ChartNerd has revisited a long-term XRP structure that compares the asset’s current multi-year support pattern with the accumulation cycle that preceded its 2017 expansion. The model focuses on an upward-sloping support line extending from the 2020 period through subsequent lows, with a possible third retest projected around late 2026 or early 2027.
XRP Six-Year Support Pattern XRP’s Previous and Current Cycles Show a Similar Retest Sequence The historical comparison tracks a sequence of formation and three support retests. In the earlier cycle, the chart marks advances of 1,778.81%, 669.43%, 131.90%, and 65,335.52% following different stages.
XRP cycle retest Comparison The newer structure records advances of 1,037.92%, 231.48%, and 694.96% following its first three measured stages.
A final 2,075.45% expansion is projected after a potential third retest. These percentages cover different intervals and do not represent annualized or directly comparable returns.
XRP 2,075% Projection Starts Near $0.95 The projected 2,075.45% move does not begin from XRP’s approximately $1.50 price shown on the chart. Its starting point is near a prospective support area around $0.95.
A 2,075.45% increase equals approximately 21.75 times the starting value, placing the resulting level near $20.67. From the chart’s $1.49708 price marker, reaching $20.67 would instead represent an increase of roughly 1,280%.
Third XRP Support Retest Has Not Occurred Yet The latest candles and the projected third retest represent separate stages. XRP has recently moved above the descending resistance boundary drawn across its latest correction.
However, the model’s third retest is positioned later and lower, near the intersection between descending resistance and the long-term rising support line. The projected expansion extends into 2027–2028, making 2026 primarily the setup period within this model.
XRP Chart Maps $20–$21 as Longer-Term Projected Region The central technical elements remain the rising six-year support structure, the latest descending resistance boundary, and the anticipated third retest.
The chart’s $20–$21 region is the longer-term projected destination following that proposed sequence. It is based on the potential expansion from the lower support area rather than a 2,075% calculation directly from XRP’s current price.
XRP’s current valuation appears small when placed alongside the world’s largest asset markets, according to a recent analysis by Digital Asset Investor, a prominent social media commentator known for tracking developments in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. He drew comparisons between the $92 billion market capitalization of XRP and the vast size of traditional and alternative financial markets.
Market-size comparisons highlight XRP’s scaleIn his latest post, Digital Asset Investor focused on the growing role of tokenization and its potential to reshape global liquidity. He emphasized that the increasing shift of assets onto blockchain networks could influence the demand and market reach of cryptocurrencies like XRP.
He stated, “Mass Tokenization (LIQUIDITY) coming. It doesn’t take a math genius to see what’s going to happen with XRP.” Alongside this message, he shared a graphic designed to put XRP’s place in the broader financial landscape into perspective.
Mass tokenization and increased liquidity are on the horizon. The scale of global markets compared to XRP is clear, said Digital Asset Investor, pointing to the possible impact as tokenization brings more assets to blockchain networks.
The graphic presented by Digital Asset Investor used XRP’s $92 billion market capitalization as a base measure (1x baseline) and offered a broad comparison across key financial sectors. It illustrated that Bitcoin stands at about $1.2 trillion, roughly 13 times XRP’s market cap, while the entire cryptocurrency market holds $2.3 trillion, 25 times the XRP baseline.
Beyond the cryptocurrency space, the scale increases sharply. Physical gold is shown at approximately $17.5 trillion, 190 times XRP’s value. The S&P 500 index holds $48 trillion, and global equities approach $118 trillion, both vastly higher than XRP’s current valuation.
Market CategoryEstimated ValueMultiplier vs. XRPXRP$92 billion1xBitcoin$1.2 trillion13xTotal Crypto$2.3 trillion25xGold$17.5 trillion190xS&P 500$48 trillion522xGlobal Equities$118 trillion1,283xGlobal Debt$318 trillion3,456xGlobal Real Estate$395 trillion4,293xDerivatives$715 trillion7,772xThe analysis culminates with global debt at $318 trillion (3,456 times the XRP baseline), global real estate at $395 trillion (4,293 times the baseline), and derivatives markets estimated at $715 trillion, representing 7,772 times the current value of XRP.
Tokenization viewed as key to XRP growthFor Digital Asset Investor, the potential for mass tokenization forms the foundation of his outlook for XRP. Tokenization refers to the process of transforming real-world assets into blockchain-based tokens, offering new channels for trading, settlement, and ownership transfer in the digital economy.
Mini dictionary: Tokenization, the process of converting ownership rights in real-world assets (such as stocks, real estate, or commodities) into digital tokens on a blockchain network, enabling fractional ownership and more efficient transfer and settlement.
The post argues that if tokenization becomes widespread, XRP could see a surge in demand due to increased liquidity moving onto blockchain networks for traditional assets. However, Digital Asset Investor did not provide a specific price target for XRP or claim that XRP would capture a set percentage of these multi-trillion-dollar markets.
Instead, the analysis highlights the stark gap between XRP’s current valuation and the enormous value present in global assets. The graphic referenced several reputable sources, including the Bank for International Settlements, the World Economic Forum, Savills, S&P Global, and CoinMarketCap, to support its market estimates.
The sheer difference in scale between $92 billion in $XRP and the hundreds of trillions in global assets underscores the potential scope and limitations of market tokenization.
While his post leaves the ultimate outcome open-ended, Digital Asset Investor stressed that expanding tokenization and global liquidity could have a major influence on XRP’s position and relevance within the financial ecosystem.
XRP has finally completed a retest of the symmetrical triangle breakout that occurred during the November 2024 market rally.
After enduring nearly a year of sustained selling pressure, XRP appears to be staging a rebound campaign that may set the stage for the next bull market. Notably, since July 2026, the token has rallied by more than 54%, now looking to hold above $1.60 and leverage this area for the next leg up.
More importantly, this recent upward push appears to have marked the completion of a symmetrical triangle retest that XRP underwent during the bear market that began in August 2025.
XRP’s 7-Year Symmetrical Triangle For context, this symmetrical triangle formed when XRP collapsed from the $3.31 peak in January 2018 and continued to see massive declines for years. The asset attempted to break above the upper trendline during the rally to $1.96 in April 2021, but the resistance at this area capped its upward push.
While the rest of the market rose to new heights during this period, XRP failed to surpass the January 2018 peak of $3.31, drawing criticism from the investing community. Some analysts ascribed this underperformance to the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple, which began in December 2020 and led to sustained pressure on XRP.
Judge Torres delivered her final judgment in August 2024, as she confirmed a year earlier that XRP was not a security in itself. With the legal baggage removed, XRP joined the November 2024 market rally after Donald Trump’s election win. This run allowed it to breach $1, eventually breaking above the symmetrical triangle.
XRP Retests Symmetrical Triangle Breakout XRP Completes Triangle Retest This breakout allowed XRP to surge past the $2 and $3 price levels, soaring to an all-time high of $3.4 by January 2025 before pulling back to retest the $1.60 area. After this retest, XRP rebounded to clinch a new all-time high of $3.6 in July 2025.
However, from that point, bears took control of the market, as XRP’s bear market began in August 2025. By October 2025, the rest of the crypto market fell under selling pressure, and XRP was one of the victims, recording seven monthly declines out of eight by June 2026.
Interestingly, this extensive downward pull resulted in XRP retesting the symmetrical triangle breakout. By August 2026, XRP eventually dropped to $0.98, retesting the upper trendline of the triangle. Since then, the asset has continued to recover, now up more than 63%.
The monthly RSI has recovered as well, currently sitting at 50.97, which shows that XRP is in an uptrend that has not overextended. This allows more room for growth.
Moreover, the DMI confirms that the bullish trend is strong enough to sustain the uptick for now, as the ADX stands at 26.72, while the +DI holds around 22.9, above the -DI at 19.3. Now that the triangle breakout retest is complete, XRP could attempt to push toward new heights after conquering the resistance areas around $2 and $3.
Crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO has updated his macro outlook for XRP, projecting a major decline in the near future. His most recent technical analysis highlights a long-standing descending channel, arguing that the current price structure remains consistent with earlier forecasts.
XRP approaches key resistance at $1.65During his latest assessment, XRP traded around $1.47, marking a daily increase of nearly 7%. EGRAG CRYPTO identified $1.65 as a decisive resistance zone, a price level that has played a critical role since 2018 across several market cycles.
The monthly chart features both the 33-day and 77-day exponential moving averages, with XRP’s price positioned just below these indicators. EGRAG CRYPTO stated, “$1.65 is the key area I’m watching.” He sees this level as a potential trigger point for significant price action, suggesting a test of this boundary could determine whether the next move is bullish or bearish.
“$1.65 is the key area I’m watching. I haven’t changed the arrows, targets, or moving averages. Go back and compare this with my previous macro chart. The structure remains the same.”
Technical patterns and market reaction at $1.65 remain central to the analyst’s scenario, indicating that a clear break above or rejection at this level could shape the medium-term outlook.
Crash scenario dominates short-term outlookEGRAG CRYPTO’s analysis points to a sharp downward move from the $1.65 mark, supported by a prominent green arrow on his chart. This visual element signifies his expectation for a steep correction if XRP fails to break through the established resistance.
