XRP has dropped 4% over the past week, with trading volumes spiking by 171% as the token broke below key support at $1.90.

This surge in activity signals growing uncertainty, adding doubt to the bullish XRP price prediction that has dominated recent sentiment.

Bearish pressure is intensifying after Donald Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if the country strikes a trade deal with China.

While XRP briefly rebounded from $1.80 during the Asian session, broader market jitters continue to weigh heavily on price action.

The Fear and Greed Index shows that sentiment has soured in the past couple of weeks as this key metric dropped sharply from a 54 reading on January 14 to 29 at the time of writing.

Now, traders are wondering whether XRP is going to zero, so it’s time to take a look at the charts.

XRP Price Prediction: 11% Downside Risk Ahead If This Happens

XRP is currently retesting a key structural resistance at $1.90. This is the previous low of the dominant bearish structure, meaning that a bullish breakout will confirm a trend reversal.

If the price rejects a move above this mark, it could rapidly drop to $1.80 and increase the risk of a move to lower levels.

In that scenario, the most likely target, one that hasn’t been touched in months, would be the $1.60 area.

Hence, even though a move to zero is highly unlikely, the current setup does favor a bearish outlook.

Meanwhile, while major altcoins struggle to hold key levels, crypto presales like Maxi Doge ($MAXI) are heating up with strong momentum and early investor interest.

This Ethereum-based meme coin channels the same viral energy that sent Dogecoin soaring in 2021, and could deliver a similar breakout as soon as its presale closes.

Maxi Doge Presale Is Channeling the Early Dogecoin Energy That Once Drove 1000x Gains

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) is a fast-rising meme coin presale that’s flashing many of the same signals that powered Dogecoin’s breakout in 2021.

Instead of empty hype, the project is building a trader-first culture where momentum, community, and rewards come first.

At the center is an active group of like-minded traders sharing setups, early opportunities, and wins as the market heats up again.

Engagement is fueled through weekly competitions like Maxi Ripped and Maxi Gains, where traders showcase their biggest Ws and climb the leaderboard for rewards and bragging rights.

On top of that, $MAXI offers staking rewards of 69% per year for early participants who lock in during the presale phase.

For anyone who watched DOGE explode from the sidelines, Maxi Doge offers a second chance to get positioned early in a meme coin that’s gaining momentum by the week.

To buy $MAXI and join the pump, simply head to the official Maxi Doge website and connect your wallet (e.g. Best Wallet).

You can swap USDT, USDC, or ETH, or use a bank card to secure tokens in just a few clicks.

The post XRP Price Prediction: XRP Is Crashing Fast – Is This the Beginning of a Total Breakdown to Zero? appeared first on Cryptonews.

With the market flipping into a bearish state, XRP is experiencing conflicting signals in on-chain activity. While some metrics are showing bullish action, other key metrics are starting to demonstrate negative trends, which brings the leading altcoin to a crucial moment that could play a key role in shaping its next price direction.

Derivatives Activity Expands On XRP

Amid the ongoing pullback in the price of XRP, the altcoin is now showcasing a notable divergence in market signals. Specifically, XRP Open Interest (OI) appears to have transitioned into a bullish state while several other key metrics have flipped into bearish territory.

After analyzing multiple metrics, Cryptoinsightuk, a market expert and investor on the social media platform X, highlighted that open interest continues to rise significantly. The rise in derivatives positioning is a clear signal that traders are becoming more leveraged and engaged in the market.

Cryptoinsightuk stated that this significant open interest rise coincides with heavily negative performance in XRP’s Funding rates and Premium. This kind of setup often precedes heightened volatility, especially as on-chain data and broader momentum hint at weakening market conditions. According to the expert, the divergence indicates that the move down is being artificially created by leveraged players. 

Currently, XRP seems to be at a crucial stage when positioning, rather than spot demand, may determine its next significant move as leverage builds against a more cautious environment. However, the expert noted that spot volume has also witnessed a spike. 

Interestingly, the rise in spot volume comes as the market saw a sweep of the recent wick into the year-long support, which led to the creation of a Bullish Divergence on the 4-hour time frame chart. 

Based on the hourly liquidity pools, the market might still have some room to grow. However, the expert is confident that a bounce from the current position is likely to take place. When the bounce occurs, it is expected to be quite violent and will spur a short squeeze back to the upside.

Investors Are Leaning More Towards Long Positions

Despite waning price action, investors seem to be eyeing a potential reversal toward the upside as they increase their bets. This bullish action is evidenced by a sharp uptick in the high-leverage long positions as reported by CW, a data analyst and crypto investor.

Positioning is getting more crowded as more money enters leveraged bets on the upside, increasing the stakes for the upcoming price surge. CW highlighted that high leverage XRP long positions are accumulating around the $1.85 mark, reflecting the significance of the level and the growing appetite for risk among investors. 

However, CW noted that whales are likely to liquidate these positions again. In another post, CW has confirmed that large orders from whales are already flooding the market. At the same time, these high-net-worth investors on the Coinbase platform have now formed a selling wall at $1.96.

Retail traders are increasingly optimistic about XRP, even though the cryptocurrency’s price is currently struggling to keep up above $1.90. Despite the recent lack of follow-through in price action, different data shows confidence is building beneath the surface. 

Data from prediction markets by Robinhood shows traders are actively pricing in the possibility of a sizable upside move for XRP’s price action this year, with odds pointing toward a rally of roughly 40% from current levels.

How Prediction Market Pricing Is Reflecting Bullish Expectations

Data from prediction markets hosted on Robinhood shows that traders are actively trading contracts tied to XRP reaching specific price levels in 2026. Notably, the data shows that the contract for XRP trading at $2.75 in 2026 is currently quoted with a bid of $0.66 and an ask of $0.73. 

An ask of $0.73 means that the Robinhood prediction platform believes the likelihood of XRP reaching or exceeding $2.75 is high enough to demand a significant premium. Although this does not represent a guaranteed probability, it suggests that traders offering liquidity see that outcome as more likely than not, placing implied odds in the 73% range based on current pricing.

That same optimism is present as price targets move higher, though more measured. The contract tied to XRP crossing $3.00 is priced around 50 cents. This implies the market views that level as a roughly even chance and a 50% scenario that the XRP price breaks above $3 again in 2026. The ask price drops to 44 cents for an XRP price bet of $3.25, which means there is a 44% chance XRP reaches this level.

