THE LATEST CRYPTO NEWS

Crypto markets are showing early signs that the worst may be over, following a prolonged decline that began with the industry’s sharp sell-off back in October of last year.   In a new report shared on social media, technical analyst Ali Martinez says the market is now starting to form what he calls a structural floor. Next Cycle Setup For Crypto Leaders Martinez’s view is rooted in the idea that seven months of heavy volatility may also be creating a rare opportunity. For those focused on the longer-term picture, he argues, the current turbulence can act as a reset period before the next multi-year cycle.  Rather than treating the current sell-off as purely negative, Martinez suggests it may be setting up the conditions for a new upward phase once the market stops bleeding. Related Reading: Adam Back Denies Being Bitcoin Creator In Response To NYT: ‘I Am Not Satoshi’ When looking at the “big picture” for broader crypto market structure, Martinez points to a metric he says helps define the floor: the CVDD Channel, which stands for Cumulative Value Days Destroyed.  According to his analysis, Bitcoin’s “Golden Zone” is currently near $49,330. He claims that historically, entries into this area have tended to show up before bull market runs, and he outlines upside targets for what could follow—potentially reaching $178,478, and in an even more extended scenario, $273,158. The analyst then turns to Ethereum (ETH). Martinez says he is watching whether ETH is moving within a parallel channel pattern, and if that interpretation holds, he believes the zone between current levels and $1,070 could offer a high-conviction entry point.  From there, he highlights an ecosystem-wide rally scenario with a macro target around $8,670 as the next major objective, framing it as a move that would emerge as the broader crypto ecosystem matures. Outlook For XRP, SOL, And DOGE For XRP, Martinez focuses on a specific support level as the key to determining whether the crypto market can stabilize. He says that if XRP can hold support near $0.80, it could create a strong “buy the dip” setup, potentially giving traders a chance before a later retest of XRP’s all-time high near $3.30 and beyond.  Solana (SOL) is next, and Martinez suggests SOL may need a broader “generational” reset to complete the bottoming process. He argues that the possible low area ranges from $74 to $50, describing that band as a total reset of speculative “froth.”  Martinez characterizes that kind of clearance as a major launchpad for the next upward move, implying that the more aggressive the washout, the more room there may be for the following leg higher. Related Reading: JPMorgan CEO Says Bank Must Build Its Own Blockchain To Counter Crypto Threats Finally, Martinez discusses Dogecoin (DOGE) using what he calls fractal signals. He says the memecoin’s chart structure indicates a coiling phase that often appears before the next parabolic move.  In that context, Martinez points to a zone he believes is where larger, more informed buyers could begin accumulating. His range for that buildup is between $0.090 and $0.060, which he describes as the area where accumulation could start to intensify ahead of a potential upside surge. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com 

XRP holders are currently sitting on major losses as the price continues to decline from the 2025 bull run highs. These holders risk larger losses on their investments, as crypto analyst CasiTrades has warned that XRP could still see new lows.  XRP Holders Currently Seeing Major Negative Returns On Their Investments On-chain analytics platform Santiment revealed that the average wallets that have been active on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) over the past year are down an average of 41% on their investments. Santiment noted that this is the lowest Mean Value to Realized Value (MVRV) for XRP holders since the FTX crash in November 2022.  Related Reading: Don’t Get Trapped In XRP: Analyst Sounds Warning That Price Will Still Crash To This Level Santiment noted that because crypto assets are zero-sum trading games, significantly negative average returns, not just a price drop, but actual trader returns, imply that there is much lower risk than average in buying or adding to one’s XRP positions. The platform explained that this is because competing traders are already in severe ‘blood in the streets’ territory.  On-chain analytics platform Glassnode also highlighted how much XRP holders are currently underwater. In an X post, the platform noted that with price trading at $1.33, the percentage of XRP supply in profit has declined to 43.4%, the lowest level since July 2024.  Glassnode had previously noted that a large portion of the XRP supply was sitting at a loss even when the price was trading around $2.15. This signaled that the XRP market was a “top-heavy and structurally fragile market,” dominated by late buyers. XRP Preparing For Another Leg Down Crypto analyst CasiTrades has indicated that XRP is preparing for another leg down, which could put XRP holders in further losses. She noted that the bounce from the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement is over now and that she is watching for a wave-3 down. The analyst also revealed that the ceasefire push over the last 24 hours sent XRP perfectly into the .618 retracement, which gave the market a clean wave-2 relief rally.  Related Reading: Forget XRP Price Weakness, Investors Are Still Pouring In, And Wallet Figures Just Hit An Impressive Target CasiTrades acknowledged that the wave-2 move for XRP knocked out one of the smaller subwave counts, but that the bigger structure hasn’t changed. She added that the real move hasn’t happened yet and that she is still expecting a wave-3 move down toward $1.09, which the analyst warned could accelerate fast.  The analyst had previously warned that XRP could drop towards $1.08, which is the macro .786 support, and then see another relief bounce before breaking lower into $0.87, which is the macro .854 support, marking the fifth wave of this bearish move down.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.33, down over 3% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP whales are aggressively accumulating while the asset’s recent price action keeps many retail participants cautious. This raises a key question for investors: are large holders positioning ahead of something the average trader has not yet recognized?  XRP Whales Accumulate At Key Levels While Retail Hesitates While XRP has dropped 3.5% in the past 24 hours, on-chain metrics indicate that XRP whales have dramatically shifted their positioning in recent weeks. Data from the analytics platform CryptoQuant shows that the Whale Flow 30-day moving average (30DMA) has turned positive after spending more than three months in negative territory, signaling a transition from distribution to accumulation. Related Reading: Analyst Who Called Bitcoin Price Crash Above $100,000 Predicts Crash To $29,000 This shift has pushed whale buying activity to its highest level in roughly ten months, highlighting a sharp change in behavior among large investors. Moreover, major holders have been purchasing more than 11 million XRP every day, a pace of accumulation that has not been observed since earlier stages of previous market expansions. The timing of this accumulation is notable because it coincides with XRP defending a key technical support zone. Market data shows the asset recently rebounded after touching the $1.28 level, bringing its current value to $1.33. Traders are closely watching this behavior, considering whether the combination of strong whale buying and support defense could set the stage for a potential breakout. Another signal reinforcing the accumulation narrative is the steady movement of tokens away from trading platforms. Exchange outflows for XRP have increased, sending a larger portion of the supply into private wallets. With fewer coins available for immediate sale, short-term selling pressure eases, amplifying the impact of growing demand and highlighting the deliberate positioning of large holders. Event-Driven Momentum: Why Whales Are Watching Japan Closely The timing of this accumulation aligns closely with a major XRP Ledger-focused event taking place in Japan this week. The conference is expected to feature Ripple executives and focus on institutional adoption, decentralized finance, and broader ecosystem development. Japan holds strategic importance for XRP due to its deep ties with SBI Holdings and its established role in Ripple’s global expansion. This regional strength adds weight to the significance of the event, making it more than just a routine industry gathering. Market participants are closely watching how the XRP price reacts around this event.  Related Reading: Ripple Makes A $13 Trillion Bet With This Move, And XRP Price Could Be Set To Explode The combination of large-scale buying, reduced circulating supply, and the upcoming institutional-focused conference underscores a clear pattern. While retail participants often respond to short-term uncertainty with hesitation or panic, whales are coordinating their activity with events that could influence adoption and ecosystem growth. Ultimately, the difference between panic-driven retail behavior and disciplined whale accumulation illustrates that these large holders are acting not out of impulse, but based on insight and timing. Their moves suggest they see opportunities that others may overlook, emphasizing strategy and preparation. Whales may not have secret knowledge, but they clearly understand how to act decisively when the rest of the market hesitates. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto has outlined three key targets for XRP, including $31, signaling that the altcoin could reach double digits at some point. This comes as XRP eyes a parabolic surge to the upside amid a 2-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran.  Analyst Outlines Three Key Zones For XRP  In an X post, Egrag Crypto outlined $7, $10, and $31 as the top Fib 1.618 targets for XRP. The analyst described these levels as battle zones, signaling that this is where the altcoin could face significant resistance as it eyes higher price levels. He also noted that these are not random levels but that they define the true support framework.  In another X post, Egrag Crypto highlighted a Descending Broadening Wedge pattern, which signaled that an expansion was on the horizon for XRP. He noted a strong base holding around $0.90 and compression near the upper boundary, indicating that pressure is building.  Related Reading: The Last Time XRP Made This Move Against Bitcoin, It Led To A 500% Increase To $3.3 The analyst stated that the probability of a bullish expansion for XRP is between 55% and 60%. He further remarked that a break above $3.30 will lead to rallies to $5, $8, and $13. On the other hand, Egrag Crypto warned that there is a 40% to 45% chance of a fake breakdown, in which XRP could sweep below $0.90, then reclaim this level and record a parabolic surge.  Meanwhile, he gave a 10% to 15% probability of a full failure, in which XRP breaks its current structure, and no reclaim occurs. Egrag Crypto noted that a Descending Broadening Wedge pattern is not weakness but rather “controlled chaos before expansion.” The analyst added that the longer this pattern coils, the more violent the move will be.  The key levels for XRP are $3.30 and $0.90, which Egrag Crypto described as the “trigger” and “line in the sand” respectively. He concluded that the current setup is a volatility expansion rather than a random range.  Price Could Still Drop To $0.87 Crypto analyst CasiTrades has warned that XRP could still drop to $0.87 on the last wave to the downside. This came as she stated that price has failed to make a new high and has instead printed a clean 5-wave right into resistance. She added that a bearish divergence has formed, signaling weakness and exhaustion at resistance.  Related Reading: Are Institutions About To Trigger A Massive XRP Supply Shock? Here’s How Much They’re Holding XRP could drop to $1.13 on the first wave down, then see a small relief before it continues toward $1.08, which is the macro .786 support. CasiTrades stated that the altcoin could see another chop or relief bounce before breaking lower into the $0.87 range, which is the macro .854 support.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.38, up over 5% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP is trading around a critical price level. The market is showing signs of life — driven by reports of potential US-Iran negotiations that have lifted risk sentiment across financial markets. But the derivatives data on Binance is telling a more cautious story about what those signs are actually worth. Related Reading: A Key Bitcoin Signal Is Quietly Building While The Price Stays Flat: Here Is What to Watch Next A CryptoQuant report tracking XRP’s leverage structure has identified an asymmetry that cuts directly against the bullish surface reading. Over the past 30 days, long position liquidations on Binance reached approximately $39.8 million — more than double the $19.7 million in short position liquidations recorded over the same period. The market has been punishing buyers at twice the rate it has been punishing sellers. That ratio matters because it describes the current market’s relationship with optimism. Every time XRP traders have positioned for upside, the market has extracted a disproportionate cost from those positions. The geopolitical catalyst may be shifting sentiment. The leverage structure is not yet reflecting a market that has earned the right to move higher — it is reflecting one that has been repeatedly burned for trying. The bullish signs are real. The foundation beneath them is still being tested. Caution Is Winning. It Has Not Won Yet The report adds a behavioral layer that confirms what the liquidation asymmetry implies. The 30-day cumulative funding rate has registered a slightly negative value of approximately -0.000007, a modest reading, but one that has held in negative territory consistently. In derivatives markets, persistent negative funding means traders are paying to maintain short positions rather than long ones. That is not neutral positioning. It is a market that is leaning against recovery, not toward it. The combined picture — long liquidations at double the rate of short liquidations, funding tilted negative, leverage usage declining from previous periods — describes a derivatives market that has been systematically reducing its bullish exposure. That process of overextension removal is, paradoxically, the most constructive development visible in the data. When leveraged longs are cleared from a market and positioning becomes lighter and more two-sided, the mechanical risk of cascading liquidations in either direction diminishes. What remains is a market that has shed its excess but not yet found its conviction. The simultaneous decline in both long and short liquidations confirms the overextension is being resolved. The continued dominance of long liquidations confirms the resolution is not yet complete. The leverage reset is underway. It is not finished. When it is — and when liquidity returns alongside it — the conditions for a larger move will exist in a way they currently do not. The direction of that move will depend on which catalyst arrives first Related Reading: XRP Spot Buying Hits $520M While Futures Stay Negative. Here Is the Signal To Watch For A Real Move XRP Consolidates Below Resistance as Downtrend Structure Persists XRP continues to trade in a compressed range near $1.38 after a prolonged downtrend that began following its late-2025 peak. The chart shows a clear sequence of lower highs and lower lows, with price consistently rejected below the 50-day (blue) and 100-day (green) moving averages. Both indicators are sloping downward, reinforcing the broader bearish structure. The 200-day moving average (red), now positioned well above the current price, confirms that XRP remains in a macro corrective phase. The February capitulation event stands out as a structural reset, marked by a sharp spike in volume and a rapid move below $1.20 before reclaiming higher levels. Since then, XRP has stabilized, but the recovery lacks momentum. Volume has declined steadily, suggesting reduced participation rather than strong accumulation. Related Reading: Ethereum Trading on Binance Has Gone Quiet, Discover What Happens When That Changes Price is now compressing just below short-term resistance, with repeated failures to break above the descending 50-day moving average. This type of consolidation often precedes expansion, but the direction remains unclear. A reclaim of the $1.50–$1.60 zone would be required to challenge the current downtrend. Until then, XRP remains structurally weak, with consolidation reflecting equilibrium—not strength. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