A dotted trendline on the chart illustrates an extended period of either decline or sideways price action after the anticipated rejection. EGRAG CRYPTO’s consistency in his structural analysis has been noted by his followers, as he emphasized that the key elements of his setup—including support and resistance levels, arrows, and moving averages—have not changed since previous analyses.
“Call it crazy. Call it impossible. I call it a matter of time. A move of this magnitude could change people’s lives.”
However, the chart is presented in a flipped format, which some observers interpret as a potential bullish signal if XRP reverses at $1.65 and begins a new upward trend, rather than continuing lower.
Ambitious upside targetsIf XRP surpasses $1.65 and avoids a prolonged correction, EGRAG CRYPTO sets successive upside targets at $7.50, $13, and $30. He describes these projections as aggressive but maintains confidence in the overall technical structure that supports them.
The analyst stressed that his approach is rooted in macro chart formations, rather than personal bias or short-term sentiment. EGRAG CRYPTO stated that the structure offers a greater foundation than market noise, and remains firm in his outlook as long as the technical landscape does not fundamentally shift.
Mini dictionary: EGRAG CRYPTO is a pseudonymous cryptocurrency analyst known for long-term technical analysis, chart patterns, and trading insights, with a significant following on X (formerly Twitter).
Previously, XRP faced rejection at levels near $1.65, including a failed breakout attempt during a late August rally. EGRAG CRYPTO invites followers to compare his latest chart to previous updates, underscoring his methodology’s consistency.
Target LevelScenario$1.65Key resistance, possible rejection or launchpad$7.50First bullish target if resistance breaks$13Intermediate bullish target$30Long-term, most ambitious targetThe technical picture, as drawn by EGRAG CRYPTO, positions the $1.65 price level as a defining inflection point for XRP’s next major move. Price action and trader sentiment at this resistance will likely attract high attention across the market.
Trensik has showcased a new application of the XRP Ledger, highlighting a rapid and complex asset swap completed in under 13 seconds. The demonstration involved exchanging a tokenized representation of SpaceX stock for a gold-backed digital asset, even though there was no direct trading pair between the two on the ledger.
Trensik demonstrates atomic routing on XRPLThe transaction featured a swap from wSPCX, a synthetic token mirroring SpaceX stock, to XAUa, a tokenized gold tracker. Despite the absence of a direct pair, Trensik’s routing system constructed a multi-step path across available liquidity pools. The entire process executed atomically, ensuring all operations were completed as a single, indivisible transaction.
wSPCX enables exposure to SpaceX equity within the tokenized asset framework of the XRP Ledger. At the time of the swap, XAUa tracked gold at $4,279.23 per unit. The specific conversion involved 0.01004 wSPCX, valued at $1.49, exchanged for 0.00034805 XAUa, also worth $1.489.
Trensik shared visible confirmation of the swap, with their application interface displaying a “Swap completed” message and a link to the on-chain transaction record. The company stated, “Trensik routing built the path and settled it atomically,” emphasizing the seamless and risk-free execution.
SpaceX stock was swapped to gold in under 13 seconds on the XRP Ledger, using Trensik’s atomic settlement routing, even though there was no direct pair between wSPCX and XAUa.
Mini dictionary: Trensik is an on-chain routing and trading platform that enables complex swaps and bridges across decentralized finance infrastructure, supporting atomic execution of trades.
Atomic settlement: reducing risk in on-chain swapsAtomic settlement is a transaction model where every step of a trade either completes fully or is canceled altogether, preventing any partial settlement. This method removes counterparty risk by ensuring no asset leaves a user’s wallet until the asset being received is confirmed to arrive.
Trensik leveraged this approach to securely connect assets across fragmented liquidity pools, allowing the wSPCX-to-XAUa swap to finalize instantly and in full transparency on the XRP Ledger.
XRP Ledger’s architecture fuels rapid asset routingThe XRP Ledger supports rapid settlement, processing transactions in three to five seconds on average. Unlike networks depending on energy-intensive proof-of-work mechanisms, the XRP Ledger utilizes a consensus protocol that keeps transaction costs low and enables throughput up to 1,500 transactions per second.
A key feature of the XRP Ledger is its built-in decentralized exchange, which allows users to trade a wide range of tokens directly via on-chain order books. This infrastructure enabled Trensik’s router to create a custom path between wSPCX and XAUa despite the lack of a pre-existing liquidity pair.
AssetTypeAmount SwappedUSD ValueLiquidity Pair Exists?wSPCXSynthetic SpaceX token0.01004$1.49NoXAUaTokenized gold0.00034805$1.489NoXRP’s potential as a universal bridge assetXRP was originally designed to serve as a global bridge currency, allowing rapid and cost-effective transfers between different asset classes and currencies. Traditional banking infrastructure can take days and incurs significant fees for cross-border settlements, while XRP can enable such transfers in a matter of seconds with minimal transaction cost.
As more real-world assets—including synthetic equities and tokenized commodities—are issued on the XRP Ledger, XRP’s utility as a settlement layer grows. The Trensik swap demonstrates this principle by connecting two tokenized assets and providing instant finality without reliance on any centralized intermediary.
Settlement that takes seconds with guaranteed finality demonstrates the potential for digital assets to reshape how value is transferred and exchanged globally.
From Bitcoin critic to ledger co-creatorDavid Schwartz (@JoelKatz) is one of three engineers who built the XRP Ledger from the ground up. That shared frustration became the seed of something new.
A career shaped by XRP, and what comes nextSchwartz spent more than a decade at the company he helped create.
The transition has not meant a clean break.
The ledger itself has always been open source.
Sources:
CoinDesk: Ripple CTO David Schwartz to Step Back, Joins Board
XRP Ledger Foundation: XRPL History
Wikipedia: XRP Ledger
Cryptocurrency analyst Gina, known on social media as @Gina_XRP, has drawn attention to what she describes as a striking similarity between XRP’s current price activity and its behavior during the 2024 bull cycle. She pointed to the ongoing price structure, which she said is closely mirroring historical movements, suggesting the potential for significant gains ahead.
Gina focuses on price pattern repetitionGina challenged the expectations of some investors who are waiting for XRP to take over global bank payments. She argued that an overemphasis on utility and fundamentals is misplaced in the current context, insisting instead that the price structure should be the primary focus. In her view, XRP is advancing through a three-phase pattern, and she asserted that the asset is deep in the final stage.
In a recent post, Gina stated, “It’s literally loading up to perform the exact same breakout as the 2024 cycle.” Reflecting on previous cycles, she added that those who hesitated did not benefit from the rally. Her analysis suggests that the accumulation phase is nearing completion, which could signal an impending breakout.
In Gina’s view, the opportunity lies in the technical pattern rather than fundamental adoption. She emphasized, “It’s literally loading up to perform the exact same breakout as the 2024 cycle. The people who hesitated? They made no money at all. Don’t be one of those people.”
The three-phase chart structureExamining the technical pattern, Gina’s analysis identifies three core phases on the XRP chart. The first, known as the capitulation phase, marked the price low in the 2024 bull cycle near $0.45, while the latest cycle established a low around $1. These points are highlighted as major bottoms in her comparative chart study.
Following capitulation, Gina described how XRP entered a prolonged accumulation window. During 2024, the cryptocurrency consolidated within a well-defined range before breaking out. She noted that a similar sideways movement characterizes the current cycle, with the accumulation box positioned in alignment with the previous cycle’s high.
The third phase is referred to as the “bull-trap.” In 2024, XRP surged close to $2.40 before retreating back into the prior range. Gina’s chart indicates a comparable surge has already taken place in the current cycle, labeled as the “Final Bull-Trap.” Historically, this event preceded a substantial breakout.
Mini dictionary: Bull-trap, a temporary price surge that entices traders to buy, followed by a sharp decline that traps those buyers at a loss.
Phase2024 Cycle PriceCurrent Cycle PriceDescriptionCapitulation$0.45$1Major cycle bottomAccumulationSideways rangeSideways rangeConsolidation before breakoutBull-trap$2.40 spikeSimilar spikeSharp rally then pullbackTesting historical breakout levelsAccording to Gina, XRP is currently leaving the accumulation window and approaching a critical inflection point, just as it did in the 2024 cycle before a major breakout. She maintains that, if history repeats, the token could see a price rally surpassing earlier resistance levels.
Gina projects the possibility of another 500% move—a rally of the same magnitude as in 2025—should the technical setup confirm. She concluded that the chart structure appears well positioned for this type of breakout, but price confirmation remains the key factor going forward.
Examining past and present cycles, Gina’s technical analysis points to “the setup being clear,” with only the price trajectory left to determine if a breakout on the scale of previous gains will materialize.
Veteran trader Peter Brandt is standing firm on his long-held skepticism about XRP, even as the token racks up bank partnerships around the world, and his argument comes down to one basic question nobody’s answered yet.
Asked whether growing institutional partnerships have shifted his long-standing view of XRP, veteran trader Peter Brandt didn’t budge. His issue isn’t with XRP’s utility, it’s with a question he says remains unanswered: what happens to XRP’s supply over time.