Can XRP Still Rally While Near $1.90?

Recent price action has seen XRP now back to trading around support at $1.9. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $1.88, down by 5% in the past seven days. This decline is part of an extended correction move after XRP’s rally in early January was rejected around $2.41 on January 6. 

The entire crypto industry is now back to a mood of fear, according to CoinMarketCap’s Fear & Greed Index. The index shows that the overall market sentiment is currently sitting at a Fear reading of 29. Even so, this risk-off mood has done little to dampen bullish expectations among many XRP investors. Several forecasts published in January continue to point toward a move into new all-time price highs this year.

Standard Chartered’s analysts, for example, have projected that XRP could reach $8 in 2026 if sustained ETF inflows and clearer regulation are able to increase institutional interest. Another price outlook echoed the idea that a new all-time high above $5 is possible before the year ends based on the current trend of XRP outflows from crypto exchange reserves.

Software Engineer and founder of various AI start ups Vincent Van Code (@vincent_vancode) argues on X that most XRP burn projections are understated because they assume today’s low transaction fees persist even under heavy network usage. In his framing, sustained congestion on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) could push fees higher via the protocol’s load-scaling mechanics, potentially destroying on the order of one billion XRP annually.

XRPL Load Factor Could Turn Fees Into A Major XRP Burn

In a thread titled “The ‘Supply Meltdown’ Simulation,” Vincent Van Code claimed “everyone is calculating the XRP burn wrong,” starting with the premise that the commonly cited base fee of 0.00001 XRP only reflects a quiet network. “But what happens if the world actually starts using the XRPL at its 3,400 TPS limit?” he wrote, positioning load-driven fee escalation as the pivotal variable rather than raw throughput alone.

Van Code’s simulation walks through multiple fee regimes at the same headline activity rate, emphasizing that burn changes dramatically when the ledger is full and the “Load Factor” increases fees to deter spam. “As the ledger fills up, the Load Factor kicks in to stop spam,” he wrote. “Fees don’t just stay low; they scale exponentially.”

He anchored the thread with four scenarios and daily burn estimates, starting with what he called a “standard day” of 1.2 million transactions and roughly 450 XRP burned per day. From there, he modeled “global adoption” at the stated 3,400 TPS ceiling, translating to about 293 million transactions per day at base fee and an estimated 2,937 XRP burned daily.

The more aggressive claims come when he holds transaction volume constant at that 293 million-per-day level but lifts the effective fee via congestion. In his “congestion hike” case, he assumes the load-scaled fee rises to 0.001 XRP, implying about 293,760 XRP burned per day. In a “full gridlock” case at 0.01 XRP per transaction, he estimates 2,937,600 XRP burned daily.

The thesis leans on a structural feature of XRPL fees: they are not paid out to validators or any sponsoring entity, but removed from circulation. Van Code underscored that distinction directly. “The fees aren’t paid to miners. They aren’t paid to Ripple. They are destroyed forever.”

The “Supply Meltdown” Simulation Headline: Everyone is calculating the $XRP burn wrong. The “base fee” (0.00001 XRP) only exists when the network is quiet. But what happens if the world actually starts using the XRPL at its 3,400 TPS limit? The Congestion Math: As the…

— Vincent Van Code (@vincent_vancode) January 24, 2026

From that, he draws his headline conclusion: “Under extreme global utility, we aren’t burning a few hundred tokens. We could be wiping 1 BILLION $XRP out of existence every year,” framing network demand—and the congestion it creates—as “the ultimate deflationary engine.”

At press time, XRP traded at $1.88.

Crypto analyst Darkfost has highlighted reasons why the XRP price could soon witness a bullish reversal and potentially reach new local highs. This comes amid bearish sentiment in the market, which on-chain analytics platform Santiment said could set the stage for a reversal in the altcoin’s price.  

Why The XRP Price Could Soon See A Bullish Reversal 

In a CryptoQuant blog post, Darkfost stated that negative funding rates signal a potential XRP price reversal. The analyst noted that the altcoin is currently trading around 47% below its all-time high (ATH) set in July last year. Furthermore, the altcoin is said to have naturally entered a phase of distribution and correction after a gain of over 600% since November 2024. 

Darkfost assured that this type of movement is healthy after such a strong rally for the price. He further remarked that what stands out is the timing of the bearish consensus, as it did not form at the top but rather during a drawdown of more than 50%. Now, there are predominantly short positions on XRP, with funding rates on Binance mostly negative since December, indicating that leveraged short positions have the upper hand. 

The analyst noted that historically, the market tends to move against a late consensus. As such, while the accumulation of shorts creates short-term selling pressure, it also builds latent buying pressure. Darkfost said that if the XRP price starts to rise, these short positions could be liquidated, fueling the upward move. 

He revealed that a similar pattern has occurred for the token price since 2024. The first was between August and September 2024, and the second was during the April 2025 correction, when funding rates turned negative for a period before a bullish rebound occurred. The analyst stated that this price rebound was due to a shift in investor sentiment and funding rates returning to positive territory. 

A Rally Starter For XRP

In an X post, Santiment stated that XRP traders are showing major FUD, which they claimed is usually a rally starter for the XRP price. The on-chain analytics platform revealed that the altcoin has fallen into ‘Extreme Fear’ territory, with small retail traders becoming pessimistic about the token after a 19% decline from its recent high on January 5th. 

Santiment noted that historically, this level of bearish commentary has led to price rallies. This is based on the belief that prices move in the opposite direction to retail’s expectations more often than not. The altcoin has dropped again following the recent decline in the broader crypto market, led by Bitcoin. BTC fell below $87,000 yesterday on the back of U.S. political tensions, government shutdown risk, and ahead of this week’s FOMC meeting. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.88, down in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Japan appears to be going all in on XRP, as new reports reveal that the country is working toward reclassifying the cryptocurrency. An XRP advocate and expert known on X as ‘SonOfaRichard’ has exposed what’s going on behind the scenes, noting that Japan is now transforming XRP into a real financial infrastructure, formally integrating it into the country’s capital markets. 