A viral footage from 2018 has resurfaced online, showing CEO Brad Garlinghouse boldly declaring that Ripple was taking over SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications). At the time, the crypto payments company was still in its early growth phase, aggressively positioning itself as a faster and more cost-effective alternative to SWIFT. Today, Ripple has evolved significantly in various aspects, including regulation, payments, global adoption, partnerships, banking, and more. Ripple CEO Makes Bold Claim To Surpass SWIFT During the 2018 Bloomberg interview, Garlinghouse was asked whether he believed Ripple could ever take over SWIFT. The CEO responded calmly, “I think what we’re doing and executing on a day-by-day basis is in fact taking over SWIFT.” He stated that the company had already signed with more than 100 banks, noting that some of the largest SWIFT-enabled financial institutions in the world are already using Ripple’s technology.  Related Reading: Analyst Who Called Bitcoin Price Crash Above $100,000 Predicts Crash To $29,000 Garlinghouse’s statement reflected confidence in Ripple’s growth potential and its ability to transform global payment systems. He pointed to practical, real-world applications, explaining that a remittance company adopted Ripple’s technology in 2018 and lowered the price per transaction from $20 to just $2, leading to a staggering 800% surge in usage overnight. According to him, this type of growth and dynamic is what Ripple can address, while SWIFT has struggled to support.  Despite his bold vision, many in the crypto community today remain skeptical. One possible reason for this doubt is that SWIFT has served as the backbone of international financial communications since 1973. Hence, it has built decades of strong credibility, trust, compliance, and security standards—areas where Ripple, by comparison, is still developing.  However, despite these long-standing advantages, SWIFT falls short in many areas that Ripple aims to improve. The system relies on processes that take 1-5 days for transactions to settle, while Ripple executes transfers in seconds. In addition, SWIFT’s transfers also cost $25-$50 per transaction, while the average all-in costs for institutional payments on Ripple range from $0.001-$0.01 per transaction, a staggering contrast.  One of SWIFT’s biggest flaws today is that it does not move money directly; instead, it sends messages about money while still relying on pre-funded Nostro accounts. This reliance is the key area where Ripple has a huge advantage. While SWIFT’s pre-funded accounts and use of intermediaries slow payments, Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) leverages XRP as a bridge currency to speed up transfers. The crypto company converts the sender’s currency into XRP, moves it across the ledger, and then converts it to the receiver’s currency—all of which is done in seconds.  How Ripple Has Evolved Since 2018 Fast-forward to today, Ripple has overcome major hurdles since 2018, including resolving its almost seven-year legal battle with the US SEC and gaining clearer regulatory guidance and recognition. At the same time, the company has continued to expand globally while enhancing the XRP Ledger (XRPL) with new updates and stronger security features.   Related Reading: XRP Analyst Reveals Why The Altcoin Is Set To Hit $27 So far, the company continues its efforts to either rival or work with SWIFT. It has established partnerships with hundreds of banks, payment providers, remittance firms, and other institutions. Ripple has also expanded its offerings through various strategic acquisitions, including Hidden Road, Metaco, GTreasury, and others. As a result, the crypto firm now extends its services beyond payments to include custody, settlement, treasury management, and more.  Recently, one of Ripple’s biggest milestones was gaining conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national bank charter. A full license would officially designate Ripple as a federally recognized bank, bringing the company one step closer to its goals.  Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

Institutions are quietly accumulating large amounts of XRP, suggesting a wave of strategic buying that could influence prices as available tokens become scarcer. Recent reports show that major financial players have already invested hundreds of millions of dollars in XRP, potentially signaling a looming supply crunch.  Analyst Says XRP Supply Shock Incoming On April 4, market analyst @CryptoCupra on X reported that major institutions are silently loading up on XRP, with over $200 million already committed. The analyst stated that this “is only the beginning,” implying that more institutional investors will continue buying XRP en masse. Related Reading: What Does The Japanese Bond Gap Have To Do With The XRP Price Reaching $150? @CryptoCupra noted that prominent players, including Goldman Sachs, have already entered the markets alongside several top investment funds. He emphasized that this accumulation differs from typical retail participation, reflecting strategic positioning by experienced large-scale investors with enough resources to influence XRP’s supply. The analyst stated that as more institutions buy XRP, the number of tokens available for trading continues to decrease. He explained that such accumulation often precedes a supply shock, which occurs when demand exceeds the tokens sellers are willing to offer. Usually, a supply shock can influence a cryptocurrency’s price, often triggering sharp rallies as buying pressure increases while liquidity remains limited. @CryptoCupra claims that institutional investors are deliberately buying XRP ahead of a potential price surge, highlighting their confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future potential. Among the firms outlined in his post, Goldman Sachs has the highest exposure to XRP, holding more than 83.63 million tokens worth over $153.8 million. Following directly behind it is Millennium Management LLC, which has purchased approximately 12.54 million XRP, valued at more than $23 million.   Institutions Buy The Dip As Exchange Liquidity Plummets Notably, the recent accumulation activity comes even as XRP faces significant volatility and price declines toward $1.3. The cryptocurrency has already recorded six consecutive months of losses since October 2025. The ongoing downtrend has placed severe pressure on its price and market structure, contributing to this extensive losing streak.  Related Reading: Why XRP Supply Crashing On Coinbase Is A Good Thing For The Price Despite this poor performance, institutional investors continue to accumulate, likely viewing the lower prices as an opportunity to buy the dip and stay ahead of any potential price rebound.  Further supporting the thesis of a possible supply shock, XRP liquidity on Binance has crashed to its lowest levels. CIO of RoyalPeakCap Arthur has reported that XRP’s 30-day liquidity index on Binance has fallen to zero. Additionally, trading volumes have declined from $200 million in January 2025 to almost nothing today. This development comes after news of XRP holders boycotting Coinbase spread across the market. As more holders withdrew their XRP from the exchange, rumors of a potential supply shock emerged, with hopes that continued outflows could positively impact the price. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP’s recent move is raising an important question: is this a genuine shift in trend or just another fake pump within a broader bearish structure? While short-term candles may look promising, price has yet to confirm a new high, and resistance continues to hold firm, suggesting underlying weakness.  Short-Term Bounce Sparks False Bullish Sentiment Don’t get trapped in the noise. XRP’s structure still points lower, CasiTrades cautioned in a recent update on X, which comes as short-term movements begin to spark renewed optimism among traders. Related Reading: XRP Price Rebound Fizzles Out, Downside Pressure Returns Fast A series of bullish candles over the past day has already started to shift sentiment, with many turning optimistic once again. In reality, these brief rallies, which tend to draw traders in prematurely, can simply be part of a larger corrective phase rather than the start of a sustained uptrend. Price has yet to break into a new high and instead completed a clean 5-wave push directly into resistance. Bearish divergence is also appearing, with signals that point to exhaustion rather than strength. Until a confirmed breakout occurs, the overall structure remains intact, and the current price action is likely just noise within the broader pattern. Zooming Out Reveals A Clear Bearish XRP Roadmap CasiTrades went on to stress that taking a step back makes the outlook much clearer, with price currently caught between well-defined support and resistance zones. From a higher timeframe perspective, multiple structures continue to align to the downside, reinforcing the idea that the broader trend has not shifted. Related Reading: XRP Eyes Massive Breakout, But Not Before A Potential Shakeout The projected path begins with a move lower toward the $1.13 region, marking the first leg of the decline. A small relief bounce is expected to follow, but not enough to change the overall direction. From there, continuation toward the $1.08 level comes into focus, aligning with the macro 0.786 support. Further along, more choppy price action or brief relief rallies may appear, but the broader expectation remains a continuation to the downside. The final leg of the move points toward the $0.87 region, which corresponds with the macro 0.854 support. Rather than a straight drop, the structure suggests a staged decline, with pauses and minor recoveries along the way. CasiTrades emphasizes the importance of staying detached from emotional reactions and avoiding the urge to trade every fluctuation. The strategy remains centered on key levels, looking for buying opportunities at major supports like the 0.786 and 0.854, or waiting for a confirmed breakout above resistance that flips into support around the 0.618. Price action between these zones is largely viewed as noise, often driven by liquidity hunts designed to shake out impatient participants. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

