETFs have been largely offset by selling pressure on centralized exchanges, keeping the cryptocurrency range-bound just above $2 even as long-term demand builds in the background. This range-bound trading has left the cryptocurrency at risk of losing $2 and breaking further downwards. The question now is whether this downward risk can cause the XRP price to return to $1.  Related Reading: XRP Mirrors 2016 Trend That Led To 69% Crash Before 110,000% Rally Addressing the question from Paul Barron directly, Zach Rector stated that an XRP price move back to $1 is effectively off the table under normal market conditions. He presented such a scenario as something that would only occur in the event of an extraordinary black swan. Current market structure, liquidity depth, and buyer behavior do not support the XRP price falling as low as that level. According to Rector, XRP’s order book on crypto exchanges is now populated by a large base of passive buyers with limit orders already positioned well above $1. He also used his own trade orders to illustrate why he believes XRP is forming a higher long-term floor.  He acknowledged entering an XRP long above $3.40 earlier in the year and confirmed that the position is still underwater. However, he explained that he has consistently dollar-cost averaged lower, bringing his average entry down to around $2.23. Keeping this in mind, Rector predicted a price low to watch out for before the XRP price bounces. Higher Lows Says Support Is Between $1.90 And $1.80 XRP’s price structure over the past year points to a market that is gradually building strength rather than breaking down. Rector pointed to XRP’s price chart on Coinbase, which shows the creation of a sequence of higher lows, with price bottoming near $1.60 in April, recovering to form a higher low around $1.77 on October 10, and then holding even higher at approximately $1.81 in November. Related Reading: Analyst Predicts XRP Price Will Rise To $14 By Frontrunning Bitcoin By Over 600% That pattern is why the $1.90 to $1.80 range is viewed as the most realistic downside zone if XRP breaks below $2 and selling pressure resumes. According to Rector, a dip below $1.90 could open the door for a brief test of $1.80, and this is as low as the XRP price might go before a bounce. Such a move would still fit within the broader higher-low structure that has defined XRP’s price action throughout the year. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP is at the center of the institutional flows, leading the crypto market in streaks of capital inflows even as its price is locked around $2. Recent data shows that money is still entering into Spot XRP ETF products, but despite this steady demand and a clear shift toward bullish sentiment across social platforms, XRP’s spot price has struggled to break higher, and this raises questions as to why inflows and price action appear out of sync. Spot XRP ETFs Are Seeing Relentless Institutional Demand Institutional appetite for XRP has been especially visible through Spot XRP exchange-traded funds. These products have now logged 19 days of uninterrupted inflows, with a fresh capital of $20.17 million added again on Friday.  Related Reading: Silk Road Bitcoins Are On The Move Again, Is The BTC Price Ready For Another Dump? The latest figures from SoSoValue show that these inflows pushed cumulative inflows to $990.91 million, close to the $1 billion mark. Assets under management have also continued to rise, now sitting well above the $1 billion threshold at $1.18 billion. To put this into perspective, Spot Ethereum ETFs ended last week with $19.41 million of outflows This pattern points to deliberate and sustained accumulation of XRP. Institutions appear comfortable building exposure to XRP gradually, taking advantage of its deep liquidity and regulated access through ETF structures. Bullish Social Sentiment Has Not Yet Translated To Price Another notable trend with XRP is that sentiment among retail participants has turned increasingly optimistic in the past few days. Data from market intelligence firm Santiment, which monitors discussions across platforms including X, Telegram, Reddit, and Discord, points to a noticeable increase in positive commentary surrounding the altcoin over the past week. Related Reading: Why This Market Analyst Is Warning Crypto Investors To Stop Buying XRP Santiment data shows that XRP has ranked among the most positively discussed assets of the year, much higher than Ethereum. This increase in positive sentiment has been characterized by traders expressing confidence as the price continues to hold above $2. Particularly, Santiment data shows that last week was the seventh most bullish sentiment week of 2025 for XRP. Retail Staying Optimistic Toward XRP. Source: Santiment Under normal conditions, this combination of strong inflows and improving sentiment would typically suggest a bullish setup. However, sentiment alone does not move markets, and XRP has been range-bound around $2.  