Behind Japan’s New Commitment To XRP

For many countries, particularly the US and South Korea, XRP has primarily been viewed as a digital asset for payments and trading, subject to both bullish and bearish price action. However, Japan has recently taken a step further, moving beyond the speculative bubble and aiming to reclassify the altcoin and integrate it into the country’s financial infrastructure. 

In his post on X, SonOfaRichard delved deep into this ongoing development, highlighting the significance and implications of Japan’s involvement in XRP. He said that Japan is not merely expressing bullish sentiment on XRP, as many countries, traders, and analysts do. Instead, it is changing how the cryptocurrency is classified domestically by placing it under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA). This move represents a significant regulatory shift rather than a market-driven endorsement. 

According to the expert, assets under the FIEA are not designed to fuel speculative market pumps. By moving XRP under this new regulatory framework, Japan would effectively position it alongside traditional financial products, such as bonds, funds, and derivatives. This shift removes primary focus on short-term price movements and prioritizes structure and oversight as a pathway toward long-term market development and maturation.

SonOfaRichard has said that Japan’s reclassification of XRP will introduce insider trading controls, custody audits, disclosure standards, and clearer rules for institutional balance sheets. He explained that once the process is complete, it will not be treated as an experiment but as a full infrastructure normalization. He added that institutions that have been waiting for clear regulatory approval may soon receive it, as Japan moves closer to granting final authorization.

Timeline For Japan’s Reclassification

In his post, SonOfaRichard clarified the timeline of Japan’s reclassification of XRP. He explained that it would not be an immediate change, as the process follows Japan’s fiscal-year logic, not the US calendar. Legislative submission is expected in 2026, with full implementation aligned with Japan’s formal fiscal rails and taking effect only after official approval. 

The XRP expert noted that Japan’s regulatory system runs on a fiscal year from April to March, and new rules typically come into effect at the start of the fiscal cycle rather than mid-year.  This means XRP’s reclassification will likely occur sometime in Q2 2026. 

SonOfaRichard also emphasized that the reclassification will focus on institutional treatment, custody, disclosure, and compliance standards. He added that the process represents a massive structural shift and will therefore unfold slowly and deliberately to ensure proper alignment with Japan’s established regulatory frameworks. 

Technical analysis of XRP’s price action on the 3-week candlestick timeframe chart shows that the cryptocurrency is about to play out a road to the double-digit threshold based on its long-term structure. 

The analysis, which was shared on the social media platform X alongside a multiyear chart, points to XRP trading in what is labeled Phase 4. At the center of this setup is a clear technical target of a break above the previous all-time high and a run to at least $21.5

XRP Price Action In Phases

Technical analysis of XRP price action shows that the cryptocurrency has been trading in a series of four phases for more than a decade. One full sequence of four phases unfolded between mid-2013 and mid-2017 as the foundation for XRP’s first rally to price peaks. Since then, a second set of four phases has been developing and following a similar pattern. 

XRP transitioned into a new phase 1 and phase 2 sequence that led to a 2018 peak for phase 1 and then a pullback for phase 2 between 2018 and 2020. This was followed by an unusually long p3 that stretched from 2019 to mid-2024, visible on the chart as a broad, multi-year consolidation with converging trendlines of lower highs and higher lows. During this time, XRP’s price action was trapped inside the compression structure, just like the behavior seen during phase 3 of the first cycle.

XRP Price Chart. Source: @amonyx On X

Phase 4 Returns: XRP To Double Digits

According to the technical analysis, phase 4 began in 2025, when XRP finally broke above the compression range in mid-2024. This breakout was the same structural transition seen in mid-2017, when XRP exited consolidation and entered expansion. 

Phase 4 has already been in progress for several months and includes the period when XRP rallied to new all-time highs in mid-2025, eventually topping out at $3.65 in July. Since that peak, however, XRP’s price action has been playing out a corrective downward trend and is down by roughly 48% at the time of writing. 

Despite the ongoing correction, the projection is that XRP is still in phase 4 and is going to break into new all-time highs soon. This shows that phase 4 could unfold over an extended period and not with a single impulse move. The current all-time high of $3.65 is the first major technical hurdle, and a break above it will serve as confirmation that XRP is back into price discovery.

Based on this technical analysis, past expansion ratios from the previous cycle are applied and a 6.618 Fibonacci extension is measured from the phase 3 support low. This points to a projected price level near $21.5. At the time of writing, XRP is trading at $1.89, meaning a move to that level would represent an increase of roughly 1,040% from current prices.

Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView

XRP has spent most of the past few months trading with lower highs since July 2025, frustrating traders and compressing price action into an increasingly tight range. 

However, a technical breakdown shared by crypto analyst ChartNerd argued that what looks like stagnation may actually be the final preparation phase before a historic move. The price structure suggests something far bigger that sends XRP on its most aggressive rally in eight years, but the implications only become clear when the full setup is examined.

A 400-Day Rectangular Reaccumulation Still Holding Structure

According to technical analysis done by ChartNerd, XRP’s price action has been locked inside a rectangular reaccumulation zone for about 400 days, and this has led to the formation of what looks like a rectangular bull flag on a macro timeframe. The technical chart shows a strong impulsive move from July 2024 to December 2024 acting as the flagpole, right when XRP peaked at the $3.4 price zone back then.

This impulsive flagpole has been followed by a long period of sideways trading where XRP’s price has repeatedly respected a clearly defined support around $1.8 and resistance boundaries around $3.6. This type of structure is associated with reaccumulation within the support and resistance zones, especially when it is playing out after a sharp expansion move and holding for this length of time.

Each dip into reaccumulation support has been absorbed, preventing any sustained breakdown and keeping the broader pattern intact. ChartNerd noted that the rectangular flag will be valid as long as this support level is defended, and this will activate the expansion journey.

XRP Price Chart. Source: @ChartNerdTA on X

Macro Breakout Projection Puts XRP Price Target At $23

According to ChartNerd, bearish participants are increasingly pressured by the fact that this fractal is still holding despite repeated attempts to invalidate it. The longer XRP’s price action is trapped inside the rectangle without breaking down, the more likely it becomes that the eventual resolution favors the dominant trend that preceded the consolidation. In this case, that trend was bullish, which strengthens the case for an upside breakout once resistance is cleared.