A crypto commentator has put forward a bold prediction for XRP, arguing that a return to its 2017-style growth could send the asset into four-digit territory. Taking to the social media platform X, The Real Remi Relief pointed to the magnitude of XRP’s previous cycle and laid out how a similar percentage move from the current price range would place the cryptocurrency trading above $1,000. Looking At The 2017 XRP Price Blueprint According to a crypto commentator known as The Real Remi Relief on X, we will have a $1000 XRP if we continue to follow the 2017 bull run. To understand the weight of the claim, it helps to revisit what 2017 actually looked like for XRP.  Back in 2017, XRP entered the year trading at roughly $0.006, largely flying under the radar compared to other major cryptocurrencies at the time. Momentum began to build in the first half of the year, and by May, the price had already surged past $0.40 as the entire crypto market picked up speed. Even so, that early rally only hinted at what was to come. Related Reading: Analyst Who Called Bitcoin Price Crash Above $100,000 Predicts Crash To $29,000 However, it wasn’t until December 2017 when the real price surge came. This surge pushed XRP to close the year above $2.30, before eventually rolling over into January 2018, where it printed its previously long-standing peak price of $3.40. That rally amounted to an extraordinary 76,000% increase within a single cycle, and it occurred when the crypto market lacked many of the structural factors that are present today.  There were no spot ETFs, no institutional allocations, and limited real-world utility tied to blockchain infrastructure. Despite that, XRP still managed to deliver one of the biggest price expansions ever recorded in the industry. Applying that same percentage gain to a current base price of $1.40, assuming the cycle bottom is in, yields a price target of $1,064. The Difference Between 2017 And Now There’s no denying the fact that there is a vast structural difference between the state of the crypto market in 2017 and 2026. The analyst is not predicting a carbon copy of 2017. He is using it as a floor. “Now add FOMO, institutions, utility, ETFs, supply shock, etc.,” he wrote, “and you will get my conservative $1,200-$1,700 price prediction.” Back in 2017, the market infrastructure was immature. Now, there is a more mature market with institutional investors in the mix and talks of passing US legislation for the crypto industry.  Related Reading: Ripple Makes A $13 Trillion Bet With This Move, And XRP Price Could Be Set To Explode Spot XRP ETFs launched in November 2025, generating over $1 billion in net inflows since inception. Their presence adds a layer of accessibility that was previously missing, especially for traditional investors. A survey conducted by Coinbase in collaboration with EY-Parthenon, covering 351 institutional investors, shows that interest is not just theoretical. About 25% of respondents indicated plans to add XRP to their portfolios in 2026, while 18% reported that they already hold the asset. Featured image from Freepik chart from Tradingview.com

For years, many have viewed XRP through the lens of price speculation, hoping it would remain cheap long enough to accumulate massive holdings. However, David Schwartz is pushing back on that narrative, making it clear that XRP was never designed to stay cheap. Instead, its value is deeply tied to its role as a high-efficiency bridge asset for global payments, where utility drives long-term pricing. David Schwartz Challenges The Cheap XRP Narrative In a recent X post, Diana revealed that the Ripple ex-CTO David Joelkatz Schwartz has revisited one of his most widely discussed statements from 2017, that XRP “can’t be dirt cheap,” and clarified that the community has long misunderstood it. Many interpreted the comment through the lens of investor gains, but Schwartz now emphasized that this was from a payments perspective. Related Reading: XRP Analyst Shares What To Expect Once Ripple Taps This $12.5 Trillion Industry He explained that the statement was rooted in XRP’s role as a payment tool, not from a holder’s perspective. At the same time, he referred specifically to the mechanics of using XRP to move value across borders. From a payments standpoint, the dollar value of a transaction remains constant regardless of the XRP price. However, if XRP is priced too low, significantly more tokens are required to process the same transactions. This creates more friction, slippage, and inefficiency for large flows. In contrast, a higher XRP price can make large-scale payment use efficient, not because holders need a pump, but because the system works better with fewer tokens. REAL Token Powers The Next Phase Of XRP Ledger Growth Momentum around XRP continues to build as major players double down on its long-term prospects. An influencer and ambassador known as Ledger Man on X has noted that Yoshitaka Kitao, the CEO of Japan’s SBI Holdings, has reportedly expressed strong confidence in XRP’s future, even suggesting that the asset could become very expensive as adoption grows. Related Reading: XRP Ledger Linked To SWIFT In New Wave Of Backend Integration Speculation This outlook comes as SBI deepens its collaboration with Ripple, exploring new initiatives including RLUSD integration and blockchain-based bond solutions. Meanwhile, attention is turning to the expanding ecosystem around the XRP Ledger.  In less than 10 days, RealFi is expected to unveil a major partnership, an announcement aimed at expanding XRPL globally. Powered by the REAL Token, the initiative is designed to introduce payment rewards across multiple industries, signaling a broader push to bring real-world utility to blockchain technology.  Ledger Man emphasized that these developments highlight a growing convergence, and RealFi is rapidly gaining momentum. The conversation around tokenization is gaining urgency at the highest levels of finance. According to Amelie’s post, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink had recently argued that the industry may be underestimating how rapidly every financial asset could become tokenized. This broader vision appears to align with the developments on the XRP Ledger. On April 17th, a major global partnership is expected to launch on the XRPL, with REAL Token built on XRPL, it’s positioned to help power the ecosystem. Featured image from Vectorstock, chart from Tradingview.com

Crypto pundit Remi has explained the impact that the Japanese Bond gap could have on the XRP price reaching $150. This came as he declared that the rising Japanese 10-bond yield is a good thing for XRP holders but bad for the world.  What The Rising Japanese Bond Yield Means For The XRP Price In an X post, Remi, alluding to the rising Japanese 10-year bond yield, stated that this was a good thing for XRP holders but bad for the globe. He explained that the rising yields will likely prompt the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to raise interest rates, which would cause panic among everyone who borrowed money from Japan at 0% interest. Related Reading: Why XRP Supply Crashing On Coinbase Is A Good Thing For The Price He further remarked that the loan holders will sell their investments to repay their loans, which causes a liquidity crisis. Remi noted that this is where XRP comes into play and “saves the day,” as the reverse Carry Trade will take place, causing the XRP price to reach between $50 and $150.  Remi described this as the “price before law,” stating that the XRP price can reach $100 before the CLARITY Act gets passed. He said it all depends on Japan and what they want to do with interest rates. The pundit added that if U.S. President Donald Trump gives them the green light, then this can all unfold in days.  The pundit also alleged that Japanese banks are waiting for the CLARITY Act to begin using XRP at 100% in Japan. This came as he questioned whether the XRP price surge would precede the CLARITY Act or whether the bill would be signed before the Reverse Carry Trade. He suggested that the Reverse Carry Trade could happen first, as the energy crisis due to the U.S.-Iran war could force the BOJ to hike rates.  XRP Could Still Reach $1,000 In another X post, Remi stated that the XRP price could reach $1,000 if the altcoin continues to follow the 2017 bull run, when it recorded a surge of over 40,000%. He noted that the altcoin surged 76,000% without any FOMO, institutions, utility, ETFs, or supply shock. The pundit opined that if XRP follows the same trend and gets a 76,000% increase, assuming the bottom is in, then the altcoin could rally above $1,000.  Related Reading: Will The XRP Price Crash Further From Here? Major Levels To Watch He also indicated that an XRP price rally to $1,000 is conservative if one were to add FOMO, institutions, utility, XRP ETFs, and supply shock. Remi advised market participants to take profits at various intervals unless they have the financial means to wait and take risks. “Always remember…Anything can go wrong. Be smart,” he added. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.33, up over 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