“What’s the supply of XRP? Will we have expansion of the supply?” Brandt asked. “There’s things we don’t know about XRP.”
Being Useful Isn’t The Same As Being Valuable
Brandt’s argument centers on a distinction he thinks gets lost in XRP discussions: transactional usefulness doesn’t automatically translate into investment value. He compared XRP directly to the US dollar, an asset that’s used constantly for transactions worldwide, yet nobody buys dollars as a speculative investment because it’s transactional. “Just because something is transactional, that doesn’t mean automatically that it must be more valuable,” Brandt said.
He argued that real value only gets established once a market can clearly identify when an asset is overpriced or underpriced, something he says XRP hasn’t demonstrated yet. Bitcoin, in his framing, sidesteps this problem entirely because it isn’t competing as a transactional currency, it’s positioned purely as a store of value. “We don’t have that in Bitcoin because it is not a transactional coin,” he said. “You have to separate those two.”
Bitcoin Isn’t Immune Either
Brandt didn’t spare Bitcoin from long-term uncertainty. He pointed to quantum computing as a genuine future risk, not to individual wallets or exchange-held funds at custodians like Fidelity, Kraken, or Coinbase, but to Bitcoin’s underlying cryptographic architecture itself. “You hack the basic architecture of Bitcoin once with quantum computing, and I want to be short everything in the world on Bitcoin, because it’s going down really hard,” he said.
He also floated the idea of future blockchain systems building transactional layers directly on top of Bitcoin as a store-of-value base, suggesting today’s rigid categories, store of value versus transactional coin versus what he calls “gimmick coins”, may eventually blur as the technology matures.
Story Ends Here
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Pi Network price hovered at $0.0893 on September 25, extending its seven-day gain to 7%. The token rose roughly 2.7% in 24 hours as traders tracked another network upgrade and changes to identity checks.
Bitcoin price traded near $83,600, Ethereum near $2,690, and XRP price around $1.58. The overall crypto market climbed 1.2% to about $2.99 trillion, giving smaller tokens a firmer backdrop.
Protocol 28 Testnet Upgrade Puts October Rollout in Focus Protocol 28 has entered Pi Network’s Testnet following the Mainnet rollout of Protocol 27, according to community upgrade reports. The changes aim to reduce transaction-data delays, support grouped smart-contract upgrades, and improve how applications update stored information. Node operators have been told to upgrade by October 13, ahead of a planned October 16 Mainnet activation.
Those dates remain targets, and successful Testnet checks will matter before the upgrade reaches the live network. The October event concerns a protocol upgrade; Pi’s Mainnet is already operating.
🚀 PI NETWORK PROTOCOL v28 IS NOW ON TESTNET!$Pi’s next protocol upgrade is entering testing, opening the door to further improvements in network performance, scalability and ecosystem capabilities.
🛠️ Testnet first. Mainnet comes next.
The Pi Network continues moving forward.… pic.twitter.com/2zpGKywqiw
— Pi News (@CTNewsApp) September 25, 2026
For PI, a sustained move above $0.090 could put this week’s $0.0945 area back in view. A slip below $0.085 would weaken the recent recovery and return attention to the seven-day low near $0.083. These are nearby trading levels, not assured outcomes of the software release.
KYC Upgrades Unblock More Pi Network Users Pi Network said its latest verification changes cleared a duplicate-account flag affecting more than 417,000 previously blocked users. Those eligible users can resume KYC, although they must still satisfy any remaining checks.
A separate fix is intended to help about 497,000 users unable to claim migrated balances. Pi attributed that problem to insufficient wallet funds for network fees on accounts created through Fast-Track.
It also adjusted video-processing systems and broadened liveness-check access for older phones. Selected users can try palm-print verification, while affected applicants can resubmit missing details. Wider access could support network activity, but it does not establish a direct cause for PI’s price gains.
Could Pi Network Price Reach $0.10 if Momentum Improves? The Pi Coin price stood at $0.08904 on September 25. The Pi Network price had rebounded from a mid-month low near $0.082 but was struggling to hold above $0.090
A sustained four-hour close above $0.090 could bring $0.095 back into view. That level marked an earlier resistance area. If future Pi Coin outlook clears it, the chart’s next marked target is $0.100.
The relative strength index stood at 61. That suggests improving momentum, though the reading remains below the usual overbought threshold.
The MACD line remained slightly below its signal line, with both readings near zero. That gap leaves the rebound without clear momentum confirmation.
PI/USDT 4-hour chart: TradingView If Pi Network price fails to hold $0.090, recent support near $0.087 becomes the first downside level. A break below it could expose $0.085, followed by the mid-month low near $0.082.
Brad Garlinghouse, CEO of Ripple and a prominent figure in the cryptocurrency market, made critical statements about XRP and altcoins.
Speaking at an event, the Ripple CEO made a noteworthy assessment regarding his long-term crypto investment strategy, pointing to the five largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.
Ripple CEO’s Simple Crypto Strategy! Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has proposed a very simple strategy for those looking to invest long-term in the cryptocurrency market. According to Garlinghouse, investors could buy the five largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization and hold them for the next five years.
In evaluating this strategy, Garlinghouse stated that such an approach could yield “great results” for investors.
What are the Top Five Cryptocurrencies? The basket that Garlinghouse refers to consists of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether (USDT), BNB, and XRP, ranked according to their current market capitalization.
One of the notable points on the list is the inclusion of XRP in the top five. While XRP is the token of the Ripple ecosystem, Garlinghouse had previously stated that he did not define himself as an “XRP maximalist.”
Positive Opinion for Solana Too! Solana also held a significant place in Garlinghouse’s assessments. When asked why an investor should prefer XRP over Solana, Garlinghouse stated that he wasn’t trying to convince anyone to choose one over the other.
He even revealed that he himself owns a small amount of Solana and that he has a positive view not only of XRP but also of various cryptocurrencies for different reasons.
However, for various reasons, he stated that he does not see Solana as a direct competitor to XRP and that different crypto projects can be successful simultaneously.
Garlinghouse’s five-year strategy proposal suggests a basket approach consisting of assets with significant market capitalization rather than a single cryptocurrency, but it should be noted that these statements do not constitute investment advice.
Garlinghouse Explains Why He Has Confidence in XRP! Garlinghouse concluded by stating that he is very optimistic about XRP, saying that what truly determines a currency’s value over time is trust, usability, and transaction speed—in other words, how liquid it is.
He argued that the most liquid currencies tend to be the most valuable, stating that he sees liquidity as the primary reason people want to hold an asset.
At this point, Garlinghouse listed “trust, utility, speed, and liquidity” as the factors driving demand for XRP.
*This is not investment advice.
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Bitget announced that its withdrawal recovery plan will be released by 4:00 UTC on September 26 (12:00 Beijing time), and thanked users for their patience. The crypto exchange previously confirmed that approximately $387.5 million worth of assets were transferred to attacker-controlled addresses during the security incident, involving assets including ETH, XRP, USDT, ZEC, USDC, USDT0, XAUt, BNB, AVAX, and TRX. Bitget noted that the incident is now under control, no further unauthorized transfers have been detected, withdrawals remain temporarily suspended, and investigations and asset tracing efforts are still ongoing.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has issued a bombshell statement for XRP holders. He declared that he personally holds Solana tokens and that investors shouldn’t invest their entire portfolio in XRP.
Ripple CEO Ditches The Idea of XRP Maximalism When asked why investors should invest in XRP over Solana, Garlinghouse said he doesn’t try to convince people to invest in Ripple’s token. He proposed, on the contrary, a more expansive concept based on diversification.
“What I honestly tell my close friends is I’m not here to convince you to buy XRP,” Garlinghouse said. He then declared, “What I would tell you is buy the top five and hold them for the next five years and you’re going to do great.”
Then Garlinghouse revealed he is also an investor in SOL, explicitly stating his opposition to being a maximalist.
“I own a little bit of Solana. I’m not one of these people who’s an XRP maximalist,” he said. Gaelinghouse even added that he is “bullish on a bunch of cryptos for a bunch of reasons.”
"I'm not one of these people who's an XRP maximalist, I'm bullish on a bunch of cryptos, for a bunch of reasons"
– Brad Garlinghouse, 2026 pic.twitter.com/kAadHWXb8H
— 🌸Eri ~ Carpe Diem (@sentosumosaba) September 24, 2026
The Ripple CEO also noted that he thinks XRP and Solana will go strong in the long-term. “I think Solana will probably do well. I think XRP is going to do well,” Garlinghouse said.
Garlinghouse Doesn’t Consider Solana As A Competitor The remarks also go against the perception that Solana is a direct competitor to Ripple. Garlinghouse said he “doesn’t consider Solana a competitor” and cited himself as being friendly with the people behind the project.
He also noted that Ripple and XRP face the biggest competition from the other projects, but that he will also “root for Solana for sure.”
In addition, Garlinghouse cited Solana’s meme-coin frenzy as another driver of liquidity to its blockchain.