If the rectangular bull flag resolves to the upside as projected, the chart outlines a breakout trajectory that would carry XRP into double-digit territory, with a long-term target region near $23. This price target projection is derived from the height of the flagpole extended from the top of the reaccumulation range.

ChartNerd labelled this possible move as one of the most aggressive rallies XRP could see in seven to eight years. At the time of writing, XRP is trading around $1.92, meaning a move toward the $23 region would represent a gain of over 1,000% from current levels, which is a type of percentage expansion XRP has played out well in the past.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

The XRP Ledger has entered a new phase of innovation as Ripple integrates to bring together two of the most powerful technology trends shaping the global economy. Long known for its speed, low transaction costs, and enterprise-grade reliability, the Ledger is now expanding beyond payments to data-driven and automated financial applications. By merging AI with decentralized settlement, Ripple is positioning the Ledger to support smarter workflows and more efficient liquidity management.

How Ripple Is Embedding Intelligence Into On-Chain Systems

An analyst known as SMQKE on X has shared a case study of an AI implementation in the cross-border payment, in which Ripple has successfully combined blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to enhance the efficiency, speed, and cost-effectiveness of global transactions.  As a leading provider of real-time cross-border payment solutions, Ripple leverages the XRP Ledger, a decentralized blockchain that enables real-time cross-border settlement. 

Related Reading: Surge In XRP Transactions: 1.45 Million Daily Users Could Signal Price Rally Ahead, Says Expert

What sets this integration apart is the use of AI to optimize transaction flows and routing decisions in real time. Ripple AI-powered systems continuously process large volumes of payment data in real time, allowing financial institutions to make dynamic decisions on the most effective payment paths. 

BlackRock is now using Ripple’s RLUSD as collateral, which is extremely bullish for XRP. JackTheRippler revealed that the altcoin is being positioned as the future infrastructure, which is being built with the potential to hit over $10,000 per coin. With the REAL token launching on January 26th, trillions in global capital could flood into the XRP Ledger. According to JackTheRippler, some projections suggest up to $800 billion could flow into the REAL token on XRP Ledger, potentially sparking a powerful supply shock.

Why The Comeback Feels Different This Time

The rise of the phoenix XRP is here. Crypto analyst Xfinancebull highlighted that Caroline Pham isn’t just another name in crypto. Pham played a role in pushing utility regulation into the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), helping shift policy toward real-world use cases. Currently, she is at MoonPlay and posting about the phoenix on X.

Related Reading: How Donald Trump’s Latest Crypto Move Will Boost Demand For XRP

Years ago, Brad Garlinghouse drew that same phoenix, and it became one of the biggest pieces of XRP lore. While the market chased narratives, Ripple has been building institutional-grade crypto products for years. Meanwhile, the token, RLUSD, and the XRP Ledger are now live operating, and recognized among the most compliant blockchain assets in the crypto world.

This is the same asset that survived the SEC’s biggest regulatory battles in crypto history, and is now on the other side with legal clarity, growing integration, and increasing relevance to government infrastructure in its favor. Xfinancebull concluded that Caroline has helped clear the regulatory path, Brad and Ripple built what actually runs on that path, and they have been aligning all along, which is how the real adoption happens.

A recent statement from an XRP Ledger (XRPL) developer suggests that XRP could be the key to an early retirement shortcut. Unlike steady paychecks or slow-growing investments in traditional assets, cryptocurrencies have the ability to create generational wealth rapidly, due to their penchant for sudden and explosive price moves. Among the thousands of digital assets on the market, the developer highlighted the token as his primary choice for investors seeking substantial returns, even sharing strategies for how the coin can help them retire in a few years. 

XRP Emerges As Shortcut To Early Retirement

A DropCoin XRPL developer, identified as ‘Bird’ on X, announced on Thursday, January 22, that buying and holding XRP at current prices could help investors retire within a few years. The bold claim quickly caught the attention of many in the crypto community, with some asking the developers to elaborate on the strategies involved and the expected timeline for achieving such wealth. 

Related Reading: XRP Price Obliteration Is Not A Matter Of If, New All-Time Highs Are Coming

Not stopping there, Bird claimed that investing in the token could eliminate the need for a job, suggesting that long-term investors may eventually rely on the potential profits from their holdings as a primary source of income. His statements were in response to a post by Watcher.Guru, which the developer directly referenced to support his optimistic long-term outlook. 

In that post, Watcher Guru quoted a statement reportedly made by Binance’s founder ChangPeng Zhao, who also agreed that holding crypto assets over time could make jobs unnecessary and allow investors to retire sooner than planned. The Ledger developer shared a screenshot of Zhao making similar remarks about Artificial Intelligence, suggesting that the Binance founder views both crypto and AI as powerful tools for achieving long-term financial freedom. 

A crypto community member who responded to Bird’s post questioned how long an investor has to hold XRP before retiring early. The developer answered humorously that it could be held indefinitely, adding that some investors could reach early retirement this year, while others may need a few more years. He emphasized that the timeline ultimately depends on how many tokens an investor holds.  

How High The Altcoin Could Rise To Enable Early Retirement

Addressing questions from the crypto community members, Bird shared his outlook on how high he believes XRP’s price could rise, helping investors achieve early retirement. He predicted that within the next few years, the cryptocurrency could rise to $100 and beyond—a significant jump from its current market price of around $1.90. 

Related Reading: How Donald Trump’s Latest Crypto Move Will Boost Demand For XRP

The Ledger developer suggested that reaching $100 could be a gradual process for the altcoin, forecasting an initial rally to $10 in the First Quarter (Q1) of 2026. Notably, Bird’s remarks reflect a classic buy-the-dip and hold strategy, where investors accumulate during downtrends and patiently wait for the price to rally explosively before taking profits.

Crypto analyst CryptoBull has highlighted targets that XRP could reach as it eyes double digits. The analyst is confident the altcoin could reach these targets, noting that current price action is mirroring the previous bull run. 

XRP Eyes Rally To $11 And Then $70

In an X post, Crypto Bull stated that the next impulse will take XRP to $11 and that the last wave will take the altcoin to $70. This came as he noted that the price pattern is mirroring the previous bull run, with the only difference being time, which he claimed makes sense, as the altcoin needs longer accumulation to reach higher prices. 