Ripple is back in the spotlight following a strategic move involving trillions in payment flows, sparking speculation about a potential breakout in XRP price. The development reflects Ripple strengthening its ties to the global banking infrastructure. Ultimately, the true significance lies in how this expanded access could influence XRP’s role in real-world financial transactions over time. Ripple Connects $13 Trillion Flows To Global Banking Ripple’s expansion stems from its $1 billion acquisition in 2025 of a treasury management platform that has been part of the SWIFT-certified ecosystem since 2014. Through this, Ripple gained compatibility with SWIFT infrastructure, including messaging systems, Alliance Lite2 connectivity, and SWIFTRef data, allowing its treasury solution to operate effortlessly alongside traditional banking rails. Related Reading: Analyst Says Bitcoin Closing 6 Red Monthly Candles Isn’t Bearish, What To Expect The platform already processes around $13 trillion in annual payment flows, primarily across conventional financial systems. When compared to SWIFT’s estimated $150 trillion yearly volume, this integration places Ripple within proximity to one of the largest financial networks globally, without requiring direct membership. Within this framework, companies can manage payments, liquidity, and accounts across both fiat and digital assets through a unified system. The platform also supports multiple connectivity methods such as APIs, SFTP, and EBICS, alongside real-time validation tools like IBAN and ABA lookups, which improve transaction accuracy in cross-border payments. A defining feature is the dual settlement structure now available to institutions. Payments can either move through traditional SWIFT rails or be processed using blockchain-based settlement via XRP or RLUSD, offering significantly faster execution.  For XRP Price, this development introduces exposure to a system handling trillions in value, but the impact depends on whether institutions actively choose blockchain settlement over traditional methods. XRP Price Outlook As Ripple Expands Utility Ripple’s integration of its treasury platform with SWIFT-compatible systems gives XRP a functional role in real-world payment flows, which could directly influence its price. A rule effective April 1 allows certain financial institutions to expand operations, enabling hybrid treasury solutions like Ripple’s to function efficiently.  Related Reading: The Bitcoin Bottom: Pundit Reveals The 5 Phases To Know When The Bleed Has Ended Moreover, KBRA recently assigned a BBB issuer rating to Ripple Prime, Ripple’s prime brokerage arm (formerly Hidden Road, acquired for $1.25 billion in late 2025). The rating reflects a strong capital position, with nearly $5 billion in cash reserves, over 40 billion XRP tokens, and an additional $500 million capital injection expected in 2026. This status enables Ripple Prime to access institutional counterparties such as pension funds and insurance companies, removing structural barriers and increasing the likelihood that XRP could be used in high-value transactions, supporting potential price growth. Network growth reinforces this potential. The XRP Ledger surpassed 8.19 million addresses in early 2026, showing steady expansion and readiness to handle more transactional volume. Combined with the treasury platform’s capacity to process $13 trillion in annual payment flows, XRP now has exposure to a substantial financial ecosystem. Ultimately, Ripple’s move sets the stage for XRP to be used at scale. Any price increase will depend on actual adoption and transaction activity, not just theoretical access. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

New reports reveal that XRP’s supply on Coinbase has crashed to historical lows as investors and community members appear to be boycotting the exchange following the recent delay in the CLARITY Act. On the one hand, the recent movement shows joint unity among XRP holders as they collectively exit exchanges in protest. On the other hand, analysts suggest that the surge in withdrawals could trigger a supply crunch for XRP, potentially impacting its price.  Related Reading: Bitcoin ETFs Gaining Ground, Could Soon Surpass Gold—Analyst XRP Supply Falls To Historic Lows On Coinbase XRP advocate Diana has taken to X to explain the recent collapse in Coinbase’s XRP reserves. She reported that, as of late March 2026, the exchange’s balance had fallen to about 101.86 million XRP following a wave of withdrawals by holders. Some estimates suggest that Coinbase’s supply has dropped by nearly 90% in just a few months, marking a record low.  The recent boycott stems from widespread frustration over Coinbase’s pushback against the CLARITY Act. The company has expressed “significant concerns” with the latest Senate compromise, particularly the wording that would ban passive yield on stablecoins.  Notably, in 2025, Coinbase and partner Circle generated roughly $2.75 billion in gross interest income from USDC reserves. Of this, Coinbase is estimated to have received about $1.35 billion, nearly 19% of its total revenue. Given the scale of these profits, many in the XRP community believe that Coinbase’s opposition to the revised bill is not to protect crypto users but to prevent restrictions on one of its major revenue streams. In addition, leaked claims that the exchange had requested that Ripple pay millions of dollars to list XRP in 2019 have also fueled anger within the community. Consequently, Diana reported that recent 30-day snapshots show net outflows on Coinbase ranging from 21 million to 95 million XRP, indicating that holders are moving coins to self-custody or other exchanges.  If this trend continues, Coinbase could soon become the exchange with one of the lowest XRP reserves in years. Recent actions by XRP holders also highlight the community’s unity and willingness to push back against perceived unfairness. Amid these developments, Diana has warned that the declining reserves could spark a potential supply crunch if market demand returns.   Why A Supply Crunch Could Be Good For XRP Price A reduced XRP balance on a major exchange like Coinbase can create a possible supply shock. When fewer tokens are available for trading and buying interest rises, prices can also increase.  Related Reading: Standard Chartered Sees Bitcoin Exploding To $500K By 2030 Typically, a tight supply combined with active demand can induce scarcity, which is historically known to trigger an upward momentum. For XRP, the recent outflow trend could position it for potential gains if buying pressure returns. Although the decline in Coinbase may seem negative initially, it could benefit holders in the long run.  Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

XRP is holding above $1.30. Yesterday it was not — the level broke for several hours before buyers stepped back in. The recovery is real. The market behind it is nearly empty. An Arab Chain report tracking transaction activity on Binance has identified a condition that places the current price defense in its proper context: XRP deposits and withdrawals on the platform have reached their lowest levels since 2025. Related Reading: Ethereum Absorbs $1B In An Hour As Trump Signals Escalation Over the past 30 days, deposit transactions totaled approximately 310,500 while withdrawal transactions reached around 329,400 — a net negative count of approximately -18,900. Both figures, taken individually, represent a fraction of the activity levels that characterized XRP’s most active trading periods. The significance of that collapse is not just directional — it is structural. When transaction activity falls to multi-year lows, the market loses the participation density that normally cushions price moves in both directions. The buyers who stepped in yesterday to reclaim $1.30 did so in a market that has shed the majority of its trading infrastructure. The recovery happened. It happened in a near-empty room. That matters because thin markets amplify everything. The floor that held yesterday is a thinner floor than it looks — and the ceiling above it is closer than the chart suggests. From 6 Million to 640,000. That Is Not a Decline. That Is a Different Market The historical comparison the report provides reframes the current activity levels from concerning to historically extreme. At peak periods in 2025, XRP deposit and withdrawal transactions on Binance exceeded 6 million over a 30-day window. The current 30-day total across both directions sits at approximately 640,000. That is not a seasonal slowdown or a cyclical dip — it is a 90% reduction in the market infrastructure that processes XRP on the platform’s most liquid venue. The sharp decline began in mid-2025 and has not recovered. What was initially a correction in activity has stabilized into a new baseline — one that reflects a market from which the majority of short-term participants have withdrawn. The speculative activity that drives transaction volume in active markets has largely disappeared. The traders who generated millions of monthly transactions are not here. What remains is more specific and more telling. Despite the collapse in overall activity, withdrawals continue to outpace deposits — persistently, consistently, in the same direction. In a market this quiet, that directional signal carries more weight than it would against a backdrop of high volume. Coins leaving a nearly empty exchange during a period of subdued trading are not being sold. They are being moved — to cold wallets, to private custody, away from the sell side entirely. That behavior has a name. The report names it carefully: it may indicate accumulation. Not confirmation. Not a guarantee. A pattern that historically precedes a different kind of market than the one currently visible on the chart. Related Reading: XRP Whales Move $592 Million From Exchanges In Two Days. Discover What Triggered It XRP Trapped Below Key Averages as Weak Structure Persists XRP remains structurally weak on the higher timeframe, and the 3-day chart makes that difficult to dispute. Price is trading near $1.31 after failing to reclaim the cluster of moving averages above, with the 50, 100, and 200-period averages all trending downward and stacked bearishly. That alignment confirms that momentum is not just negative — it is consistent across timeframes. The breakdown in February was decisive. XRP lost the $2.00 region with expansion in volume, establishing a new lower range. Since then, price has transitioned into a compression phase between roughly $1.20 and $1.50, with repeated failures to sustain upside attempts. The most recent bounce stalled below the 50-period moving average, reinforcing it as dynamic resistance. Related Reading: $11.4 Billion in XRP Has Left Binance. Here Is What Happens When Demand Returns There is, however, a detail worth questioning: volume has declined meaningfully during this consolidation. That typically reflects reduced participation rather than strong accumulation. Without expansion in demand, range lows tend to weaken over time. The key level remains $1.20. A clean break below that zone likely accelerates downside, as there is little structural support beneath. On the upside, reclaiming $1.50 is necessary but insufficient. Until XRP reclaims at least the 100-period average, rallies should be treated as corrective, not trend-changing. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