Meanwhile, he spotlighted a very a simple mantra, which is to hold the top five cryptocurrencies by market cap to for around five years diversify holdings and maximize returns. With this, “you are going to do great,” he said.
As of yet, that top five basket includes Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), BNB and XRP. Hence, it’s safe to say that Garlinghouse has not abandoned Ripple’s native token as it sits in the basket he’s referring to.
Cryptocurrency markets staged a broad rally in the week following the Clarity Act’s failure to advance in the U.S. Senate.
Several major tokens and crypto-linked stocks posted double-digit gains as regulators moved ahead with industry rules despite the legislative setback.
• What’s driving SECZ stock today?
Bitwise Head of Research Ryan Rasmussen highlighted the highest gainer, NEAR Protocol (CRYPTO: NEAR), with an 88.9% jump between Sep. 15 and Sep. 22, while Uniswap (CRYPTO: UNI) spiked 60.5% and Avalanche (CRYPTO: AVAX) rallied 55.5%.
Zcash (CRYPTO: ZEC) gained 46.7%, while Hyperliquid (CRYPTO: HYPE) rose 26.4%. XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) and Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) advanced 22.4% and 22.3%, respectively.
Even the largest cryptocurrencies participated in the rally, with Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) climbing 14.8% and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) gaining 14% over the period.
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Crypto Stocks Also JoinedThe strength wasn’t limited to digital assets.
Securitize Corp. (NYSE:SECZ) surged 63.1%, while Galaxy Digital (NASDAQ:GLXY) gained 21.9% and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) advanced 16.8%.
Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) rose 12.5%, followed by Figure at 11.5% and Circle Internet Group Inc. (NYSE:CRCL) at 9.6%, according to the Bitwise data.
“We’re one week out from the Clarity Act failing,” Rasmussen said in an X post on Sep.25, pointing to subsequent regulatory moves from the SEC and CFTC.
The gains are notable because the Senate’s failure to advance the Clarity Act had been viewed as a potential setback for an industry seeking a comprehensive U.S. market-structure framework.
Instead, markets largely looked through the setback as regulators moved forward under their existing authority.
SEC published its Innovation Exemption, the CFTC sent crypto-related rule proposals to the White House and subsequently updated its guidance on crypto activities.
‘Impressive’ Rally Despite HeadwindsCharles Schwab’s Adam Lynch highlighted the resilience of Bitcoin and Ethereum, which gained roughly 10% over five trading sessions even after the Clarity Act vote and the Fed’s interest-rate hike.
The significant rally lifted the cryptocurrency market valuation above $3 trillion, Lynch said in an interview on Sep.24.
He attributed the broader recovery partly to improving risk appetite following the Treasury’s Aug. 19 announcement of increased buybacks of longer-dated government bonds.
Institutional demand also strengthened. Lynch said roughly $4.6 billion had flowed into spot Bitcoin ETFs since Aug. 19, while year-to-date flows turned positive.
However, the rally has come with additional risk.
Lynch noted that BTC perps open interest has climbed back toward July levels, meaning increased leverage could amplify sharp moves in either direction.
Quick Take 1. The Altcoin Season Index reads 56 out of 100, its highest in months, after climbing from 48 on September 19, but the threshold for a declared altcoin season is 75.
2. Today’s tape fits the pattern: XRP gained 6.59% to $1.5540 and Solana 4.42% to $118.20 against Bitcoin’s 1.58% at $84,558.90.
3. The market flipped out of Bitcoin Season into Neutral on September 2, according to Blockchaincenter’s tracking, and has stayed there for three weeks without reaching altseason.
Altcoin season is the most searched question in crypto right now, and the index built to answer it says no, not yet. The Altcoin Season Index sits at 56 out of 100, well above where it spent the summer and well below the level that would settle the argument.
Total crypto market capitalization stands at $2.89 trillion on $96.34 billion of daily volume. Live data via CoinMarketCap.
What is the Altcoin Season Index? The Altcoin Season Index measures how many of the top 100 cryptocurrencies have outperformed Bitcoin over the previous 90 days, expressed as a score from 0 to 100.
If 75% of those coins beat Bitcoin across that window, the market is in Altcoin Season. If 25% or fewer do, it is Bitcoin Season. Everything between is neutral. Stablecoins such as Tether and asset-backed tokens like wrapped Bitcoin and staked Ether are excluded, because their prices track something else by design.
Methodologies differ slightly between providers. CoinMarketCap uses the top 100; Blockchaincenter uses the top 50 with the same 75 and 25 thresholds. That means the two can print different numbers on the same day, which is worth knowing before quoting either as definitive.
Is it altcoin season right now? No. At 56 the index is in neutral territory, roughly 19 points below the threshold.
The direction is what has changed. The index climbed to 48 on September 19, described then as its highest level in months, and has continued to 56 since. Blockchaincenter’s record shows the last flip occurred on September 2, when the market moved from Bitcoin Season into Neutral, and it has held there for three weeks.
Neutral for three weeks after months of Bitcoin dominance is a meaningful shift. It is not altseason, and the distinction matters because the two produce very different outcomes for anyone positioning around them.
What does today’s market look like underneath? Broad participation with altcoins leading, which is consistent with a rising index.
XRP rose 6.59% to $1.5540 and Solana 4.42% to $118.20, both multiples of Bitcoin’s 1.58%. Ethereum added 2.35% to $2,703.80 and BNB 1.33% to $776.44. The CoinMarketCap 20 Index gained 2.16% to $177.97.
The recent weekly performance tells the story more clearly than a single day. NEAR Protocol has gained roughly 92% in a week, while Arbitrum, Uniswap, Ethena and Zcash have all posted gains above 40% over comparable periods. Bitcoin has spent the same stretch in a relatively narrow range.
This site maintains its own daily breadth record, counting advancing against declining assets, which provides a shorter-term view than the index’s 90-day window:
DateAdvancingDecliningAugust 251684August 26793September 101288September 152771September 178910September 226138 Breadth collapsed through late August and early September, then reversed sharply on September 17 and has stayed broad since. The Altcoin Season Index, working on a 90-day lookback, is still catching up to that change.
Why does the 90-day window matter? Because the index is deliberately slow, and that is a feature rather than a flaw.
A 90-day measurement will not register a two-week rotation. It requires sustained outperformance, which filters out the brief altcoin bounces that occur inside every Bitcoin-led market. The cost is lag: by the time the index confirms altseason, a substantial part of the move has usually happened.
The boundary worth stating: an index at 56 tells you what the last 90 days looked like relative to Bitcoin. It says nothing about the next 90. Traders using it as a forward signal are reading a rear-view mirror.
What would confirm altcoin season? Sustained outperformance by 75% of the top 100 over a rolling 90-day window, which needs Bitcoin to stall while altcoins keep rising.
That combination is not currently present. Bitcoin gained roughly 12% over the past week and reclaimed the $82,225 average cost basis of US spot ETF holders. An asset that is itself rallying makes the outperformance bar harder to clear, which is why the index can rise slowly even during a strong altcoin week.
Bitcoin dominance is the companion metric to watch, tracked live on CoinMarketCap. It has drifted from 59.25% in late August toward the high 58% range, consistent with rotation but not with a decisive break.
Bottom line The Altcoin Season Index reads 56 out of 100, its highest in months and up from 48 on September 19, but altcoin season requires 75 and the market has been in neutral since September 2.
Altcoins are outperforming and the index is rising, which is the honest version of where things stand. Declaring altseason at 56 misstates a measure designed to be slow on purpose. Watch the index cross 75, or watch Bitcoin dominance break down, and until one of those happens this is a rotation rather than a season.
This article is for information only and is not investment advice. Crypto assets are extremely volatile and you can lose your entire stake. Always do your own research.
In brief Bitcoin fell about 0.9% to roughly $83,600 on Friday, retracing part of a rally that pushed it to an intraday high near $87,000, Technical indicators on the charts still read bullish, though the Fed's next move could reshape the outlook. Meanwhile, XRP (+15.45% over seven days) and Solana (+9.33% over seven days) are outperforming the broader crypto market. Bitcoin slipped to around $83,600 on Friday, a pullback of roughly 1% from the prior close, as the week's rally took a breather. The dip follows an intraday high near $87,000—territory Bitcoin hadn't touched in months—after it broke out of the $75,000 to $81,000 range that had capped it for weeks.
The move isn't spooking chart-watching traders, though. Bitcoin's daily setup still reads bullish with the 50-day moving average sitting above the 200-day in a pattern known as a golden cross.
Myriad: How high will Bitcoin go? Click to make your prediction.Some of Friday's softness has a mechanical explanation. $15.6 billion in Bitcoin options expired on Deribit, and dealers often unwind hedges once that flow clears—a routine event that can jolt prices without breaking the underlying trend.
That would help explain why open interest and 24-hour trading volume both fell sharply, down 14.39% and 13.68% respectively. The liquidations came in fairly balanced too: $161.96 million in long positions against $156.1 million in shorts in the last 24 hours, a pattern that looks more like leverage getting reset than a one-sided flush.