The analyst also indicated that it could take a year of accumulation for XRP to reach the $11 price target, meaning the last wave to $70 could take much longer. This prediction comes despite the current decline in the crypto market, with XRP trading below the psychological $2 price level.  

Despite the current bearish sentiment, crypto analyst CW has also declared that the XRP rally is about to begin and that the road to $21.5 is just the beginning. He noted that this is the Phase 4 peak while the first goal is for the altcoin to break its current all-time high (ATH). 

His accompanying chart showed that XRP could reach this $21 target by year-end. Meanwhile, there is the possibility of the altcoin rallying above $100 in the next Phase 1, which could happen next year. Crypto Pundit X Finance Bull recently highlighted the CLARITY Act and Trump’s tariffs as factors that could boost XRP’s demand and lead to higher prices for the altcoin. 

He expects the CLARITY Act to boost XRP’s demand, especially with Trump’s Crypto Czar predicting that more banks will enter into crypto once the bill passes. X Finance Bull predicts that XRP will be the token of choice for these banks based on his belief that Ripple will provide the rails to onboard them. 

XRP Breaking Out Of Multi-Year Triangle

Crypto analyst XForce revealed in an X post that XRP is breaking out of the largest 6+ year triangle in history, yet people are calling it a fakeout. He added that he is not a permabull or permanbear on the altcoin but that he follows trends and plays macro breakout patterns. His accompanying chart indicated that XRP was on the verge of a move to the upside, with a potential rally above $11.50. 

On the lower timeframe, crypto analyst Chart Nerd stated that XRP is currently breaking out of a two-week falling wedge structure. He noted that this is a bullish reversal pattern that could send the altcoin back to $2.40 in the short term, as this is where the wedge formed. He highlighted a key resistance between $2.13 and $2.20, which the altcoin will need to break above to confirm a reversal. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.92, up in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

XRP is attempting to stabilize above the $1.90 level after slipping below the $2.00 mark, a breakdown that has fueled fresh uncertainty across the market. With momentum weakening and volatility picking up, traders are now watching whether this pullback becomes a temporary reset or the start of a deeper downside move.

Analysts remain divided on the outlook, as some argue XRP is entering a bearish continuation phase, while others believe the market is simply clearing leverage before a rebound. Either way, the coming sessions are shaping up to be decisive for short-term direction.

A report from Arab Chain adds an important layer of context by focusing on Binance flow dynamics. According to the report, data from Binance’s XRP platform shows the 30-day correlation between price and CVD (Cumulative Volume Delta) sitting near 0.61, which signals a moderate to strong positive relationship between price action and net volume flows. In simple terms, XRP’s recent moves have not been disconnected from trading activity.

Instead, price changes appear to be relatively supported by actual volume behavior rather than isolated technical noise.

This matters because when price and CVD remain positively linked, the market is often viewed as structurally aligned, suggesting trend confirmation rather than a random bounce. For XRP, this correlation could become a key signal as bulls fight to defend $1.90.

XRP’s CVD Confirmation Score Shows Base-Building, Not Capitulation

Arab Chain explains that while the 30-day price–CVD correlation remains positive, the latest CVD reading is still relatively negative, signaling that accumulated selling pressure has not yet flipped into net buying dominance. This is a critical nuance.

Rather than acting like a simple “buy” or “sell” trigger, the metric functions as a confirmation score, meaning it evaluates whether price action is internally supported by volume flows instead of offering a clean entry signal. In other words, it helps traders judge the quality of the trend and whether market behavior is coherent beneath the surface.

The real value of this framework is its ability to detect divergence early. If XRP’s price attempts to recover while correlation deteriorates, or if CVD stays negative during upside moves, it would suggest hidden weakness and a higher probability that rallies are being sold into. That kind of imbalance often appears before sharp reversals, especially in uncertain conditions where liquidity is thin and momentum-driven positioning dominates.

In the current context, however, the market is sending a more balanced message. The persistence of a positive correlation despite ongoing price weakness implies that XRP may be entering a base-building phase, where selling pressure is being absorbed gradually rather than accelerating into aggressive distribution.

Trend Weakness Keeps Bulls On Defense

XRP is trading near $1.91 on the 3-day chart after failing to reclaim the $2.00 level, keeping the market in a fragile short-term position. The structure shows that XRP topped above $3.50 during the mid-2025 rally, but the move has since unraveled into a steady downtrend defined by lower highs and repeated breakdowns. After the sharp leg lower in October, the price attempted to stabilize, but the recovery lacked follow-through and has gradually faded into a tighter compression zone.

From a trend perspective, XRP remains capped below its major moving averages. The blue average is sloping downward and sits above price near the mid-$2 range, reinforcing a bearish bias and limiting upside attempts. The green average is also flattening and rolling over, confirming that momentum has weakened across multiple timeframes. Meanwhile, XRP is now leaning directly on the red long-term average, which is rising toward the current price and acting as a key support reference around the $1.85–$1.90 region.

Price action over the last several candles suggests a base-building process, but it is still premature to call a reversal. Bulls need to defend this support zone and reclaim $2.00–$2.10 to shift momentum back in their favor. If XRP loses the rising long-term average, downside risk increases toward $1.70 and potentially the mid-$1.50 area, where demand previously stepped in.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

XRP has given back all of its early‑year gains, sliding toward the $1.90. Despite the pullback, several on‑chain and market indicators are pointing to a possible breakout from current levels, driven largely by a sharp decline in XRP held on exchanges. 

XRP Exchange Balances Slide To 1.5B

Market analyst Sam Daodu notes that over the past months, a substantial portion of XRP has steadily moved off centralized trading platforms and into long‑term storage and institutional custody. 

On‑chain figures indicate that XRP exchange balances dropped from roughly 4 billion tokens in early 2025 to about 1.5 billion by late December. This 57% decline represents the steepest annual reduction in XRP exchange supply on record.

Data from CryptoQuant reinforces this trend, showing shrinking XRP reserves on major trading platforms such as Binance, where balances continued to fall into early 2026. At the same time, wallet accumulation has increased, particularly among institutional custody accounts. 

Daodu argues that with fewer tokens available on exchanges, buying pressure that previously moved XRP only marginally can now drive gains of 10% to 15% within days. 