The most important thing is the difference between buying and selling pressure. The lack of bullish price action means that persistent sell-side activity from existing holders has been sufficient to absorb incoming demand, and this has kept XRP’s price constrained even as accumulation quietly builds.  The same dynamic applies to ETF flows. Although Spot XRP ETFs have posted inflows for 19 consecutive days, the daily figures are relatively modest. Inflows would need to expand into the hundreds of millions of dollars on a consistent basis for these products to reflect in the XRP price. The strongest signal of improving sentiment right now is XRP’s ability to hold above $2 in the next few trading sessions, rather than any decisive breakout to the upside. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

The narrative surrounding XRP, the digital asset native to the XRP Ledger, has shifted from a speculative cryptocurrency to a recognized digital asset within the global financial system. This shift reflects growing legal clarity and rising interest from financial institutions seeking compliant blockchain-based solutions for payments, liquidity, and settlement.  How Institutional Interest In XRP Continues To Build As XRP gains recognition in regulated financial markets, it’s moving beyond its earlier perception as a speculative digital asset. An analyst known as Skipper_xrp has mentioned on X that this milestone has placed XRP in the conversation alongside traditional assets that institutions already trust. With recent developments from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and rising institutional interest, investors are wondering whether XRP’s growing credibility could be the catalyst for the next major price movement. Related Reading: Not Just Crypto: Research Says XRP Is Moving Into Bank-Grade Payment Infrastructure Meanwhile, tokenization is no longer a theoretical concept; it’s now a tangible reality. The ability to unlock trillions of dollars in real-world assets through blockchain is transforming how the markets will operate. On this front, the REAL token on the XRP Ledger isn’t just participating, it’s leading the change, and opening doors to an unprecedented global market. Ripple recently made the single biggest unlock for XRP since the case against the US SEC, and it has nothing to do with a court ruling. X Finance Bull has provided insight into the CLARITY Act, which legally defines digital commodities under CFTC oversight, eliminating guesswork and excuses from institutions. The real barrier to mass XRP adoption wasn’t tech or liquidity, but a legal risk, and that wall just cracked wide open. Currently, banks can use XRP rails, brokers can move in flow, and corporate treasuries can hold XRP on their books without stepping into uncertainty. This isn’t future potential; it’s the regulatory permission that is required before deploying serious capital. Many tokens don’t fit the mold, but XRP already operates on payment-grade, bank-ready infrastructure designed for real-world settlement, and first in line for real volume. “When institutions get the green light, the token with roads already built will lead,” Xfinancebull noted. A New Gateway Between Asian Markets And Ripple Labs Technical analyst, ChartNerd, revealed that VivoPower International PLC has quietly transformed a standard joint venture agreement into a strategic expansion vehicle with asymmetric exposure. Instead of deploying heavy capital, the structure creates a bridge between Seoul’s institutional crypto markets and Ripple Labs’ private equity, which is aligning with access rather than ownership. Related Reading: Fed Turns On The Liquidity Hose, XRP Ready To Ignite, Investor Claims ChartNerd stated that the play is targeting $300 million in Ripple Lab shares. Furthermore, VivoPower has a capital-light model that delivers substantial upside while minimizing corporate risk. Featured image from Peakpx, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP has spent the past several weeks moving sideways around the $2.00 level, even as headlines around Ripple and the broader XRP ecosystem continue to stack up. Related Reading: Dogecoin Holds Demand Zone Above $0.13, What A Bounce Would Do From a $300 million venture fund expansion into South Korea to nearly $1 billion in spot ETF inflows and fresh regulatory approvals, the backdrop appears supportive on paper. However, price action tells a different story. Instead of responding to institutional traction and regional growth, XRP remains locked in a tight range, reflecting a disconnect between developments and market behavior. XRP's price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: XRPUSD on Tradingview Institutional Growth Isn’t Translating Into Token Demand Ripple’s expansion into South Korea through a $300 million venture fund has drawn attention due to the involvement of well-established, Seoul-based asset managers. However, market