The XRP price structure is not giving a clear bullish signal, and there are questions as to whether the current range will hold up and whether there’s going to be another leg down. Crypto analyst Hov, who has been tracking XRP’s structure on the weekly timeframe, laid out a detailed Elliott Wave count on X that identifies exactly where the price stands and what it needs to do in the coming sessions to avoid a more serious breakdown.  XRP Wave Structure Is Sending A Warning Signal Crypto analyst Hov pointed out that the XRP price action coming off the recent lows lacks the kind of impulsive strength traders look for when a reversal is going on.  Related Reading: The Last Time XRP Made This Move Against Bitcoin, It Led To A 500% Increase To $3.3 Hov’s chart, drawn on the weekly timeframe, traces out an expansive Elliott Wave sequence beginning from XRP’s 2018 cycle top through the corrective lows of 2019/2020, recovering across the 2021 bull cycle, and extending into the current setup.  What the analyst observed is interesting: the XRP price action from the recent swing low is printing a series of threes, not a clean five-wave impulsive structure. In Elliott Wave theory, a sequence of three-wave moves is corrective by nature. It implies that the dominant trend may not have fully reversed and that price could still be responding to a larger downward cycle. The expectation earlier was that XRP would push into a fifth wave off the lows to confirm bullish intent. That move has not materialized. As long as the price structure is corrective, then there are risks of continuation to the downside. Major Price Levels To Watch As it stands, XRP has spent the past few days trading in a range between $1.30 and $1.35. This zone has acted as a pivot in recent price action, and losing it could lead to a deeper move lower. Hov specifically warned that a higher timeframe below this support would increase the likelihood of a breakdown. Related Reading: XRP Price Move Below $1: Analyst Warns That Another Crash Is Coming The 12-hour chart also shows a deeper support region closer to the $1.15 range, which is based on the 0.5 Fibonacci retracement level. If the current level fails, that area becomes the next logical target. There is still room for the bullish scenario to play out, but the window is narrowing. “That doesn’t mean we can’t recover it just means we gotta do it quickly because we are just barely holding our key level on HTF,” Hov said.  That important higher-timeframe level is visible in the chart as the lower boundary of a wide cyan support zone between $1.45 and $1.70. The bullish scenario will play out as long as the XRP price holds above the sub-wave 1 high from mid-2023, which is around $0.88.  The first and more immediately bullish scenario requires XRP to reclaim the white box at $1.50 and achieve a higher-timeframe close above it. A sustained close above this zone would set off the price action to $1.80. Featured image from Getty Images, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP is struggling around key demand levels. The market is preparing for a decisive move. And the data beneath the price is describing a contest between two groups of participants who have reached completely opposite conclusions about what comes next. Related Reading: XRP Whales Move $592 Million From Exchanges In Two Days. Discover What Triggered It A CryptoQuant report has identified a divergence in XRP’s market structure that makes the current price level more consequential than it appears on the surface. Spot CVD on Binance has climbed to $451 million — real capital, exchanged for real XRP, building steadily on the buy side. The participants behind that number believe in the current price. They are putting money behind that belief. Simultaneously, Binance Perpetual CVD sits at approximately -$1.5 billion, while All CEX Perpetual CVD hovers near -$1 billion. The derivatives market is not neutral. It is actively bearish — leveraged traders positioned for XRP to fall, with conviction strong enough to sustain nearly $1.5 billion in negative cumulative positioning. Two markets. Two verdicts. One price level caught between them. The spot buyers are absorbing what the derivatives traders are betting against. That dynamic — real demand meeting leveraged skepticism at the same price — is not a stable condition. One side is accumulating fuel for the other’s forced exit. The article ahead explains which side history tends to favor. The Spot Side Is Absorbing What the Derivatives Side Is Selling. That Is Not Nothing. The report’s forward interpretation is where the divergence becomes most consequential. Spot demand building against bearish futures positioning does not simply represent two groups of participants disagreeing — it represents a structural dynamic in which one side’s losses become the other side’s catalyst. When spot buyers absorb sell pressure that derivatives traders are generating, the supply available to push the price lower diminishes. When it diminishes enough, the bearish leveraged positions that were supposed to profit from the decline become a liability — and the process of unwinding them adds buying pressure rather than selling pressure. That mechanism — commonly known as a short squeeze — does not require a fundamental catalyst to trigger. It requires only that spot demand continues building while bearish positioning remains crowded. The report identifies liquidation activity as an additional signal pointing to the same fragility: derivatives positioning is not just bearish, it is exposed. The report is precise about what this does and does not confirm. It is not a bullish signal. It is a pre-bullish structure — spot support forming beneath a market that leveraged traders are still betting against. Those are different things, and the distinction matters. The gap between $451 million in spot buying and $1.5 billion in bearish futures positioning is the distance between current reality and potential forced reaction. If spot demand keeps building and that gap keeps widening, the bearish derivatives bias stops being a headwind and starts being the fuel. Related Reading: Ethereum Absorbs $1B In An Hour As Trump Signals Escalation XRP Drifts Lower as Sellers Maintain Control XRP is trading near $1.31, continuing to show signs of weakness after failing to reclaim higher levels following the February breakdown. The chart reflects a sustained downtrend, with price consistently forming lower highs and lower lows over the past several months, indicating that selling pressure remains dominant. After the sharp capitulation event in early February — marked by a significant spike in volume — XRP entered a consolidation range between roughly $1.25 and $1.50. However, this range has not produced a meaningful recovery. Instead, recent price action shows a gradual drift toward the lower end of the range, suggesting that demand is weakening rather than strengthening. Related Reading: $11.4 Billion in XRP Has Left Binance. Here Is What Happens When Demand Returns The 50-day and 100-day moving averages are both trending downward above the price. Acting as a dynamic resistance and capping any short-term rallies. The 200-day moving average remains significantly higher, reinforcing the broader bearish structure and confirming that XRP has not yet established a reversal. Volume has declined during this consolidation phase, indicating reduced participation and limited conviction from buyers. This lack of demand is evident in repeated failures to sustain moves above $1.40. Unless XRP can reclaim key moving averages and break out of this range with strength, the current structure favors continued pressure, with a potential retest of lower support levels. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

Crypto pundit Chad has drawn a connection between Ripple and XRP with SWIFT. This comes as Ripple continues to expand its payment services and other operations, further integrating XRP and RLUSD into traditional finance (TradFi).  Pundit Draws Attention To The Connection Between Ripple And XRP In an X post, Chad noted that Ripple Treasury and XRP are now connected directly to SWIFT.  This came as he highlighted Ripple’s listing of SWIFT as one of its connectivity partners for payments. The treasury management firm stated that it is part of the SWIFT Certified Partner Program.  Related Reading: XRP Analyst Shares What To Expect Once Ripple Taps This $12.5 Trillion Industry As part of the SWIFT Certified Partner Program, Ripple Treasury stated that it offers global bank connectivity and hosting options for SWIFT’s Alliance Lite2 platform. As part of the Ripple, XRP connection with SWIFT, Ripple Treasury has also partnered to offer SWIFTRef data for IBAN and ABA lookups directly from within its workflow.  Additionally, Ripple Treasury has partnered with Fides, which works closely with platforms such as SWIFT. Fides helps Ripple Treasury to extend multi-bank connectivity to customers around the globe. Meanwhile, Chad also pointed out how Ripple and XRP, by proxy, are basically integrated into the financial system.  This is through Ripple Treasury’s ClearConnect connectivity layer, which provides connectivity to banks worldwide. The pundit noted that for any bank not yet connected, it now takes only 7 days to install the API and connect. At the moment, Ripple Treasury is connected to NetSuite, Oracle, SAP, Infor, Workday, and MS Dynamics.  It is worth noting that this Ripple Treasury’s connectivity layer enables customers who hold crypto assets across multiple platforms to connect to these providers, so they can view their entire portfolio on their treasury management system without needing separate systems.  Acquiring GTreasury Was Ripple’s Biggest Move In another X post, Chad stated that GTreasury was the “single biggest move” that Ripple has ever made. This came as he alluded to Ripple’s latest move to launch the first management system with native on-chain capabilities. This move integrates XRP and RLUSD into the Ripple Treasury, allowing customers to use these crypto assets in the same environment as fiat.  Related Reading: Why SWIFT’s Latest Global Payments Infrastructure Is Bullish For XRP Holders The pundit remarked that Ripple doesn’t need the CLARITY Act to operate, as the crypto firm continues to integrate XRP into mainstream finance. It is worth noting that Ripple is also close to becoming a national trust bank, which could further give the crypto firm access to the U.S. banking system. Additionally, the firm has applied for a Fed Master account, which would enable it to use the Federal Reserve’s payment rails for its stablecoin operations.  At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.31, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP is entering a critical phase where short-term weakness meets a potentially explosive macro setup. With price coiling within a larger expansion pattern, the current move may be less about direction and more about building pressure for a much bigger breakout ahead. A Coiling Within Explosive Expansion Setup In an XRP update, EGRAG CRYPTO emphasized that the market is approaching a critical moment, describing the current setup as an “elastic coil” nearing its breaking point. The broader structure is defined by a descending broadening wedge, a formation often associated with powerful expansion phases rather than weakness. Related Reading: XRP Price Meets Resistance, Tough Challenge Caps Upside Momentum The setup highlights a clear macro structure, with XRP maintaining a strong base around the $0.90 level while price continues to compress near the upper boundary. This tightening action signals building pressure, suggesting that the market may be preparing for a significant directional move. From a probability standpoint, the outlook leans slightly bullish, eyeing a 55%–60% upside expansion. A confirmed breakout above $3.30 could open the door to higher targets at $5, $8, and potentially $13 or beyond. There is also a potential of a 40%–45% breakdown scenario, where the price briefly dips below $0.90. A full bearish failure remains the least likely outcome, estimated at just 10%–15%, and would only come into play if the structure breaks down completely without any meaningful recovery. The key takeaway is that the descending broadening wedge represents controlled volatility rather than instability, with longer compression typically leading to a more explosive move. Key levels remain clearly defined, with $3.30 acting as the primary breakout trigger and $0.90 serving as the critical support line. The overall message is straightforward: the current price action reflects a volatility expansion setup, where structure holds greater importance than short-term noise. XRP Confirms Textbook TCT Distribution Setup According to crypto analyst The Composite Trader, XRP confirmed a textbook TCT Model 1 distribution schematic during the New York PM session, a setup that had been developing throughout the day. The confirmation came with a clean and decisive bearish break, as the expert anticipates a bearish order flow observed across major cryptocurrencies. Related Reading: XRP Eyes Massive Breakout, But Not Before A Potential Shakeout Following the breakdown, price continued to move efficiently toward its projected technical target, completing the anticipated reversal overnight. This follow-through reinforced the validity of the distribution model, allowing for a partial take-profit (TP1) of 25% to be secured. The reaction highlights how structured setups, when aligned with market context, can deliver precise and measurable outcomes. Focus now shifts to the next phase, as the analyst watches closely to see whether XRP can break below its current lows. A successful move lower from here could signal a deeper, higher-timeframe reversal. With volatility starting to increase and momentum building, Q2 is already showing signs of becoming an active and opportunity-filled period. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