When combined with approximately $1.37 billion in XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows recorded since November 2025, Daodu believes the conditions favor a potential breakout toward the $4 to $5 range, rather than another rally that stalls below $3.

Bullish, Base, And Bearish Scenarios

Looking ahead, Daodu outlines three broad price paths for XRP, each tied to how exchange balances and ETF inflows evolve. In a bullish scenario, the altcoin could move into the $4 to $5 range if monthly ETF inflows average $300-$500 million and exchange balances fall below 1.5 billion tokens. 

A more neutral outcome would see XRP trading between $2.50 and $3.50. This scenario assumes ETF inflows slow to roughly $50 million to $70 million per week and exchange balances continue to decline at a steadier pace. 

The bearish case hinges on the possibility that the supply contraction thesis proves overstated. If rapid transfers refill exchange order books, escrow releases increase selling pressure, or ETF demand slows due to tighter macroeconomic conditions, XRP could lose support. 

In that scenario, prices may fall below $2.00 and revisit the $1.60 level during periods of risk aversion. Prolonged uncertainty could see XRP trading between $1.50 and $2.00 for much of 2026, according to the analyst. 

At the time of writing, the altcoin was trading at $1.94. This represented losses of 4% and 8% over seven and fourteen-day periods, respectively. This positions the fifth-largest cryptocurrency in terms of market cap 46% below the current all-time high of $3.64 reached back in July of last year.

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

After a negative print on January 20, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to XRP have resumed their accumulation. After a brief pullback on January 20, XRP-linked exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have resumed accumulation, adding fresh fuel to bullish XRP price prediction.

Data from SoSo Value shows that ETFs brought in $9 million in the past two days.

As a result, XRP’s ETF assets stand at $1.37 billion, still surpassing Solana-linked ETF products as Wall Street’s appetite for the top altcoin persists.

Ongoing accumulation seems to indicate that whales are aware of something that the rest of the market is ignoring.

Is XRP getting ready to make an explosive move?

XRP Price Prediction: Descending Triangle Breakout Could Finally Push XRP Above Its 200-Day EMA

The price has bounced off the $1.90 support multiple times already, creating a strong floor from which XRP could start running higher.

The last rally started after the token broke out of the descending triangle shown in the chart, but faced strong selling pressure at the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA).

A similar setup has formed now, anticipating a potential move from bulls over the next few days if the $1.90 level holds.

If that happens, the odds of a bullish breakout above the 200-day EMA will rise. This translates into a short-term target of $2.50, followed by a much stronger move to $3.10 at least.

As altcoins regain momentum and prepare for the next major rally, top crypto presales like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) are gaining serious traction.

This high-potential project has already raised over $30 million, aiming to bring Solana’s fast speeds and low costs to the Bitcoin network.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) Revamps BTC’s Use Cases by Leveraging Solana’s Power

While BTC is a great store of value, it has always been slow and expensive to move – until now.

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is a crypto presale that brings Solana’s world-class speed to the Bitcoin blockchain.

This new layer 2 solution solves the biggest problems Bitcoin has faced by reducing transaction fees to nearly zero and enabling instant asset transfers.

For the first time, BTC holders will get to do more than just buy and hold.

Through this L2, they will finally put their Bitcoin to work by lending, staking, and trading their assets without leaving the security of the Bitcoin network.

The crypto community is already moving fast, with over $30 million raised to bring this vision to life.

At the heart of this project is the $HYPER token. As adoption grows and more users tap into its fast, low-cost Layer 2 features, demand for $HYPER is expected to rise.

If you want to get in early, you can still grab $HYPER at its presale price.

Simply visit the official Bitcoin Hyper website and connect any wallet, such as Best Wallet.

You can swap USDT, USDC, or ETH, or use a bank card to buy $HYPER tokens in seconds.

The post XRP Price Prediction: Price Holds Strong as ETF Inflows Quietly Return – Do Whales Know Something? appeared first on Cryptonews.

The XRP price may be preparing for a long-overdue recovery, as a crypto analyst has just highlighted a critical area that could flip the cryptocurrency’s downward momentum into a bullish one. According to the market expert, XRP must reclaim the Ichimoku Base before it can resume its upside to new levels. 

XRP Price Recovery To Resume Above Ichimoku Base

Market analyst Xaif Crypto took to X this Thursday to deliver a fresh weekly update on XRP as the cryptocurrency enters a pivotal technical area after months of downside pressure. The accompanying chart shows price retreating from a prior peak in late 2024 and sliding back into a clearly marked demand zone in the blue box. 

According to the analyst, the recent retreat follows a clear downtrend, with lower highs pushing price back toward a previous consolidation zone. This blue-box area represents the main battleground, as prior trading activity built a base that could act as support if XRP revisits that level. 

So far, XRP appears to be stabilizing within this demand zone. Candles on the chart show hesitation and reduced selling pressure. The chart also draws attention to an Ichimoku structure, with XRP attempting to reclaim its Ichimoku Base. According to Xaif Crypto, this base will determine XRP’s next big move.

The analyst has suggested that reclaiming this level could signal a potential shift in market sentiment. He disclosed that a strong close above it could favor upside continuation, weakening the ongoing downtrend and giving buyers more room to target upper resistance levels. Conversely, Xaif Crypto predicts that a break below the Ichimoku Base would likely lead to a deeper correction for XRP, as support would be lost and selling could accelerate. 

For now, XRP sits at a make-or-break level that could decide whether it recovers from its current slump. Xaif Crypto’s chart has outlined potential targets if the cryptocurrency manages to reclaim and hold above the Ichimoku Base. Currently hovering around $1.95, XRP faces potential bullish targets at $2.09, $2.20, $2.31, and $2.45. The analyst has also highlighted that traders and investors should closely watch the weekly close for confirmation of a sustained recovery.  

Analyst Says XRP Is Planning A Major Reversal

Despite dropping below $2 earlier this week, analysts remain optimistic about XRP’s price outlook. According to market expert Crypto GVR, XRP could be attempting a major price reversal from the $1-$1.5 range. Based on his chart analysis, the analyst predicts that XRP could decline first from its current price around $1.95 to roughly $1.13 before rebounding sharply to new highs.