participants are increasingly viewing this move as tied to Ripple’s corporate strategy and potential IPO positioning, rather than direct demand for XRP. Institutional investors tend to prioritize predictable cash-flow or equity-style exposure, limiting the immediate impact such initiatives have on the token’s market dynamics. A similar pattern is visible in the ETF market. Spot XRP ETFs have recorded roughly $990 million in inflows over 30 consecutive days, making them one of the fastest-growing crypto fund segments. Despite this, XRP has fallen more than 12% over the past month. Analysts note that ETF inflows do not always translate into spot market pressure, especially when liquidity is fragmented or offset by broader risk-off sentiment across crypto assets. Technical Pressure and Broader Market Headwinds From a technical standpoint, XRP remains under pressure. The price has retraced to key Fibonacci levels after falling from its yearly high near $3.65. Chart patterns such as a developing death cross and a double-top formation point to downside risk, with support levels around $1.63 and $1.50 in focus if selling continues. Traders describe the current phase as bearish consolidation, with strong resistance clustered between $2.00 and $2.20. These conditions mirror weakness across the wider crypto market. Bitcoin’s decline from earlier highs and drawdowns in major altcoins have reduced risk appetite, often pulling XRP lower regardless of asset-specific news. Liquidity, Bots, and Muted Price Response Market structure may also be playing a role. Analysts point to low trading volumes and heavy arbitrage activity as factors keeping XRP pinned near psychological levels. In thin markets, automated strategies tend to fade moves quickly, preventing follow-through. While some data suggests tokens are gradually moving off exchanges, signaling longer-term holding, short-term price discovery remains dominated by macro flows and Bitcoin-led volatility. Related Reading: Dogecoin (DOGE) Slides Deeper Into Red—Is a Bottom in Sight? Currently, XRP’s lack of movement reflects market mechanics more than a judgment on progress within its ecosystem. Until volume and liquidity shift decisively, headlines alone may not be enough to move the price. Cover image from ChatGPT, XRPUSD chart from Tradingview

Young Hoon Kim — a social-media personality who describes himself on X as the “IQ 276” holder — said XRP could rise to $100 over the next five years, offering a fresh bullish target that drew a mix of enthusiasm and criticism across Crypto Twitter. Kim Doubles Down On XRP “Based on my personal view, XRP could potentially reach $100 over the next 5 years. (NFA/DYOR),” the superbrain posted via X on Dec. 14. The post showed roughly 133,300 views. Based on my personal view, #XRP could potentially reach $100 over the next 5 years. (NFA/DYOR) — YoungHoon Kim, IQ 276 (@yhbryankimiq) December 14, 2025 Notably, Kim didn’t stop at the five-year call, either. In an earlier post on Saturday, he said: “In my view, XRP has a strong possibility of reaching a new ATH by the end of this year.” Related Reading: XRP Mildly Undervalued On MVRV: What About Bitcoin, Ethereum? Neither post included a detailed methodology or valuation framework. The reaction, accordingly, centered less on the specific target and more on the absence of supporting analysis — and on Kim’s public persona, which has become part of the conversation around his market calls. Software engineer Vincent Van Code responded by asking for the underlying math in a joking tone: “Ok mr brain, please share with us your calculations. I too agree, I have calcs I shared using my 20 IQ brain.” JD (@jaydee_757), a chart analyst popular in the XRP community, framed the post as momentum-driven: “Sounds like this boy bought the hype lol!” Gordon (@GordonGekko) added: “The smartest man in the world says XRP could hit $100 by 2030. Do you think this is a possible target?” Larger trading and chart-focused accounts were more direct. Ali Martinez (@alicharts) wrote, “You can have the highest IQ and still be dumb AF,” while IncomeSharks asked, “Has one prediction you’ve said come true?” Both comments were posted in response to Kim’s XRP-related statements circulating over the weekend. Related Reading: XRP Whale Activity Spikes At The Bottom – A Classic Pre-Rally Signal The posts are a continuation of a narrative that gained traction at the end of last week. As reported on Dec. 12, Kim’s first ever XRP related post on X — “I buy #XRP from now on” — came after a period of frequent Bitcoin-related posting. Notably, Kim not only posted about XRP but also World Liberty Financial, the decentralized finance (DeFi) platform backed by the Trump family, over the weekend. On Sunday, Kim posted via X: “I personally buy WLFI every day, because I believe it is significantly undervalued based on my own assessment.” Again, there was no explanation or technical analysis. Just a provocant claim. Already on October 24, Kim claimed that WLFI is more valuable than Bitcoin. “As the World’s Highest IQ Record Holder (by World Memory Championships & Official World Record®), I predict WLFI will soon reach a market cap of $5B. WLFI is the only crypto more valuable than Bitcoin,” he wrote. Meanwhile, his Bitcoin price prediction for 2026 is not less sensational. “My analysis suggests that Bitcoin reaching 300K in early 2026 is a logical scenario,” he wrote on Dec. 11. At press time, XRP traded at $1.99. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