A prominent market analyst has outlined a structured case for XRP reaching as high as $27, arguing that the altcoin’s long-term correction phase has reset its trajectory. The projection is rooted in wave theory, historical expansion patterns, and evolving market sentiment, suggesting that what lies ahead may be XRP’s most explosive phase yet. XRP’s Long Correction Sets The Foundation For A Wave 3 Move On April 1, 2026, XRP analyst @RWA_Investor made an argument on X regarding XRP’s extended correction, which he says has lasted approximately seven years. He explains that this prolonged period of sideways and downward movement is significant because it allowed the market to reset. According to him, this type of structure differs from the shorter cycles seen in more speculative assets, providing XRP with a stronger foundation for future growth. Related Reading: Pundit Predicts How Long It Will Take For The XRP Price To Reach $20 He links this foundation directly to Elliott Wave theory, where markets move in cycles of expansion and correction. According to his analysis, XRP has already completed its early stages and is now approaching a third wave expansion. This phase is widely regarded as the strongest part of any cycle, often driven by increasing confidence and heavy market participation. The analyst places his target for this expansion between $18 and $27. He presents this range as realistic, pointing to XRP’s previous price behavior as justification. One key factor he highlights is a cup-and-handle pattern that formed before the last breakout. This pattern is commonly associated with continuation moves, and in XRP’s case, it led to a strong initial rally. That first rally, or Wave 1, expanded by roughly 5.618 times based on Fibonacci measurements taken on a non-logarithmic scale. This detail is central to his projection. Fibonacci extensions are often used to estimate how far price movements can go, and a strong first wave usually signals that later waves could be even larger. Using this framework, he suggests that many traders who sold XRP between $5 and $8 may have underestimated how big this cycle could become. If the current structure continues to play out as expected, the next expansion phase could push the price far beyond those levels. Later Update Points To Short-Term Dip For The Altcoin In a separate post shared the next day, the same analyst shifted focus to XRP’s short-term movement. He outlined a scenario where the price first rises toward the $2.39–$3.60 range, then pulls back to around $1.55 or slightly lower. Related Reading: Analyst Says Bitcoin Closing 6 Red Monthly Candles Isn’t Bearish, What To Expect This pullback zone, also marked on his chart as a “buy zone,” aligns with key Fibonacci retracement levels between about $1.08 and $1.55. He suggested this move could act as a trap for bearish traders before the trend reverses. From that level, he expects a strong upward move toward $7, driven by a rapid change in market sentiment. According to him, this phase would likely bring renewed excitement, setting the stage for the larger move toward the $18–$27 range. Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP’s close of the month of March in the red has now marked the end of the first quarter of 2026 as very bearish for the cryptocurrency. While this is concerning for investors of the altcoin, this is not the first time in history that the XRP price has closed the first quarter of the year in a complete bleed. In fact, this has happened multiple times throughout history, and so far, the dominating trend seems to be that the cryptocurrency will end up going green. XRP’s First Quarter Of Chaos While Ripple has seen a lot of positive developments in the first quarter of the year, the XRP price has not responded positively to any of these. The first three months of the year have now closed with an average of -27% in losses for the cryptocurrency, data from CryptoRank shows. Related Reading: 20 Bitcoin Indicators Flash Bullish At The Same Time, And This Could Send Price To $150,000 Not only has the quarter close in the red, the most recent red monthly close makes it six consecutive months where the XRP price has closed in the red now. This is historically significant because this has only happened once, and that was in the early days of the altcoin. Back in 2014, the XRP price had closed the first and second quarters in the red, but eventually, the bleed did come to an end. What followed was a double-digit rally that put the bulls back in control of the cryptocurrency. With this only happening once before, the data is sparse as to whether this could be a trend. But if the same move repeats, then the month of April could see the XRP price rally. 3-Red Monthly Candles Could End In A Surge Unlike the six red consecutive candles, though, three-month stretches of red are not exactly out of the ordinary for the cryptocurrency. With such a troubled history, XRP has seen more red monthly closes than green, and has ended the first quarter of the year in the red on several occasions. Related Reading: Here Are The Main Levels To Watch After Dogecoin Price Completed A Clean Kumo Rejection The last two times that the XRP price ended Q1 in the red, 2015 and 2018, saw the altcoin move into the green afterward. This is with the exception of the year 2014, where the price went on to mark six consecutive red monthly closes. In 2015, the recovery was muted, with only a 3.31% by the time the month of April was over. However, in 2018, the impact was more significant, and the price rose by 63.1% in the following month of April. These two moves suggest that it is possible for the price to reverse this month. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com

Ripple is taking a major step toward bridging traditional finance and blockchain technology with the introduction of a new system designed specifically for corporate finance teams. The move signals a growing push to integrate digital assets into everyday business operations, allowing companies to manage payments, liquidity, and treasury functions within a unified framework. How Ripple Stacks Up Against Traditional Financial Systems Ripple has just launched a major innovation in transforming how corporate finance teams operate. An analyst known as Bird noted on X that the company has introduced the first treasury management system that allows CFOs to manage both traditional currencies, such as USD and EUR, and digital assets, like XRP and RLUSD, on a single unified platform. Related Reading: Why XRP’s Infrastructure May Be Positioned For The Tokenisation Boom Until now, companies have been forced to manage these two financial worlds separately. Traditional cash remained within banking systems, while crypto assets were stored across exchanges, wallets, or custody solutions. This fragmentation often results in multiple dashboards, manual tracking, spreadsheets, and constant reconciliation between systems. Ripple’s new solution aims to eliminate that complexity by bringing everything into the interface. Finance teams can access the dashboard and view their entire liquidity position in real-time. Furthermore, bank balances, digital assets, and stablecoins are valued instantly and recorded automatically just like any other financial transaction. However, the broader goal is to make digital assets function as seamlessly as cash within corporate finance systems, so that companies won’t need crypto expertise, wallets, or separate infrastructure to start using them. In simple terms, Ripple is building a bridge that enables large companies to integrate digital assets directly into their existing financial operations without changing how their treasury team works. It marks a significant step toward making crypto a standard component of global business infrastructure. A Landmark Move In Africa’s Financial Evolution Using XRP Ledger Ghana has made a historic leap by merging payments and national identity on the XRP Ledger. Crypto commentator Pumpius has revealed that Ghana is the first African country to fully integrate real payment functionality directly into its citizens’ national ID, which is the Ghana Card.  Related Reading: XRP Ledger Gets AI Security Upgrade As Ripple Prepares For Bigger Growth This move signals a major shift away from the reliance on global payment giants like Visa and Mastercard’s dominance in Africa, instead of depending on the US payment system. The upgraded Ghana card is now accepted in over 200 countries for online shopping, in-store purchases, ATM withdrawals, and international transfers. It also incorporates additional services, such as insurance coverage and emergency assistance. At the core of this system is that Ghana is powering the entire system with DNAOnChain as the secure backend, a sovereign, and the DNA Protocol is built entirely on top of XRP Ledger. This infrastructure represents a next-level technology approach to national finance control that is moving back into African hands. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

The rating, which is its lowest investment-grade tier, leans heavily on Ripple’s balance sheet of $57 billion in cash and XRP holdings.

XRP is struggling to push above current levels. The market is uncertain. And on Binance, the supply of XRP available to be sold has not recovered — even after months of price weakness that should have brought sellers back. Related Reading: Ethereum Is Flashing a Warning Signal Most Holders Are Ignoring – Here Is What It Says A CryptoQuant report tracking Binance’s XRP supply structure has identified a condition that stands in direct contrast to what normally happens during a prolonged price decline: the reserve has not rebuilt. XRP reserve value on Binance currently stands at approximately $3.6 billion, while cumulative netflows remain deeply negative at -$11.4 billion. Those two figures together describe a market where coins have left the exchange and stayed left, not returning to the sell side despite every price-based incentive to do so. That is the detail worth pausing on. When prices fall significantly from their highs, exchange supply typically expands. Holders who bought at a higher price return to sell. Liquidity rebuilds. The book refills. None of that has happened here. The persistent negative netflow structure on Binance suggests something more durable than a temporary withdrawal — a broad, sustained migration of XRP away from the exchange and into private custody. XRP is struggling at current levels. The supply available to push it lower is also quietly running out. A Thin Book Does Not Guarantee a Rally The report’s market structure argument is precise and worth stating in full. When exchange reserves compress — when the pool of immediately available XRP on Binance shrinks — the venue’s capacity to absorb buying demand without moving the price diminishes proportionally. A thinner book means smaller inflows can produce larger price movements. The market becomes more reactive, not because sentiment has changed, but because the supply buffer that would normally cushion price swings has been removed. When that condition exists alongside deeply negative cumulative netflows — as it does now, with -$11.4 billion in net outflows and no meaningful rebuild — the picture becomes structural rather than cyclical. Withdrawals have consistently outweighed inflows across the entire measurement period. That is not a short-term anomaly. It is a sustained directional behavior that has compressed Binance’s XRP supply to a level that looks nothing like the periods of neutral market structure that preceded previous price recoveries. The report is careful about what this means and what it does not. Structural tightness is a condition, not a catalyst. It does not trigger a move. It amplifies one when a trigger arrives. With reserves at $3.6 billion and cumulative netflows at -$11.4 billion, the XRP supply environment on Binance has not normalized. It has tightened — and it has stayed tight. The market that existed before the drawdown was a different market. This one has less XRP to sell, less buffer to absorb demand, and less room for the price to remain indifferent to a change in buying pressure. Related Reading: XRP Is Quietly Leaving Binance. A Hidden Signal Says Something Is Building Beneath It XRP Stabilizes After Breakdown, but Structure Remains Weak XRP is trading around the $1.35 level after a sharp breakdown in February that decisively shifted the market structure to the downside. The chart shows a clear loss of trend, with price falling below all major moving averages and failing to reclaim them during subsequent recovery attempts. Since the capitulation move, XRP has entered a narrow consolidation range between approximately $1.25 and $1.50. This range reflects a temporary balance, but not strength. The 50-day and 100-day moving averages are both trending downward above price, acting as dynamic resistance and reinforcing the lack of bullish momentum. The 200-day moving average remains significantly higher, confirming the broader downtrend is still intact. Related Reading: Binance Inflows Suggest Money Is Starting to Move Back Into Crypto – Find Out What Changed Volume provides additional context. The spike during the February sell-off suggests forced liquidation or aggressive distribution, while the muted volume during the current consolidation indicates limited demand. Buyers are present, but not with enough conviction to reverse the trend. Importantly, XRP continues to print lower highs even within this range, signaling persistent selling pressure on rallies. Until price reclaims key moving averages and breaks above the $1.50 resistance with strength, the current structure favors continuation or extended consolidation rather than a confirmed recovery. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