Macro tailwinds are still doing some of the work. The Federal Reserve raised rates 25 basis points to a range of 3.75% to 4% on September 16, its first hike since 2023, but kept buying short-term Treasury bills to keep bank reserves flush—a combination that blunted the hawkish optics and kept risk assets bid.
Myriad: What will the Fed do next? Click to make your prediction.But that relief didn't last. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's post-meeting dot plot projected a median rate of just 4.1% through the end of 2027, signaling only one more hike was likely. Fed Governor Michael Barr said on September 23 that "further policy adjustments are likely needed," a comment that landed alongside a report showing core PCE inflation at 3.4%, near a four-year high.
Odds of an October hike have since climbed to roughly 75% on the CME's FedWatch tool and 68.5% on Myriad Markets, a sharp reversal from where they sat right after the September meeting.
Meanwhile, spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in another $299.09 million on friday, a smaller number than the single-day hauls recorded earlier in the week—a sign the initial burst of buying is cooling rather than accelerating.
Total crypto market cap sits at $2.87 trillion, down from the $3 trillion-plus level reached earlier this week. The Fear and Greed Index has eased to 72 from a peak of 79, still solidly in “greed” territory, just less euphoric.
Most of the top 10 cryptocurrencies are following Bitcoin lower over the past 24 hours. Ethereum is roughly flat, BNB is down 0.81%, and Tron and Hyperliquid are both in the red. XRP and Solana are the exceptions.
XRP is up 4.37% over the past day and 15.45% over the week, trading near $1.58, at a $99 billion market cap. XRP ETFs notched a nine-day inflow streak worth $1.6 billion in late August, and inflows have continued since as institutional interest appears to build for the token.
Solana is up 3.36% on the day and 9.33% over seven days, changing hands at around $119.84 and a $70 billion market cap.
The network's Alpenglow upgrade, which cuts transaction finality to roughly 150 milliseconds, already cleared a validator governance vote with overwhelming support, though its mainnet activation date remains tentative. Meanwhile, spot Solana ETFs from Fidelity, Grayscale, and VanEck—which launched back in November 2025—continue to see inflows as the upgrade narrative builds.
The next test for Bitcoin arrives fast. September's Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation data lands September 30, followed by the September jobs report on October 2, both capable of resetting rate expectations heading into the fourth quarter.
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In brief Bitcoin fell about 0.9% to roughly $83,600 on Friday, retracing part of a rally that pushed it to an intraday high near $87,000, Technical indicators on the charts still read bullish, though the Fed's next move could reshape the outlook. Meanwhile, XRP (+15.45% over seven days) and Solana (+9.33% over seven days) are outperforming the broader crypto market. Bitcoin slipped to around $83,600 on Friday, a pullback of roughly 1% from the prior close, as the week's rally took a breather. The dip follows an intraday high near $87,000—territory Bitcoin hadn't touched in months—after it broke out of the $75,000 to $81,000 range that had capped it for weeks.
The move isn't spooking chart-watching traders, though. Bitcoin's daily setup still reads bullish with the 50-day moving average sitting above the 200-day in a pattern known as a golden cross.
Myriad: How high will Bitcoin go? Click to make your prediction.Some of Friday's softness has a mechanical explanation. $15.6 billion in Bitcoin options expired on Deribit, and dealers often unwind hedges once that flow clears—a routine event that can jolt prices without breaking the underlying trend.
That would help explain why open interest and 24-hour trading volume both fell sharply, down 14.39% and 13.68% respectively. The liquidations came in fairly balanced too: $161.96 million in long positions against $156.1 million in shorts in the last 24 hours, a pattern that looks more like leverage getting reset than a one-sided flush.
Macro tailwinds are still doing some of the work. The Federal Reserve raised rates 25 basis points to a range of 3.75% to 4% on September 16, its first hike since 2023, but kept buying short-term Treasury bills to keep bank reserves flush—a combination that blunted the hawkish optics and kept risk assets bid.
Myriad: What will the Fed do next? Click to make your prediction.But that relief didn't last. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's post-meeting dot plot projected a median rate of just 4.1% through the end of 2027, signaling only one more hike was likely. Fed Governor Michael Barr said on September 23 that "further policy adjustments are likely needed," a comment that landed alongside a report showing core PCE inflation at 3.4%, near a four-year high.
Odds of an October hike have since climbed to roughly 75% on the CME's FedWatch tool and 68.5% on Myriad Markets, a sharp reversal from where they sat right after the September meeting.
Meanwhile, spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in another $299.09 million on friday, a smaller number than the single-day hauls recorded earlier in the week—a sign the initial burst of buying is cooling rather than accelerating.
Total crypto market cap sits at $2.87 trillion, down from the $3 trillion-plus level reached earlier this week. The Fear and Greed Index has eased to 72 from a peak of 79, still solidly in “greed” territory, just less euphoric.
Most of the top 10 cryptocurrencies are following Bitcoin lower over the past 24 hours. Ethereum is roughly flat, BNB is down 0.81%, and Tron and Hyperliquid are both in the red. XRP and Solana are the exceptions.
XRP is up 4.37% over the past day and 15.45% over the week, trading near $1.58, at a $99 billion market cap. XRP ETFs notched a nine-day inflow streak worth $1.6 billion in late August, and inflows have continued since as institutional interest appears to build for the token.
Solana is up 3.36% on the day and 9.33% over seven days, changing hands at around $119.84 and a $70 billion market cap.
The network's Alpenglow upgrade, which cuts transaction finality to roughly 150 milliseconds, already cleared a validator governance vote with overwhelming support, though its mainnet activation date remains tentative. Meanwhile, spot Solana ETFs from Fidelity, Grayscale, and VanEck—which launched back in November 2025—continue to see inflows as the upgrade narrative builds.
The next test for Bitcoin arrives fast. September's Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation data lands September 30, followed by the September jobs report on October 2, both capable of resetting rate expectations heading into the fourth quarter.
Daily Debrief NewsletterStart every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.
XRP has seen renewed attention this week following analysis from crypto chartist Steph Is Crypto, who set a clear XRP price target of $2.30 based on technical patterns and current market conditions. At the time of reporting, XRP trades at $1.53, reflecting a 15.7% increase over the past seven days but still sits just below a major resistance zone, keeping the prospect of a breakout in focus for traders.
Technical and Sentiment Signals Point to Growing MomentumData from both short and long-term search trends shows XRP-related Google searches forming higher lows, a structure often interpreted by traders as a shift towards a more bullish sentiment among retail investors. Steph Is Crypto emphasized that this trend is particularly significant given that similar higher lows appear when looking at patterns from the past year, strengthening the argument for an impending move.
According to Steph, the optimism in search behavior aligns with the technical setup developing on the charts and highlights the market’s anticipation for a confirmed breakout.
“One of the most important moments to be in the market.”
Regulatory Uncertainty Remains a Key WildcardRegulatory developments remain a significant unpredictable factor for XRP. Senator Elizabeth Warren has continued to oppose the Clarity Act, a bill seeking to provide clear guidelines for the crypto industry, arguing that it favors digital assets over consumer protections. Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz commented on the motives behind opposition to the bill, particularly Senator Josh Hawley’s “no” vote, suggesting that traditional banking interests might be influencing the regulatory stance.
“This bill should be dead on arrival.”
As long as there is uncertainty surrounding crypto regulation in the US Senate, market forecasts for XRP may be overshadowed by government action or inaction.
XRP Levels and Exchange MetricsOn the exchange front, Binance currently holds 2.62 billion XRP, its largest balance in over two months. While Steph noted this statistic as notable, he cautioned against reading it as strictly bullish or bearish, though historically large exchange holdings can imply increased likelihood of future selling. On the trading chart, $1.42 has emerged as the key resistance level, with XRP temporarily topping $1.43 but failing to secure a daily close above $1.42. This resulted in what Steph described as a failed breakout.
A daily close below the $1.37 support would indicate potential downside towards $1.25 and delay any prospects for a breakout.
XRP LevelSignificance$1.42Main resistance zone$1.37Key support level$1.25Next downside target if support fails$2.30Bullish breakout price targetInverse Head and Shoulders Pattern Sets $2.30 TargetThe bullish scenario highlighted by Steph Is Crypto centers on an inverse head and shoulders formation, with the neckline positioned between $1.48 and $1.55. A daily close above this range would validate the breakout and bring the $2.30 price target into play, calculated by projecting the full height of the pattern above the neckline.
For now, traders are focused on whether XRP can sustain momentum above these resistance levels to initiate the next leg higher.
“Saying the quiet part out loud.”
FXRP Use Cases Expand on Flare NetworkBeyond price action, XRP’s presence in decentralized finance continues to advance through FXRP—its programmable, tokenized version on the Flare network. FXRP recently celebrated its first year, with about 145.2 million tokens minted and 130 million of those currently deployed in DeFi protocols such as staking vaults and Firelight. This adoption enables XRP holders to use their assets for staking, borrowing, and various DeFi activities, expanding utility and market reach compared to the traditional token.
Mini dictionary: FXRP — FXRP is a tokenized version of XRP that operates on the Flare network, enabling smart contract functionality and broader use within decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.