He has set a bullish target at $3.25. marking the next upside for XRP. If XRP were to crash to $1.13 and then surge to $3.25, this would represent a staggering 187% increase in value. 

The XRP Ledger has moved one step closer to a major structural upgrade after validators voted in favor of Permissioned Domains. The amendment has now entered its two-week activation window, which is the standard process on the network before new features go live.  The change may sound technical on the surface, but it carries implications for how XRP-based infrastructure could be used by institutions operating under regulatory frameworks.

Validators Vote Yes On Permissioned Domains

According to commentary shared on X by Vincent Van Code, the amendment introducing Permissioned Domains has received enough validator support to pass. Vincent Van Code is a widely followed software engineer in the community. Amendments on the XRP ledger require sustained validator consensus before activation, meaning this approval reflects alignment across a large portion of the network’s validator set. 

Particularly, amendments on the XRP Ledger require over 80% consensus from trusted validators to hold for two consecutive weeks before activating. This process ensures network-wide agreement, preventing forced changes by any single entity. If support drops below the 80% threshold, the amendment is temporarily rejected, and the two-week period restarts.

As it stands, the consensus on permissioned domains is at 85.29%, and the expected time of approval is on February 4, 2026. Once the two-week waiting period concludes, the permissioned domains feature will become active at the protocol level. 

This means developers and institutions will no longer be building applications through off-chain workarounds or private chains. Developers will now be able to start building applications that rely on controlled access rules directly on the public XRP ledger.

How Permissioned Domains Change What Can Be Built On XRPL

According to the XRP Ledger website, permissioned domains are controlled environments within the broader ecosystem of the XRP Ledger blockchain. Anyone can define a permissioned domain in the ledger. That person becomes the owner of that domain and can update its settings or delete it. 

Permissioned Domains introduce a way to create gated environments on the XRP Ledger, where participation is limited to accounts holding specific verifiable credentials. Instead of every address being treated equally by default, certain activities can now be restricted to verified participants only, without altering the open nature of the base ledger. According to Vincent Van Code, this unlocks institutional use cases by restricting access to accounts with specific verifiable credentials. 

This capability opens the door to permissioned decentralized exchanges where regulated trading of tokenized securities, stablecoins, real-world assets, and even FX instruments can occur among compliant counterparties. The same framework also supports controlled lending protocols, restricted liquidity pools, and treasury operations that only approved entities can access.

The vote on permissioned domains plays into a growing trend of institutional entry into the XRP Ledger. While talking at the World Economic Forum in Davos 2026, Ripple’s CEO discussed increasing integration of the XRP Ledger technology with global financial infrastructure, including stronger engagement with banking partners and tokenization efforts. 

XRP’s price action over the past several days has been tight and uneasy in a way that tends to make traders impatient. XRP is now drifting sideways just below $2, compressing into a narrower range between $1.9 and $1.96. To some, this looks like weakness. 

To others, it looks like upside pressure is building. One technical analyst believes XRP’s price action is approaching a moment that could redefine the entire structure. That view was shared on X by crypto analyst Archie, who noted that its current consolidation is a precursor to a violent breakout that will send its price into new all-time highs.

Why The Current XRP Structure Matters

According to the technical analysis in question, XRP has been carving out a tightening pattern directly beneath a descending trendline that has acted as resistance since the beginning of the year. XRP printed a higher high of $2.4 in early January, retraced, and then began compressing into a narrow range of lower highs on the 30-minute candlestick chart. 

The chart shows how the token has repeatedly respected the trendline without collapsing below support at $1.9. This, in turn, has created what Archie describes as a coil right under the resistance trendline. Interestingly, this kind of structure tends to resolve quickly once price makes contact with the trendline again. 

Trendline Obliteration And The Push Beyond $2

According to the analyst’s prediction, the next touch of the trendline will not be another rejection. Instead, the next touch will lead to a clean break that sends XRP decisively through $2, which is a little more than a checkpoint. From his perspective, the repeated tests of resistance have weakened it, increasing the probability of a breakout as opposed to another downward rejection.

At the time of writing, the altcoin is trading at $1.91, down by 2.6% in the past 24 hours. However, looking closely at the chart Archie shared gives structure to what to expect once the trendline breaks.

The first level is just above the descending trendline itself, around the $2.00 to $2.05 region. In the context of the chart, a clean move through this level is what flips the structure from compression below resistance into expansion above resistance.

Above that, the next highlighted resistance is just below $2.20. The chart then shows a broader resistance cluster between roughly $2.35 and $2.40. Reaching and breaking above this zone is much more significant, as it would show that the breakout is a genuine trend reversal.

At the top end of the projection, the highest marked region is around $2.60. This zone appears to be the final upside target shown on the chart and would place XRP firmly into price discovery territory relative to recent structure.

Ripple is laying out a transition in which XRP is no longer positioned primarily as a traded asset, but as infrastructure supporting tokenized finance and institutional settlement. At the World Economic Forum 2026, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse described how this shift is already taking shape through live tokenization activity, regulated integration with banks, and on-chain settlement at scale. 

XRP Tokenization Shifts From Theory To Balance-Sheet Reality

Garlinghouse used tokenization as the primary context for explaining this transition. He described tokenization as a process that has already moved beyond experimentation and into operational use across financial institutions. To support that claim, he pointed to activity on the XRP Ledger, where tokenized asset volume expanded significantly over the course of a single year, rising from roughly $19 trillion to $33 trillion.

That level of growth signals institutional commitment rather than exploratory testing. Tokenized assets at this scale imply the involvement of banks, custodians, and regulated entities moving real value. According to Garlinghouse, institutions are now focused on how to integrate tokenized assets into existing balance sheets, liquidity structures, and settlement processes.

This shift changes what infrastructure is required. Tokenization at institutional scale demands networks that can process high volumes consistently, provide deterministic settlement, and operate continuously. The XRP Ledger is being positioned within this framework as a system capable of supporting that throughput. The emphasis is not on innovation for its own sake, but on reliability and execution under real financial constraints.

As tokenized assets become embedded in core financial operations, the supporting rails stop being optional. They become foundational. That is the context in which XRP is being discussed, not as a standalone asset, but as part of the machinery enabling tokenized finance to function.