XRP has struggled to create any upside traction over the past few days, with the price rejecting above $2.15 in the middle of the week and now back to lingering just above the $2 level.  A new long-term technical comparison shared by crypto analyst ChartNerd places XRP’s price behavior since its July all-time high of $3.65 into an interesting context, implying that what XRP is doing now resembles a phase from its 2016 market cycle that points to an incoming huge rally. Related Reading: American Bitcoin Makes Big Buy, Adds 416 BTC To Its Stack Repeating 2016 Rejection And ABC Crash Structure According to crypto analyst ChartNerd, XRP’s current structure matches a similar price action that unfolded in late 2016. when price rejected an accumulation supply block and rolled into an ABC corrective move. That correction ultimately produced a 69% flash-wick decline that extended into the first quarter of 2017.  The drop was severe and unfolded over several months, eventually pushing XRP to as low as $0.00240, but it eventually represented the end of the correction rather than the end of the bullish cycle. The chart accompanying the analysis, which is shown below, highlights a similar rejection pattern forming now. This pattern is based on how the XRP price rejected at its most recent all-time high in July. Since then, the monthly price chart has been printing consecutive red candles, with monthly closes consistently below opens. At the time of writing, XRP is about a 44% correction from this all-time high. This means a 69% correction is yet to play out in its entirety. Therefore, if history repeats, a full 69% ABC-style move from the all-time high would drag XRP back below $1 and as low as $0.8. This move is expected to play out into the first quarter of 2026. XRP Price Chart. Source: @ChartNerdTA Potential Drop Could Be A Set-Up For A Much Larger Rally XRP is currently trading at $2.04. Therefore, a deeper pullback below $1 will translate to a 51% decrease from the current price action. The idea of a deeper pullback from $2 is tough to imagine, especially given the inflows into Spot XRP ETFs. In fact, a pullback of that magnitude could test conviction across the market and cause many bullish traders to step aside. However, the technical analysis frames it as a structural reset rather than anything else. In 2017, the post-crash consolidation laid the groundwork for one of XRP’s most explosive rallies on record, ultimately delivering gains in excess of 110,000%. Related Reading: Is Dogecoin Waking Up? Critical On-Chain Metric Explodes Higher If this sequence plays out as expected, then the real bullish opportunity would develop later in 2026. From that reset zone, the chart projects a long-term advance to the 1.618 Fibonacci extension, placing a potential upside target around $27. The visual projection in the chart above shows a clean multi-month expansion zone that delivers a 2,300% gain after the corrective phase.  Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The XRP price has been on a steep downward spiral throughout the second half of 2025, falling from its all-time high of around $3.65. However, finding support at the $2 mark has been a consistent theme during the altcoin’s period of decline. Most recently, the XRP price fell this week from its local high close to $2.20 before bouncing back from the $2 mark. While the coin’s value continues to hover around this psychological price point, below is a look at other relevant levels that could determine its future trajectory. Key On-Chain Levels For XRP In a December 12 post on social media platform X, crypto analyst Ali Martinez shared on-chain insights into the current market outlook for the XRP token. Using Glassnode’s Cost Basis Distribution Heatmap, the market pundit identified three key levels for the XRP price. Related Reading: Crypto Exchange Binance To Assist Pakistan In Tokenizing $2 Billion In Government Bonds The Cost Basis Distribution Heatmap tracks the average cost basis of the total XRP token supply. With the help of a heatmap, this metric highlights different price levels and the density of investors who purchased their tokens within and around these price levels. The deep red shade on the heatmap indicates an investor cluster with their cost basis around the highlighted price regions. These zones often act as dynamic support and resistance, depending on whether the current XRP price is below