An XRP analyst has outlined the dramatic changes that could happen for the cryptocurrency as Ripple positions itself to integrate with a massive $12.5 trillion payments ecosystem. In a detailed post on X, the analyst highlighted Ripple’s $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury, which the crypto company has since rebranded as Ripple Treasury. This strategic takeover now grants Ripple access to an extensive network of traditional banks and a massive payment volume, which the expert believes could benefit the XRP Ledger (XRPL) and, in turn, drive the cryptocurrency’s price upward.  Ripple Gains Access To $12.5 Trillion Market Market analyst X Finance Bull has questioned what possible price changes and developmental milestones could occur if Ripple can tap into a $12.5 trillion payment pipeline. In his post on X, he explained that the launch of Ripple Treasury now grants Ripple access to over 13,000 connected banks and more than 1,000 corporate clients, including Volvo, Subway, and STIHL. Collectively, these clients handle a combined annual payment volume of $12.5 trillion.  Related Reading: XRP Expert Says The Moment Has Finally Come, Here’s What He Means Right now, zero percent of this enormous payment flow passes through cryptocurrencies, a gap that X Finance Bull said represents a major opportunity for XRP. He also claimed that Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, had made the same point, noting that Ripple was specifically designed to bridge this gap.  Currently, Ripple Treasury manages the company’s full corporate workflow, covering payments, cash forecasting, netting, reconciliation, risk, liquidity, and regulatory reporting. To make this work, X Finance Bull stated that ClearConnect, a proprietary API connectivity suite launched by GTreasury in 2022, will serve as a bridge linking Ripple Treasury to banks and ERP systems. And on the other side, with XRPL, Ripple’s blockchain infrastructure.  This approach will enable payments and financial operations to move on the blockchain without requiring companies to change their existing systems. It also creates a multi-utility powerhouse under one ecosystem, consisting of wallet storage, payments, custody, prime brokerage, and compliance.  Supply Limits And Payment Volume To Fuel XRP Price Growth In his post, X Finance Bull noted that 769 million XRP tokens are currently locked in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), which collectively manage $1.1 billion in assets across seven funds. He noted that this concentration is significantly tightening XRP’s available supply, which could place upward pressure on its price. Related Reading: XRP To Enter This $100 Trillion Custody Pool And This Is How It Will Happen Meanwhile, the analyst stated that the $12.5 trillion in annual payments from Ripple Treasury could have a significant impact on prices if it moves through XRPL. The analyst projected that if just 1% of this volume were to flow through the XRP Ledger, it would generate about $125 billion in new annual transaction volume for the blockchain.  He noted that such volumes could dramatically influence liquidity demand and XRP’s price behavior. Additionally, X Finance Bull highlighted that, given XRP’s strong infrastructure, the cryptocurrency’s current price below $1.4 significantly underestimates its real-world potential. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

In its 12-year history, the XRP price has formed various trends, some of them bullish and some of them bearish. Each one has led to its own unique trend that seems to have sustained through time, thus prompting investors to turn to historical performance as a possible way to predict where the XRP price might be headed next. Recently, another historical trend has emerged as one analyst charts the altcoin’s performance against that of Bitcoin and how it has reacted in the past. XRP Breakout Again, Bitcoin Always Leads To A Triple-Digit Rally Back in 2024, crypto analyst Javon Marks had highlighted that the XRP price had broken out against Bitcoin. This was important because the XRP price breaking out against the leading cryptocurrency had always led to a major rally, and Marks expected this to repeat itself. Related Reading: The Crowd Is Bearish On Bitcoin, But History Says That’s Bullish True to form, following the breakout, the XRP price had begun to rally hard, and while the analyst had previously predicted a 243% increase, the resulting rally was much better. By the time that the XRP price hit its cycle peak in 2025, it had rallied by more than 500%. This made a confirmation that the trend was strong and followed the same trajectory. Fast forward to 2026, and the crypto analyst has pointed out the same trend again. The only difference is that this time around, the trend seems to be much stronger. XRP is already breaking out against Bitcoin, but the current breakout is the result of an even larger setup, suggesting that the result from this would be even more significant. If the current trend against Bitcoin plays out as it has in the past, then Javon Marks is predicting another triple-digit rally. This would be even more significant than the previous 500% rally, with the crypto analyst predicting that the XRP price could rise 635%. Such an increase would put the XRP price above the $10 level, in line with the predictions of other crypto analysts for the cryptocurrency. At the same time, this would lead to XRP losing a zero against Bitcoin, going from 0.00002 BTC to over 0.00014 BTC. Related Reading: Bitcoin Last Line Of Defense Revealed: Can BTC Price Still Go To $40,000? For now, the focus remains on the $1.5 level, where there seems to be significant resistance building up for the cryptocurrency. Breaking this resistance with momentum would likely set the altcoin on the path to the next rally. Featured image from Dall.E, chart from TradingView.com

As we approach the end of 2026’s first quarter, a crypto market watcher has shared a bearish outlook for XRP, warning that the altcoin’s correction may not be over yet, and it risks a deeper pullback in the next few months. Related Reading: Bitcoin ‘Absolute Bottom’ Next? Analyst Says BTC’s Final Shakeout Is Near XRP Risks 60% Correction In Second Quarter On Tuesday, XRP continued to move sideways, hovering between $1.30 and $1.35 for the fifth consecutive day. The cryptocurrency has been trading between two crucial levels, $1.21 and $1.55, for nearly two months. Markey observer More Crypto Online highlighted that since the early February correction, there hasn’t been any major price action, as the altcoin has been unable to break out of its local range. However, he noted that XRP has held the lower boundary of this key range, despite market volatility, adding that it is a crucial support zone and decision area for the cryptocurrency. According to the analysis, the next significant move will define the structure and “determine whether a more bullish scenario remains valid or a deeper correction unfolds.” He explained that XRP’s current structure suggests a more bearish scenario is likely short- to mid-term, with a “more complex ABC structure” potentially unfolding unless the market “really starts an impulse rally.” In this scenario, the cryptocurrency may bounce into a crucial resistance area, between $1.76 and $2.86, for its B wave in the coming weeks before the price continues to retrace to lower levels for Wave C. This key resistance area requires close attention, the analyst asserted, as there is a possibility of a bounce into it if the February lows hold. He concluded that “If it’s a corrective move up, which currently would be the expectation, (…) in Q2 we may see a bit of a bounce, (…) and then maybe in late Q2 or early Q3, we could see that C wave down.” Per the chart, this correction could situate XRP’s bottom between the $0.98 and $0.48 levels, which would represent a 30% to 60% pullback from the current levels. Early Q2 Relief Rally Coming? Meanwhile, Chard Nerd shared a similar outlook, affirming that XRP may rally to $1.80-$2.00 in the coming months. The analyst has explained that the altcoin could see a relief rally between April and May, which could mark a very critical inflection point, based on its previous performances. Notably, after peaking in previous cycles, the altcoin has fallen to retest the 200-week Exponential Moving Average (EMA), before seeing a relief rally toward the 20 and 50 EMAs. This has been followed by a rejection and a drop to its bear market lows. Related Reading: Crypto CEO Sounds Warning: If Bitcoin Price Falls Below This Level, The Bear Market Will Worsen The market observer shared that he had expected the relief rally to occur sooner, but noted that the cryptocurrency has been consolidating around its 200 EMA for weeks. This could signal that the retest of this indicator may last longer than in the previous cycle and that the 20 and 50 EMA retests could unfold later. “XRP is hovering around the 200-week EMA. There have been major relief rallies we’ve seen in the past, which means we could get that, but it likely will be followed by another low later in the year (…) between that $0.90 to $0.70 region. (…) This is where we’re trying to get to before continued expansion,” he concluded. Featured Image from Unsplash.com, Chart from TradingView.com