Flare, a blockchain network aiming to bring smart contracts to assets that do not natively support them, described this expanded use as “working capital,” underscoring how programmable tokens like FXRP are being repurposed well beyond simple transfers.
“A year in, XRP is not just programmable on Flare. It is working capital.”
This broadening scope of utility stands apart from the immediate price action but keeps XRP at the forefront of both trading and innovation discussions in the crypto space.
Bitget disclosed a security breach affecting approximately $351.6 million on September 24, 2026.
A subsequent breakdown from Lookonchain identified 102.93 million XRP worth $157.48 million as the largest component of the stolen assets.
CEO Gracy Chen said Bitget detected unauthorized transfers at 18:31 UTC and immediately activated its emergency response protocols. The exchange temporarily suspended withdrawals pending a security review.
XRP Leads the Stolen Asset Breakdown Lookonchain’s asset breakdown listed nine cryptocurrencies and tokens, including XRP, ETH, stablecoins, and tokenized gold:
The itemized total is approximately $5.26 million higher than Bitget’s initial $351.6 million estimate. The initial security notice and asset breakdown did not explain the difference. XRP represents approximately 44.1% of the itemized total.
Attacker Converts Funds Into 67,982 ETH Lookonchain reported that the attacker had swapped most of the stolen assets on Ethereum-compatible networks into 67,982 ETH, valued at approximately $183 million. The conversion figure concerns assets on those networks, rather than establishing that the stolen XRP was exchanged for ETH.
Arkham’s portfolio snapshot grouped 22 addresses under its “Bitget Hacker” label, with combined holdings valued at approximately $188.93 million. Alongside the ETH balance, it listed roughly 5,897 BNB worth $4.58 million and 495.625 wrapped ETH worth $1.33 million. Those figures describe tracked holdings at the snapshot, not an additional loss on top of the original theft.
Bitget Says Protection Fund Covers the Loss In its initial notice, Bitget said the affected amount fell within the coverage of its User Protection Fund, which it valued at more than $464 million.
About the Bitget Protection Fund 🛡️
The Bitget Protection Fund exists for moments like this. It holds 5,500 BTC, approximately $464M at current prices.
All fund wallet addresses are public and can be verified on-chain by anyone, at any time. The fund is designated to protect…
— Bitget (@bitget) September 25, 2026
Chen said customer balances remained protected and deposits and trading continued operating while withdrawals were paused.
The exchange also said it had identified and flagged abnormal transfer addresses, notified law enforcement, and engaged blockchain security firms. It committed to publishing a full incident report, including the cause and corrective measures, within 24 hours.
Bitget CEO Gracy Chen said North Korea was “very likely” behind the $350 million Bitget hack. The attackers breached a backend system and never obtained private keys, she added.
Withdrawals remain suspended after the September 24 breach. DefiLlama data now ranks it as the largest crypto hack of 2026.
Chen Follows a VPN Trail to North KoreaChen addressed the hack during a live Q&A on X after the incident. She pointed to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
“But we’ve identified some IP addresses that match the VPN choices by a certain DPRK group. So we think this is very likely to be attacked by North Korean,” she said.
Chen did not name the group. However, on-chain analyst Specter said the stolen XRP (XRP) was bridged and links directly to AFX Trade exploit funds.
AFX lost about $24 million in July. Specter noted that the attack had been attributed to TraderTraitor, a Lazarus-linked unit. LayerZero tied the KelpDAO bridge exploit to the same unit in April.
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Regarding who is behind the hack:
I present to you THE LAZARUS GROUP.
just linked this hack to the AFX hack, which stole $24M in July and was specifically attributed to TraderTraitor.
The stolen XRP from Bitget was bridged and can be directly linked to the funds stolen in the… https://t.co/3CgWFaXF1i pic.twitter.com/cRPdhhdpjQ
— Specter (@SpecterAnalyst) September 25, 2026 How the Bitget Hack Bypassed Private KeysChen said the hackers never obtained private keys for Bitget’s hot, warm, or cold wallets. They also did not fake user withdrawal requests. Her later post described the method in more detail.
“The attacker compromised a critical backend system within our wallet infrastructure, used it to spoof transaction data, and triggered our authorization process to move funds out,” she explained.
She said losses are contained, and no further unauthorized transfers can occur. Lookonchain’s breakdown shows the attackers took 9 different assets.
XRP made up the largest share, with about 102.9 million tokens worth roughly $157.5 million. Bitget’s confirmed loss is about double the roughly $176 million seen in initial on-chain reports.
The exchange says its User Protection Fund, now above $464 million, covers the full loss.
BITGET HAS A $464M EMERGENCY FUND FOR HACKS
The exchange holds around 5,500 BTC in its Protection Fund, designed to cover users in case of hacks or stolen assets. Bitget launched the fund in 2022 and previously committed to keeping it above $300M.
At the end of August, it held… https://t.co/RmyH9VeseG pic.twitter.com/RNkAEo7jyk
— BeInCrypto (@beincrypto) September 24, 2026 The Biggest Crypto Heist of 2026 Lands at BitgetDefiLlama data ranks the Bitget theft as the largest crypto hack of 2026 so far. It edges out Liquid Network’s $320 million incident in September and the $295 million Drift breach in April.
The tracker logs about $2.2 billion lost across 281 incidents this year. Bitget alone accounts for roughly 16% of that total. The incident also makes September the costliest month of 2026 so far, ahead of April’s roughly $648 million.
North Korean groups drove most of 2026’s early losses. TRM Labs found they accounted for 76% of crypto hack losses through April, mostly via the Drift and Kelp attacks. In 2025, Lazarus carried out the $1.5 billion Bybit hack, the year’s largest.
Chen has promised a full technical report once investigators confirm how the intrusion happened. That report should show whether forensic evidence backs the North Korea attribution.
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The XRP Ledger recorded an unusually sharp jump in new account creation on September 24, with That puts the reading roughly 320% above the baseline,
What Is Behind the Spike? The cause remains unknown. Neither the XRP Ledger Foundation nor any major exchange has offered a public explanation.
Price Context
It is also worth noting that wider network development continues in parallel. Whether the account surge is connected to preparations for that upgrade or to unrelated activity remains to be seen.
Sources:
U.Today: Mysterious Spike on XRP Ledger, 400% Rise in New Accounts
TokenPost: XRP Ledger Records 11,432 New Accounts, 323% Above 30-Day Average
Crypto Economy: XRP Ledger New Accounts Spike 400%, Signaling Mysterious Network Activity Surge
XRP traded near $1.53 on Friday as continued inflows into US spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) supported the token, though this week’s failed breakout left downside risks in play.
ETF inflows provide support for XRPOver the last 24 hours, XRP gained about 2.3% and moved up roughly 17% in the past week, according to CoinGecko. Despite the recent gains, the cryptocurrency stayed below the $1.60 to $1.65 range, which had rejected Wednesday’s rally and marked a key resistance area for bulls.
US spot XRP ETFs attracted a total of $18.04 million on September 23, bringing cumulative net inflows to approximately $1.75 billion. Bitwise led the recent rise with $11.54 million, followed by Franklin Templeton, which contributed $6.50 million across its products in this category.
ETF SponsorLatest InflowTotal Category InflowBitwise$11.54 millionIncluded in $1.75 billionFranklin Templeton$6.50 millionIncluded in $1.75 billionAll US XRP ETFs$18.04 million$1.75 billion**Cumulative figure as of September 23
Bitwise is a financial services firm specializing in cryptocurrency investment products, particularly index funds and ETFs. Franklin Templeton, a global investment management company, is known for providing a wide range of mutual fund and ETF products.
Bitwise research analyst Ryan Rasmussen noted significant interest in XRP among traditional finance representatives. Following a presentation attended by about 400 wealth managers, Rasmussen shared that XRP was “the most asked about throughout the presentation,” highlighting growing attention from institutional channels.
XRP continues to generate substantial interest from wealth managers, suggesting that demand for regulated crypto investment products is expanding beyond the usual crypto-focused investors.
A poll conducted among attendees found 60% expected to allocate funds to crypto within the next year, although this does not ensure immediate capital flows into XRP or other digital assets. Despite ongoing ETF inflows, daily amounts remain relatively small compared with XRP’s broader spot market, which continues to experience periods of heightened volatility.
Technical outlook: Key supports and risksThe latest rally saw XRP briefly test the $1.60–$1.65 band before reversing sharply toward $1.48, reinforcing resistance at those levels. Analysts have shifted attention from bullish targets to assessing near-term downside risks.
Alejandro Arrieche, an analyst at FXEmpire, warned on September 23 that selling pressure had grown after XRP crossed $1.50. Arrieche suggested the possibility of a correction toward $1.43 after the strong rally, though he maintained a positive long-term outlook.
A retreat to around $1.43 remains plausible after such a rapid rally, but longer-term prospects for XRP remain bullish if critical supports hold.
The first significant support zone is set between $1.40 and $1.43. Below that, analyst Ali Martinez has identified the $1.31–$1.35 area as crucial for maintaining the token’s bullish structure. Martinez stated that a clear move above resistance could renew the push toward $1.60, but a drop below those support levels would likely shift the outlook.