or above them. Martinez highlighted that the $1.96 and 1.78 zones are the next support cushions for the price of XRP. As seen with recent rebounds around the $1.96 level, the altcoin will likely also bounce back (if it loses the current immediate support) at $1.78, as investors tend to double down and defend their positions by buying more when the price returns to their cost basis, thereby keeping the token’s price afloat. Meanwhile, Martinez noted that the $2.17 level is a resistance zone for the XRP price, as several investors with their cost basis around it are likely to sell when the price returns to this zone. This selling activity, in turn, puts downward pressure on the altcoin and prevents its price from breaking out. Ultimately, this on-chain observation reveals that the XRP price needs to at least break the resistance at $2.17 to kickstart any fresh upward trajectory. On the flip side, a loss of the $1.96 support could see the fourth-largest cryptocurrency fall to as low as $1.78. XRP Price At A Glance As of this writing, the price of XRP stands at around $2.01, reflecting no significant change in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the altcoin is down by nearly 2% on the weekly timeframe, according to CoinGecko’s data. Related Reading: Here’s Why Bitcoin’s Reaction To Fed Policy Turns Bearish After Each FOMC Update Featured image from iStock, chart from TradingView

Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto has again predicted that the XRP price could reach $27. This time around, he outlined the technical formation that could spark a parabolic surge for the altcoin as it eyes the $27 target.  How The XRP Price Could Reach $27 In an X post, Egrag Crypto stated that the Linear Regression targets for the XRP price are $3.4, $10, and $27. He further explained that, as of this month, these three major price levels stand out based on the long-term Logarithmic Linear Regression Channel. The analyst then touched on each price target and how XRP could reach there.  Related Reading: XRP Price Needs To Hold This Macro Support For Hope Of Revival Egrag Crypto described the $3.40 target for the XRP price as the mean reversion. He stated that a retest and rejection from $3.40 would be one of the strongest bearish TA signals for the altcoin. The analyst further remarked that this target is based solely on chart structure, not fundamentals. He added that a close above this level means that XRP is officially back in macro bullish territory.  Furthermore, the analyst stated that the $10 target for the XRP price is the upper midline. He explained that this is where full bull expansion normally accelerates and that the target rises with time because this channel is logarithmic. Lastly, Egrag Crypto highlighted $27 as the top of the channel. He noted that multiple long-term confluences point to this target for the altcoin.  Notably, this XRP price prediction comes amid several bullish fundamentals for the altcoin. Ripple was just granted a conditional approval for its national trust bank charter, which could boost XRP’s adoption. XRP also just expanded to Solana with Hex Trust’s launch of its wrapped XRP token for DeFi purposes. Meanwhile, Swiss bank AMINA Bank has integrated Ripple payments, which utilize XRP.   The Major Levels To Watch Haven’t Changed Crypto analyst CasiTrades stated that the major levels for the XRP price haven’t changed. The macro supports are $2.03 and $1.64. On the other hand, the macro resistance is $2.41, which a break above would confirm a bullish scenario for the altcoin. The analyst remarked that if a break above $2.41 happens, the next measured targets stand around $2.75 and $2.90.  Related Reading: Analyst Predicts XRP Price Will Rise To $14 By Frontrunning Bitcoin By Over 600% However, if the XRP price breaks below the macro support at $2.03, CasiTrades predicts that the altcoin could fall below $1.97 and decline towards the $1.64 major support. She reiterated that there is no official confirmation yet on the next potential move for XRP. Interestingly, the world’s largest IQ holder, YoungHoon Kim, stated that XRP has a strong possibility of reaching a new ATH by the end of this year.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.01, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP has been under clear pressure in recent sessions, sliding toward its lowest price of the year as the broader crypto market continues to absorb heavy selling. Sentiment remains fragile, and many traders have shifted into defensive positioning while awaiting clearer macro signals. