XRP opened 2026 moving mostly sideways below the $2 mark, though on-chain metrics reveal accumulating interest from large holders. Since the start of the year, 42 new wallets holding at least 1 million XRP have emerged, indicating that whales are taking advantage of the subdued price to build their positions.

From a technical standpoint, XRP still appears vulnerable. The price remains well under its 200-day moving average, and risk-adjusted indicators such as the Sharpe Ratio continue to signal a low-reward, range-bound market. Momentum indicators also lean more toward consolidation than any decisive bullish reversal, keeping sentiment cautious.
At the same time, XRP supply on exchanges is hovering near multi-year lows, suggesting fewer tokens are available for immediate selling. Historically, declining exchange balances have often preceded price gains, but current trading volume is too muted to confirm a lasting trend. This leaves room for either a sharp upswing if demand returns or a series of failed rallies if buying pressure remains weak.
On the utility front, the XRP Ledger is gaining traction. DEX activity has climbed to consistent 13-month highs, pointing to genuine usage growth rather than temporary spikes. This strengthens XRP’s fundamental backdrop beyond speculation and legal developments.
Looking ahead, 21Shares believes XRP’s 2026 performance will depend mainly on ETF-driven demand and real-world adoption within Ripple’s ecosystem. Continued ETF inflows and low exchange reserves could further tighten supply, while expanding use of the RLUSD stablecoin and increasing DeFi activity on the XRPL bolster network value.
Based on these dynamics, 21Shares projects a 2026 peak XRP price of $2.45 in its base case, $2.69 in a bullish scenario, and $1.60 in a bearish one.#GoldBreaks$5,500 #GateLiveMiningProgramPublicBeta #FedKeepsRatesUnchanged #SEConTokenizedSecurities #MiddleEastTensionsEscalate $BTC ‌$GT ‌$ETH ‌