Critical level: Why the $1.35 support mattersThe more bearish case hinges on developments below key support points. Analyst Yashu Gola has outlined a potential double-top pattern in the $1.55–$1.60 region, with a neckline near $1.285. A sustained daily close below $1.285, in Gola’s view, would strengthen the bearish scenario and potentially expose XRP to further losses toward the $1 area.
For now, XRP trades comfortably above this neckline, with multiple moving averages clustered between $1.28 and $1.40, offering additional technical support. A move back above $1.60–$1.65 could shift the narrative, undermining arguments for a double top.
If buyers defend the $1.40–$1.43 zone, Friday’s rebound may help XRP consolidate in a healthier pattern. However, any breakdown below that range could trigger a rapid shift in focus to the $1.35 and $1.28–$1.31 areas as new lines of defense.
As ETF inflows continue, XRP’s near-term direction is likely to depend on how it manages these key support and resistance zones in the coming days.
XRP Ledger’s stablecoin market cap rose $67.12 million in a week to $1.159 billion, with Ripple USD accounting for 92.1% of the total.
The XRP Ledger’s tracked stablecoin market capitalization reached approximately $1.159 billion on September 25, increasing by $67.12 million, or 6.15%, over seven days, according to DefiLlama.
XRP Ledger’s tracked stablecoin market capitalization reached approximately $1.159 billion, with RLUSD accounting for about $1.067 billion, or 92.1% of the total. The chart also shows the contrasting 30-day changes across major XRPL stablecoins. Source: DefiLlama | Chart: The Crypto Basic. Ripple’s RLUSD accounted for approximately $1.067 billion, representing 92.1% of the network’s stablecoin market. Its 11.55% monthly growth exceeded the broader market’s 9.8% increase, indicating that the expansion has become more concentrated in Ripple’s dollar-backed token.
RLUSD Expands as USDC Records Monthly Decline The monthly figures show a divergence between RLUSD and several other stablecoins. USDC’s tracked market capitalization on XRPL declined 21.86% over 30 days, leaving approximately $4.62 million on the network.
However, USDC’s shorter-term performance improved. Its market capitalization rose 6.71% over seven days, slightly exceeding RLUSD’s 6.69% weekly increase. That recovery has not erased its monthly contraction.
Other tracked assets also declined over the month. Valtorum USD fell 7.03% to $72.77 million, while EUR CoinVertible dropped 2.37% to $11.37 million. These readings cover their XRPL market capitalizations, not their combined values across all supported networks.
The contrasting movements do not establish that holders exchanged USDC or other stablecoins for RLUSD. Demonstrating such a shift would require transaction-level evidence connecting the reductions with RLUSD purchases or issuance.
Stablecoin Growth Is Separate From XRP Buying RLUSD is designed to maintain a value of one U.S. dollar. Ripple says the token is backed by segregated cash and cash-equivalent reserves and is redeemable one-for-one for dollars. It is issued on multiple networks, including the XRP Ledger and Ethereum, meaning its XRPL balance represents only part of its overall circulation.
Ripple identifies payments, settlements, and treasury flows among RLUSD’s intended applications. XRP serves a different function as the ledger’s native cryptocurrency, with its price determined by the market rather than a dollar peg.
DefiLlama defines chain stablecoin market capitalization as the total value of stablecoins on a network. The measure is distinct from trading volume and the value of assets deposited in decentralized-finance protocols. It records the size of the tracked stablecoin market, rather than how frequently those assets change hands.
Consequently, the weekly increase should not be interpreted as an equivalent amount of XRP purchases or confirmed institutional investment. Establishing either would require identifying the participants and transactions behind the balance changes. The market-capitalization figures alone do not provide that evidence
Key Highlights XRP declined 7.32% in the past day, currently trading around $1.50 with a market capitalization of $94.53 billion. Spot XRP ETFs accumulated $61.87 million during September, bringing cumulative inflows to $1.73 billion. Technical analyst CRYPTOWZRD identifies $1.5300 as critical resistance and $1.4400 as essential support. Total XRP holder addresses increased to 8.15 million, rising from 7.72 million recorded in late March. CFTC Chairman Michael Selig confirms the agency is developing regulatory framework for cryptocurrency markets. XRP experienced a 7.32% decline during the last 24-hour period, with prices hovering near $1.50 as of September 24, 2026. Trading volume for the digital asset reached $7.05 billion, while its market capitalization stands at $94.53 billion.
XRP Price While prices retreated, spot XRP exchange-traded funds continued attracting capital. Market analyst X Finance Bull reported that XRP ETFs secured $61.87 million throughout September, elevating aggregate net inflows to $1.73 billion.
The divergence between declining prices and increasing ETF accumulation has emerged as a recurring theme. Market participants continue building spot ETF positions despite near-term price weakness in the underlying token.
Critical Technical Boundaries for XRP Technical analyst CRYPTOWZRD observed that XRP closed with bearish momentum and remains positioned beneath resistance at $1.5300. He noted that recapturing this threshold could facilitate recovery, whereas continued trading below it may trigger additional volatility.
XRP Daily Technical Outlook:$XRP closed strongly bearish. The intraday chart is trading below $1.5300. Above this resistance will offer a long. Below, we are going to see more sideways volatility. $1.4400 is the support 🧙♂️ pic.twitter.com/d1XIXAMvZb
— CRYPTOWZRD (@cryptoWZRD_) September 24, 2026
CRYPTOWZRD highlighted $1.4400 as the primary support level. Maintaining prices above this zone could enable XRP to find stability, while a breakdown beneath it might invite intensified selling activity.
XRP momentarily touched approximately $1.45 during a wider market correction before purchasing activity elevated it back toward $1.52. The asset registered a 1.39% gain at that measurement point.
The $1.45 to $1.42 band now represents the immediate support area. Should XRP maintain positions above this range, buyers may attempt another challenge of the $1.60 level.
Breaking above $1.60 would establish a pathway toward $1.66, a price point where XRP previously encountered resistance. If $1.42 proves unable to hold, market observers will monitor $1.36 as the subsequent level.
XRP continues trading above its significant moving averages. This positioning indicates the broader uptrend structure remains intact for now.
Address Count Demonstrates Sustained Growth Addresses holding XRP expanded to 8.15 million, advancing from approximately 7.72 million recorded in late March. This represents growth of around 430,000 addresses across a six-month timeframe.
This expansion persisted through periods of both appreciation and depreciation. The data indicates that XRP interest extends beyond momentum traders responding to immediate price movements.
Exchange flow patterns present a more nuanced picture. Approximately 524,000 XRP transferred onto trading venues recently, while roughly 135,000 exited exchanges, resulting in net inflows of about 389,000 XRP.
Assets flowing to exchanges typically signal potential selling pressure. However, this influx remained modest relative to the multi-million XRP surges observed during earlier periods this year.
In the short term… (days to weeks)
I’m expecting $XRP to move into the $2.00–$2.30 range.
Price will likely tap this range and then retrace once again.
I do not expect that retracement to create new lows below $1.00.
Instead, I expect price to establish a higher low while…
— 𓂀 (@PharaohX33) September 23, 2026
Market analyst PharaohX33 provided a near-term perspective via X, projecting XRP will advance into the $2.00 to $2.30 corridor before experiencing a correction. He emphasized his expectation that any subsequent pullback will not establish new lows beneath $1.00, instead forming a higher low before entering sideways consolidation.
PharaohX33 noted that the yearly candlestick pattern shifts bullish above $1.84, suggesting momentum acceleration once XRP surpasses $1.85. He identified the critical challenge as whether XRP can breach the $2.20 zone in upcoming weeks.
On regulatory developments, CFTC Chairman Michael Selig stated the commission is leveraging existing authority to establish market infrastructure for cryptocurrency assets. He confirmed the CFTC is actively developing comprehensive guidelines for the digital asset sector.
Selig’s statements carry implications for cryptocurrency exchanges and digital asset companies conducting operations in the United States. XRP ETF inflows have accumulated to $1.73 billion year-to-date, as the token trades near $1.50 with resistance positioned at $1.5300 and support established at $1.4400.
Unlabeled Wallet Holds 1,801,172,630 (1.801 Billion) XRP, Ranks Among Top 10 Accounts.
An XRP Ledger wallet holding approximately 1.801 billion XRP ranks eighth in a September 24 rich-list snapshot published by XRP Tools using XRPSCAN data. It is the only address in that top ten without a named exchange or corporate label.
An unlabeled XRP Ledger wallet holds approximately 1.801 billion XRP, ranking eighth in the September 24, 2026 rich-list snapshot. The balance represents about 1.80% of XRP’s 100 billion maximum supply, placing the address between Bithumb and Binance in the ranking. Source: XRP Tools/XRPSCAN and Bithomp | Chart: The Crypto Basic. The address, rJ9Ey7HbscSECamgDRzvw5wrVbFUgaUDt7, has a recorded balance of 1,801,172,630 XRP on Bithomp. That holding represents approximately 1.8% of XRP’s 100 billion maximum supply.