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Refuse to Sell: Historic Signal Emerges As Binance CDD Drops To 2017 Levels According to a new report from CryptoQuant, however, the underlying picture is more complex than the price chart suggests. Despite the short-term decline, XRP whales are becoming increasingly active, showing no hesitation in trading and accumulating even as retail participation weakens. This divergence between whale behavior and market sentiment is noteworthy. Historically, XRP’s most significant recoveries have begun during phases of deep pessimism, when large holders quietly build exposure rather than chase rallies. The latest data confirms this pattern: while price approaches yearly lows, whale-driven transaction volume has risen, signaling that high-value wallets are repositioning rather than exiting. Whale Accumulation and CVD Shift Signal a Potential XRP Bottom The CryptoQuant report highlights that the recent surge in whale activity follows a pattern often observed during market bottoming phases. Large holders rarely accumulate aggressively during strong uptrends; instead, they tend to build positions quietly during periods of weakness, when sentiment is poor, and prices are depressed. Their willingness to buy in the current environment—while XRP trades near yearly lows—suggests strategic positioning rather than speculative momentum chasing. This behavior is typically interpreted as a pre-rally signal. When whales accumulate into weakness, it indicates confidence that current prices offer value and that the downside may be limited. Historically, such phases have preceded meaningful upside moves in XRP, as whale accumulation often absorbs available sell pressure and stabilizes market structure. Supporting this view, the report also points to a notable shift in the XRP Spot Taker CVD, which has turned taker-buy dominant. This means that aggressive buyers are now driving more of the executed volume, reflecting strengthening demand in real time. A taker-buy dominant CVD often emerges before sustained rallies, as it highlights increasing willingness among market participants to buy at the ask rather than wait for dips. Together, rising whale accumulation and a bullish CVD trend paint an increasingly constructive backdrop for XRP’s medium-term outlook. Related Reading: This Whale Isn’t Stopping: $392M Ethereum Long And A Tight Liquidation Price Revealed Price Analysis: Testing Yearly Lows as Structure Weakens XRP continues to trade near its yearly lows, with the chart showing a clear deterioration in trend structure. Price remains pinned below all major moving averages—the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day—indicating that bullish momentum has not yet returned. The persistent rejection at the 50-day moving average throughout November and December highlights the strength of overhead resistance and the absence of sustained buying pressure from the broader market. The $2.00 region, now acting as a key horizontal support, has been tested multiple times over the past month. Each retest shows reduced volatility, suggesting that sellers are no longer driving aggressive breakdown attempts. But demand remains too weak to generate a meaningful rebound. A decisive loss of this level could open the door toward the $1.80–$1.90 support zone. XRP previously consolidated during the early stages of the 2025 rally. Related Reading: Why Ethereum’s Rally Isn’t Overheated – And Where Demand Must Grow Next Volume also confirms the broader downtrend. Selling spikes stand out noticeably, whereas buy-side volume remains muted. This imbalance reinforces the prevailing bearish structure, even as whale accumulation begins to appear on-chain. For XRP to shift out of this downtrend, bulls must reclaim the 50-day moving average and produce higher lows. Until then, the chart signals continued caution. Whale activity must begin translating into visible spot demand, or the risk skews to the downside. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com

Young Hoon Kim — the social-media personality who styles himself as the “IQ 276” record holder — just gave the XRP crowd a fresh piece of rocket fuel. “I buy XRP from now on,” Kim wrote on X on Friday, in what appears to be his first straight-up XRP shoutout after days of near-constant Bitcoin evangelizing. I buy #XRP from now on. — YoungHoon Kim, IQ 276 (@yhbryankimiq) December 12, 2025 Why The XRP Endorsement Now? And, yeah, the XRP Army did what it always does: it treated the post like a mini event. “The smartest man in the world is buying XRP,” one account, Gordon (@GordonGekko), replied — then immediately stapled the other big narrative of the day onto it: “XRP is now on Solana too. Is this the start of an XRP rally?” That second line isn’t just vibes. Solana’s official account posted “BREAKING: XRP is coming to Solana,” pointing to a wrapped-asset setup that would let XRP trade and move inside Solana DeFi rails. Hex Trust, which is positioning itself as issuer/custodian for the wrapped token (wXRP), says the product is designed to be 1:1 backed and redeemable for native XRP, using LayerZero’s OFT standard and launching “starting with Solana” (with more chains name-checked). Related Reading: Why This Market Analyst Is Warning Crypto Investors To Stop Buying XRP So Kim’s timing, intentional or not, landed right