Connecting Regulated Assets And On-Chain Liquidity

Garlinghouse also addressed the structural challenge that emerges as tokenization intersects with decentralized finance. Institutions want access to programmability and liquidity, but they cannot compromise compliance, custody, or trust. He described this tension as the central problem Ripple is working to solve.

Rather than positioning itself against traditional finance, Ripple is working directly with global banks to build regulated pathways between tokenized assets and on-chain liquidity. The objective is to allow institutions to interact with decentralized systems without stepping outside regulatory frameworks. Within this design, XRP serves as a settlement and connectivity layer, enabling movement between systems.

This approach reframes XRP’s utility. Its value lies in facilitating finality, liquidity access, and interoperability across regulated and on-chain environments. As tokenized assets, decentralized rails, and institutional settlement converge, networks capable of delivering finality at scale become increasingly important. Garlinghouse emphasized that the XRP Ledger already provides this capability, giving it a structural advantage. As a result, XRP is no longer positioned primarily as a tradeable asset; it is being aligned as infrastructure that enables the issuance, movement, and settlement of value within an increasingly tokenized financial system.

Crypto pundit X Finance Bull has explained how Donald Trump’s push to sign the crypto bill into law will boost demand for XRP. This follows White House Crypto Czar David Sack’s prediction about how banks will come into crypto once the CLARITY Act passes.

How Donald Trump’s Crypto Push Will Boost XRP’s Demand

In an X post, X Finance Bull shared a video in which Donald Trump’s crypto adviser, David Sacks, stated that banks will begin to adopt crypto once the crypto bill passes. The pundit noted that this means banks are already positioned, while Ripple has the stack and XRP has the liquidity, and the rails are in place. As such, he believes that the token will be the go-to crypto once these banks enter the crypto industry. 

X Finance Bull further mentioned that institutions that have been waiting over the past few years will return and announce their buys and use of XRP once Donald Trump signs the CLARITY Act into law. The pundit added that this moment resets who is early and that he never needed hype to hold the altcoin. “Research and study were always enough,” he said. 

X Finance Bull also questioned why market participants were panic-selling if banks are going all in once Donald Trump signs the crypto bill into law. The pundit’s statements come just as Ripple partnered with DXC to integrate the token and RLUSD into DXC’s Hogan core banking platform. 

The banking platform powers more than 300 million deposit accounts and over $5 trillion in deposits globally. As such, this is a major step in XRP’s adoption, as the partnership will integrate Ripple’s payment technology into large-scale banking environments.

Trump’s Tariff Move Will Also Boost The Altcoin

In another X post, X Finance Bull claimed that Donald Trump’s move with tariffs will also boost XRP’s demand.  He shared a video of how the U.S. president said that $18 trillion is flowing into the U.S. economy thanks to these tariffs. The pundit asserted that such money flows put pressure on banks, payroll systems, FX rails, and settlement speed. 

X Finance Bull further noted that this creates nonstop cross-border payments and liquidity needs, and this is where Ripple and XRP come in. He explained that while old rails leak money, Ripple and the altcoin were built to stop that. The pundit also alluded to Ripple executives meeting with Donald Trump and to the token being mentioned as part of the digital asset stockpile. He added that the CLARITY Act is next and that when rules lock in, the U.S. capital will need U.S. rails. 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.92, down almost 2% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Certified Elliott Wave analyst XForceGlobal (@XForceGlobal) told followers on X that “$5+ remains on the horizon,” arguing that the token’s past year of range-bound trading is validating an Elliott Wave “flat” correction that typically resolves with a sharp, final move before a continuation higher.

In a 10-minute video shared alongside the post, the analyst framed XRP’s recent price action as the late stage of a flat pattern, an extended period where neither bulls nor bears can force a clean trend. “A flat occurs when the market fails to trend on both sides. They’re basically evenly matched,” he said. “And that’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of balance.”

XRP Traders ‘Exhausted’ As Breakout Nears

XForceGlobal positioned the structure as a corrective phase within a larger bullish sequence, describing the market as forming a new floor rather than breaking down. “This is where the buyers and sellers enter a Mexican standoff with each other, creating a new price floor,” he said, adding that the sideways feel is the point: “They’re not designed to go anywhere, basically. And the markets naturally alternate between expansion and compression.”

The analyst emphasized the psychological aspect of prolonged consolidation, arguing that flats tend to “eliminate even the leverage traders through time rather than price” by exhausting both sides. “By the time the flat actually resolves, which is very close, in my opinion, most traders are emotionally already exhausted,” he said. “Positioning has been pretty much neutralized, and the path for continuation, to me, becomes very clear.”

In Elliott Wave terms, XForceGlobal described the flat as a three-part A-B-C structure, with waves A and B unfolding as corrective “three-wave” moves and wave C completing as an impulsive “five-wave” move. He argued that this final phase is the moment the market stops drifting and forces a resolution.

“Wave C must be impulsive because it represents the resolution of the balance that we have for waves A and B,” he said. “It’s not the continuation of a larger structure to the downside.” He framed impulsiveness as behavioral rather than directional, attributing it to urgency and follow-through once one side “decisively gives up,” clearing out the range that built during the earlier legs.

That distinction matters for positioning, because his base case anticipates one more decisive shakeout before a move higher. He said the market is currently in an “expanded flat” configuration where wave B pushed above the prior high, and he expects a break of local structure “once” before the market turns up. He highlighted $1.70 as a prior low that could be undercut as part of the process without invalidating the larger setup, so long as broader support holds.

XForceGlobal’s post leaned heavily on conviction built over time—“I didn’t spend 2,000+ days accumulating XRP for no reason!”—while also stressing that he has already taken some profit. In the transcript, he said he “personally took some profits around the $2.70 level” and would continue to “sell into strength.”

On upside expectations, he called for higher levels “in this current cycle,” tying potential targets to the duration of the consolidation. “The longer that we distribute here, the higher the targets are going to be,” he said, adding that “a minimum of a $6 range all the way up to even the $14 range is my personal target.”

He also flagged conditions that would change the trade management. If the market shows “red flags” and breaks further structure than he expects, he suggested that is where risk management should take priority.

For XRP traders, the practical takeaway from his framework is timing and path, not direction: a final, forceful leg lower could still be consistent with a bullish continuation thesis while a deeper structural breakdown would challenge it.

At press time, XRP traded at $1.91.