XRP is struggling to hold $1.35. The market is preparing for further downside. And beneath the price action, a quietly growing group of investors appears to have reached a different conclusion. Related Reading: Binance Inflows Suggest Money Is Starting to Move Back Into Crypto – Find Out What Changed Data published by analyst Darkfost identifies a behavioral divergence that the spot chart does not reflect. Despite one of the most hostile environments for altcoins in recent memory, XRP has maintained a well-defined range between $1.30 and $1.50 for several months — a degree of structural resilience that stands out against a broader altcoin market where more than 40% of assets have reached or approached all-time lows. The price tells one story. The on-chain data tells another. Since the end of February, Binance has recorded a clear resurgence in XRP activity — a pattern that Darkfost identifies as consistent with gradual accumulation rather than distribution. Investors are not selling into this range. A growing number of them are using it. XRP is still trading more than 60% below its last all-time high. That fact is not in dispute. What is in dispute is whether the current price represents a continuation of the decline or the quiet formation of a base that the broader market has not yet recognized. The data is beginning to suggest the latter. The price has not confirmed it yet. The Coins Are Leaving. The Question Is Where They Are Going and Why. Darkfost’s on-chain breakdown gives the accumulation signal its clearest form. Since the end of February, outflow transactions on Binance have surged — multiple days recording more than 4,000 transactions, with single-day peaks approaching 6,000. These are not large institutional movements happening out of sight. They are a high volume of individual withdrawal events, happening repeatedly, in the same direction, over an extended period. The transaction size profile is what makes the signal credible rather than coincidental. The activity is concentrated in the 1,000 to 100,000 XRP range — the bracket that corresponds to mid-sized investors rather than whales executing strategy or institutions rebalancing portfolios. Related Reading: XRP Holders Are Pulling Coins Off Exchanges – History Points To A Strong Move This is retail and semi-institutional capital making a deliberate decision: withdrawing XRP from the exchange, moving it into private custody, and removing it from the available sell-side pool. That behavior, repeated across thousands of transactions, is the definition of a gradual accumulation phase. Darkfost frames the forward question with appropriate precision. The accumulation is real and measurable. Whether it is sufficient to break XRP out of the $1.30–$1.50 range — and reignite a bullish trend that the broader altcoin market has failed to deliver this cycle — depends on whether this quiet buying pressure eventually overwhelms the overhead resistance that has capped every rally attempt since February. The base may be forming. The breakout has not arrived. XRP Holds Key Support as Downtrend Loses Momentum XRP is currently trading around the $1.30–$1.35 range, stabilizing after an extended downtrend that began near the $2.40 region earlier this year. The chart shows a clear sequence of lower highs and lower lows, confirming a persistent bearish structure over the past months. However, recent price action suggests a potential shift in momentum. Since the sharp selloff in February, XRP has entered a tight consolidation range, repeatedly finding support near the $1.25–$1.30 zone. This level has now been tested multiple times without a decisive breakdown, indicating that buyers are actively absorbing selling pressure. Related Reading: Crypto Market Open Interest Hits $30 Billion, Highest Since January: Leverage Returns To The Market From a trend perspective, XRP remains below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day moving averages, all of which are sloping downward. This reinforces that the broader trend is still bearish, and any short-term strength remains corrective rather than structural. Attempts to push higher have been limited. The rejection near the $1.50 level confirms it as a key resistance, capping upside momentum in the current range. Volume patterns add context. The largest spikes occurred during capitulation phases, while recent activity has normalized, suggesting reduced panic selling. Structurally, XRP is compressing. A break above $1.50 would signal recovery, while losing $1.25 could trigger another leg lower. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

XRP continues to show signs of weakness as bearish pressure steadily builds beneath the surface. Despite brief relief bounces, the lack of strong follow-through highlights a market still firmly under seller control. With key resistance holding and downside structure intact, momentum appears to be shifting toward a deeper move, bringing the $0.87 support level increasingly into focus. XRP Struggles To Find Strength As Bearish Pressure Builds Crypto analyst CasiTrades recently revealed that XRP’s price action remains notably weak, signaling that a significant move to the downside is getting closer. There is a firm expectation that XRP will eventually move lower to reach established support levels. The prevailing sentiment is one of caution as the market prepares for a potential breakdown. Related Reading: XRP Nears Key Turning Point As Descending Wedge Tightens While the descent is taking its time, a process described as incredibly frustrating for those watching the charts, the trajectory remains pointed downward. This slow grind lower suggests that the final target hasn’t been met yet, even if the pace of the move has been sluggish. A defining characteristic of the current market is the extreme weakness seen in every attempted bounce. Relief moves are consistently being cut short around the .382 Fibonacci retracement level, a clear technical indicator that sellers remain firmly in control.  CasiTrades highlighted that selling momentum picked up again within a 1-hour period on Monday. This sudden increase in activity suggests that the market will likely not stay slow for much longer. As the bears reassert their influence, the stage is set for a more volatile push toward the lower support zones mentioned in the analysis. $1.31 Emerges As Key Resistance Barrier According to CasiTrades, XRP is currently attempting to stabilize around the $1.31 level, but this zone is viewed as a key resistance area, specifically the Wave 4 extreme within the broader structure. The ongoing hesitation and lack of strong follow-through at this level come as no surprise, as price typically struggles when testing important resistance after a corrective move. Furthermore, the analyst emphasizes that once this level breaks, the downside could accelerate rapidly. Related Reading: XRP At Key Transition Zone, And History Says Move Is Near CasiTrades continues to track a developing Wave 3 move to the downside, with a primary target around $1.09 and possible subwave extensions reaching as low as $1.06. After that, a temporary Wave 4 relief bounce is expected to take place, with the price potentially retracing back into the $1.22 to $1.31 range before facing renewed resistance.  From there, the broader trend is projected to continue lower toward the $0.87 macro support zone. While the move has been slower than anticipated, the overall structure remains intact, with price gradually aligning with the bearish outlook. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com

Jed McCaleb, the founder of Ripple and Stellar (XLM), has announced plans to redirect a whopping $1 billion from his XRP fortune into a new investment outside the cryptocurrency space. The crypto founder and Silicon Valley billionaire is now turning his focus toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), aiming to build an AI system based on the human brain.  Ripple Founder To Invest $1 Billion Into AI Research In an interview with Forbes, McCaleb disclosed plans to allocate approximately $1 billion from his estimated $3.9 billion in XRP holdings to fund efforts focused on AGI. The move comes after he previously dropped $1 billion to build a private space station in 2025.  Related Reading: XRP Expert Says The Moment Has Finally Come, Here’s What He Means The new investment is expected to come through the Astera Institute, a non-profit research organization based in California that McCaleb founded. Recently, the institute has increased its focus on neuroscience-inspired approaches to AI development. As a result, in addition to the $1 billion allocation for the core AGI project, McCaleb stated that he will pledge another $600 million specifically toward neuroscience research.  The Ripple founder shared his ambitious goal of studying the human brain as a model for building more capable, potentially safer artificial intelligence systems. He noted that researchers at the Astera Institute intend to use brain-computer interfaces to record neural activity patterns in mice as they perform everyday tasks, such as navigating mazes. They would then record and use these biological data and insights to design completely new AI systems that go beyond today’s popular transformer models.  In the interview, McCaleb expressed skepticism about current mainstream AI methods. He pointed out that while transformers, a type of AI model, are good at making predictions, they struggle with long-term planning, decision-making, and self-driven goals. He believes using a brain-inspired framework could create an AI system that is easier for humans to understand and control.  Interestingly, McCaleb described his time in cryptocurrency as “a big detour” from his deeper interest in AI. He explained that he had always wanted to work in artificial intelligence but only found the opportunity after stepping back from the cryptocurrency industry. He expressed strong belief in his ambitions, declaring that “AI is going to be the most transformative thing that humans ever create.” Although he remains a pivotal figure in Ripple’s history, McCaleb left the company and sold all his XRP by 2022.  A Quick Dive Into McCaleb’s Role In Ripple and XRP McCaleb initially entered the crypto industry as a programmer with previous experience running the now-defunct Mt. Gox, one of the earliest major Bitcoin exchanges. In 2011, he began developing the Ripple protocol and later recruited key figures like former Ripple CTO David Schwartz. Related Reading: XRP Global Distribution Shows The Major Holders And What It’s Being Used For In 2022, McCaleb co-founded OpenCoin, which later became Ripple Labs, now Ripple. He founded the company alongside Chris Larsen and served as CTO while contributing to the development of the XRP Ledger (XRPL). Following XRPL’s launch, McCaleb and other early co-founders each received personal stakes worth approximately 9 billion XRP, around 9% of the total supply. This allocation contributed significantly to his personal wealth today. Featured image from Freepik, chart from Tradingview.com

XRP may be showing one of the cleaner accumulation signals in an otherwise weak altcoin market, according to CryptoQuant analyst Darkfost, who pointed to a pickup in Binance outflow transactions as the token continues to trade inside a narrow multi-month range. XRP Flashes This Bullish Signal The setup matters because XRP has held between roughly $1.30 and $1.50 for several months even as broader market conditions have remained difficult, particularly for altcoins. In Darkfost’s reading, that sideways stretch is not just stagnation. It may also be a period in which buyers are quietly repositioning. “Despite difficult conditions for the crypto market, and especially for altcoins, some assets are still showing a certain degree of resilience,” Darkfost wrote. “This is particularly the case for XRP, which has been trading in a well-defined range for several months, oscillating between $1.30 and $1.50. While the asset is still trading more than 60% below its last all-time high, some investors appear to be taking advantage of this consolidation phase to gradually accumulate.” Related Reading: XRP Nears Key Turning Point As Descending Wedge Tightens The chart shared via CryptoQuant focuses on Binance exchange outflow transactions, broken down by XRP size bands. The clearest shift appears from late February onward, when the number of withdrawals begins to rise sharply after a quieter stretch earlier in the quarter. Several sessions printed more than 4,000 outflow transactions, while some spikes came close to 6,000 in a single day. That detail matters because exchange outflows are commonly read as a sign that holders are moving tokens off trading venues and into other wallets, often for storage rather than immediate sale. It is not a perfect one-to-one measure of conviction, but in market structure terms it usually points more toward accumulation than distribution. Darkfost argued that the composition of those flows is just as important as the headline number. “It is also worth noting that most of this activity is driven by transactions ranging between 1,000 and 100,000 XRP, which typically corresponds to mid-sized investors rather than very large whales,” he said. “This type of activity is generally interpreted as a positive signal. An increase in outflow transactions often suggests that investors are withdrawing their tokens from exchanges to hold them elsewhere, which can indicate a gradual accumulation phase.” Related Reading: XRP Ecosystem Enters Regulated UAE Market With Historic Approval That leaves XRP in an interesting spot. The price action itself still looks rangebound rather than impulsive, and the white line on the chart shows no decisive breakout yet. But the underlying behavior on Binance suggests that some market participants are using this period of compression to build positions instead of exiting. The distinction is important. A market can trade sideways for weeks or months without saying much on its own. Sideways price action paired with rising exchange withdrawals, however, gives that same range a different interpretation. It suggests the balance between available sell-side liquidity and long-term holding behavior may be shifting, even if that shift has not yet translated into a clean price expansion. For now, the main question is the one Darkfost raised directly: whether this accumulation phase is strong enough to push XRP out of its current band and “potentially reignite a bullish trend in the coming months.” Until that happens, the range remains intact. But if outflows continue to climb while price holds steady, traders will likely keep watching for signs that the consolidation is less a ceiling than a base. At press time, XRP traded at $1.32. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com