on top of a very convenient distribution channel: “XRP, but DeFi-ready.” If you’re an XRP holder who’s been watching Solana soak up memecoin liquidity and on-chain volume for the past year, that’s an easy story to forward to your group chat. The funny part is Kim’s recent persona has leaned hard into Bitcoin-maxi prophecy. In the last week alone, he made dozens of Bitcoin posts via X. On December 7, he posted: “In my personal view, Bitcoin’s current price is just a temporary discount caused by what seems to be market manipulation. I think any such manipulation may disappear within a week, and then it could start accelerating toward a new ATH.” Just a few days later, on December 10, he wrote: “My analysis suggests that Bitcoin may have set its bottom a few weeks ago, and we could now be entering a true supercycle.” One day later, he added: “”My analysis suggests that Bitcoin reaching 300K in early 2026 is a logical scenario.” Related Reading: XRP Forecast Turns Explosive As Canadian Experts Highlight Massive FinTech Utility Yesterday, Kim posted: “Bitcoin looks ready to break every prediction ever written. The real bull run begins when people think it’s already over,” before adding today: “I think Bitcoin is the money of God” and “In my view, one of the fastest ways to get rich is to stack Bitcoin.” So why the sudden XRP detour? No explanation yet, at least publicly. There’s also the reality that Kim is, politely put, controversial. Korean coverage has described him as being reported as an “IQ 276” holder tied to mind-sports organizations, but the broader profile has drawn scrutiny and debate online, with questions about verifiability and sourcing trailing the “world’s highest IQ” framing. Still, crypto doesn’t really wait for footnotes. A big claim, a big ticker, a hot comment section — and now an XRP-to-Solana headline to glue it together. That’s plenty for a one-day narrative. At press time, XRP traded at $2.04. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

XRP has spent the past 48 hours grinding lower, with its price gradually retreating to $2 after failing to sustain the rally above $2.10 at the beginning of the week. Selling pressure has been mostly controlled rather than aggressive, but each attempt to push higher has been met with a local trendline resistance near $2.165. Technical analysis shared by crypto analyst CasiTrades outlines an important macro support level that may determine whether XRP can stabilize and attempt another bullish recovery or fall into another bearish corrective phase below $2. XRP Defends An Important Macro Support Zone Around $2.03 According to CasiTrades’ analysis, XRP is still defending the macro 0.5 Fibonacci retracement level, which sits around $2.03 and has acted as a key structural support on the chart. This is visible in the recent price action, as the cryptocurrency is currently trading at $2.04, having rebounded from a low of $1.99 in the past 24 hours. Related Reading: Analyst Predicts XRP Price Will Rise To $14 By Frontrunning Bitcoin By Over 600% The analyst noted that XRP recently reacted strongly from this level, showing its importance as a demand zone. The accompanying chart shows price repeatedly returning to this region, with buyers stepping in to prevent a sustained breakdown. Although XRP has briefly dipped below the 0.5 Fib level, the move lacked follow-through. The most important thing is that the XRP price did not lose the $1.97 level, which CasiTrades identified as the threshold that would confirm a deeper bearish scenario. As long as XRP is trading above this zone, the analyst suggests that the price action still has a chance of increasing rather than heading lower to other downside targets. Clearly Defined Bullish And Bearish Scenarios The analysis outlines two distinct paths forward, and both depend on how XRP reacts to the macro support level at $1.97. On the bullish side, holding above $1.97 keeps the door open for a continuation higher. As long as $1.97 holds, the deeper retracement scenario is not confirmed. Related Reading: XRP Exchange Balances Just Set A Brand-New Record Since Its Launch  From here, we can see XRP continue moving bullish, but only a decisive break above the macro resistance near $2.41 would serve as confirmation of a stronger upside structure. If that level is cleared, the next projections are in the $2.75 to $2.90 range, as shown in the purple bullish scenario in the chart above. On the other hand, a loss of $1.97 would invalidate the current support structure and shift focus toward the macro 0.618 retracement around $1.64. The chart shows this as the pink scenario and $1.64 as another major support level that could come into play to stop the intensifying selling pressure.  No official confirmation has occurred in either direction, leaving XRP at an important point where holding macro support is the main requirement for any meaningful revival attempt. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com