However, the absence of an ownership label does not establish that the wallet belongs to an individual. Bithomp’s account profile does not identify a named owner, leaving its classification as a personal, corporate, or custodial account unconfirmed.
Wallet Sits Between Bithumb and Binance Addresses The September 24 snapshot places a Bithumb-labeled address seventh, with approximately 1.815 billion XRP, immediately above the unlabeled wallet. A Binance-labeled account follows in ninth position with approximately 1.578 billion XRP, while an Upbit address ranks tenth with 1.381 billion XRP.
The first six positions belong to Ripple-labeled accounts, each listed with approximately 5 billion XRP. Consequently, the top ten consist of six Ripple accounts, three exchange-labeled addresses, and one unlabeled wallet—not nine exchange accounts and a confirmed individual holder.
Account Was Activated With 10 XRP Bithomp records show that the wallet was activated on December 1, 2024, through a payment of 10 XRP from the address beginning rLD5k3 and ending HjRViQ. The activation transaction was confirmed in ledger 92,485,979.
The same funding address subsequently sent 35.2 million XRP to the wallet on April 20, 2026. Transaction metadata records the recipient’s balance increasing from approximately 994.3 million XRP to 1.0295 billion XRP following that payment. The transaction carried a network fee of 0.000015 XRP.
These records establish the funding relationship between the addresses, but not a shared owner. XRP Ledger documentation specifies that funding an account does not confer control over it. It also notes that exchanges can hold customers’ XRP in shared accounts, meaning address-level balances should not automatically be interpreted as one person’s holdings.
Crypto analyst Austin Hilton announced a significant change in his approach to investing in XRP and Bitcoin, shifting his focus away from traditional buy-and-hold methods to automated trading strategies driven by artificial intelligence.
Hilton, known for his commentary in the digital asset sector, stated that he will no longer make direct purchases of XRP and Bitcoin for the foreseeable future. Instead, he plans to allocate new capital to trading bots that can adapt to changing market conditions without requiring his constant oversight.
He explained that these AI-powered systems can automatically execute buy or sell orders and manage both long and short positions in real time. Hilton emphasized that this approach is aimed at minimizing the emotional reactions that often hinder individual investors, especially during high volatility or sudden market corrections.
According to Hilton, many traders suffer losses because they act impulsively during downturns or miss opportunities when they are not actively monitoring the market. Switching to automation, he hopes, will help him avoid such pitfalls.
Hilton highlighted that he still holds his existing XRP and Bitcoin investments, clarifying, “I’m not selling what I own. I’m just changing how I deploy new capital going forward.”
Mini dictionary: Austin Hilton is a cryptocurrency market commentator and content creator, well-known for sharing personal analyses and investment strategies with followers online.
XRP remains core to Hilton’s strategyDespite changing his purchasing strategy, Hilton confirmed he will continue to hold all of his current XRP and Bitcoin. He has no plans to sell these holdings, which he views as potential long-term assets. However, he said he will not be buying additional XRP directly or maintaining it through both bull and bear markets as he did previously.
Hilton said he and the executive team of the trading platform developed four distinct automated strategies. His primary crypto trading strategy now covers nine assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB, Pepe, Injective, XRP, and Chainlink.
He noted that this diversified automated approach is designed to capitalize on market swings, as the trading bots can take positions both for and against the market as conditions shift.
ApproachAssets includedReported Back-Tested ReturnAutomated Multi-Asset StrategyBTC, ETH, SOL, BNB, PEPE, INJ, XRP, LINK, 2 more207%BTC Buy-and-HoldBTC30%Hilton shared results from historical back-testing for these strategies, reporting that his primary strategy achieved a return above 207% over the tested period, compared to Bitcoin’s 30% return from simply holding. He cautioned that these results are based on past data and do not guarantee future performance.
While detailing the automated strategy’s performance, Hilton reminded viewers that returns are never guaranteed and urged caution, emphasizing the historical nature of the figures.
Leverage and capital managementHilton revealed he already committed $10,000 to the automated strategies and plans to increase this figure. One reason for his transition is to have his money actively working in the market, rather than passively held in spot positions.
The trading platform used by Hilton offers up to 3X leverage, though he personally prefers lower leverage settings to reduce risk. He specifically warned against using high multiples, such as 5X, 10X, or 20X, stating that such leverage amplifies losses during sharp market movements.
Hilton clarified that this change impacts only how he manages new funds. He remains invested in his original XRP and Bitcoin holdings but now relies on AI-driven automated strategies for new investments rather than traditional buying and holding.
Crypto exchange Bitget suffered what may be the largest exchange hack of 2026, with
$XRP Tops the Asset Breakdown The XRP holdings remain largely on the XRP Ledger, in contrast to other stolen assets.
How the Attack Worked and What Comes Next
Sources:
CoinDesk: Bitget's $351 Million Hack Happened Via Spoofed Transfers, Not Private Keys
The Crypto Basic: XRP Tops List of Crypto Assets Taken in Bitget Hack
Bloomberg: Bitget Says $351 Million Affected in Breach, Halts Withdrawals
Ripple (XRP) price is rising today, September 25, despite an increase in selling pressure across multiple exchanges. The gains, however, coincide with rising inflows to XRP ETFs.
Meanwhile, XRP price remains above resistance at the 200-day EMA, suggesting that the long-term trend is still favoring bulls.
XRP value today is up by 2% to trade at $1.52 at the time of writing.
XRP’s Taker Buy/Sell Ratio Drops on Surging Selling Pressure Data from CryptoQuant shows that the XRP Taker Buy/Sell reading has dropped below 1, suggesting that the selling pressure around XRP is increasing.
This reading has dropped to 0.94 on Binance, suggesting that the volume of sell-side orders surpassed the volume of buy-side orders. CryptoQuant analyst Arab Chain says that the drop to 0.94 suggests that there are more futures traders selling and not buying.
OKX has seen the lowest reading of 0.79, while on Bybit, the taker buy/sell reading stands at 1, suggesting that there are equal buy-side and sell-side orders.
XRP Taker Buy/Sell Ratio (Source: CryptoQuant) This selling pressure may increase after North Korean hackers stole $157 million worth of XRP from the Bitget exchange.
ETF Inflows Persist Despite Weakening Futures Demand Data from SoSoValue shows that there have been three straight days of inflows to XRP ETFs. The inflows to these products have reached $52.95 million, and they are on track to have their best week since the week ending August 28.
The ETF inflows come as adoption from institutions continues to grow. In a recent filing with the SEC, Envestnet Asset Management that manages $6.5 trillion in assets under management disclosed that it holds XRP.
In the amended 13F filing, Envestnet revealed that it purchased 186,346 shares of the Bitwise XRP ETF that were worth $2.17 million as of June 30.
An earlier report by CoinGape also revealed that Goldman Sachs is currently the biggest holder of XRP ETFs with $86 million in total positions.
XRP Price Creates a Bull Pennant on the One-Hour Chart The one-hour chart for XRP price shows that the price has created a bull pennant pattern that usually suggests that the trend is about to shift from a bearish one to a bullish one.
XRP is also testing the resistance at the upper trendline of the pennant. If it closes above this resistance, the price might gain by 5.95% to reach $1.63.
Still, this bullish sentiment could become invalid if the XRP price moves below the support of the pennant pattern. This drop could push the price to the support at $1.52.
XRP Price Chart (Source: TradingView) The RSI on the one-hour chart has also risen to 56. This rise suggests that the momentum is favoring bulls. The RSI line has also moved above the signal line to suggest that bulls are tightening their grip.
However, the CMF reading of -0.03 suggests that the selling pressure is outweighing the buying pressure. If this selling pressure remains high, XRP price might move to test the support at $1.45.
XRP has risen 15.92% over the past week to $1.54, putting the token back against the 1.55–1.60 resistance zone as ETF demand and whale accumulation remain active.
Summary
XRP has gained 15.92% weekly while buyers continue testing resistance between $1.55 and $1.60. U.S. spot XRP ETFs added $14.89 million, lifting cumulative net inflows to $1.76 billion overall. Large XRP holders accumulated 1.54 billion tokens during 96 hours, according to Santiment data recently. RSI stands at 62.77, favoring buyers without entering conventional overbought territory above 70 yet. EGRAG says reclaiming $1.55 could strengthen momentum, while failure keeps 1.40–1.41 support in focus nearby. CoinGecko shows XRP trading near $1.54 after moving between roughly $1.45 and $1.55 during the past 24 hours. The rebound follows a volatile week that saw XRP reach $1.65 on September 23 before sellers pushed it back toward $1.48.
The recovery has restored positive momentum without producing a confirmed breakout. XRP’s 14-day Relative Strength Index stands at 62.77, above its signal average near 56.24 but below the conventional overbought threshold of 70. The Aroon Oscillator sits at +50, showing that recent highs are occurring more recently than recent lows.
Can XRP price finally break through $1.60? The 1.55–1.60 region remains the immediate test because XRP has repeatedly struggled to hold above it. On September 23, the token reached $1.6581 before retreating toward $1.51, according to recent XRP price analysis from crypto.news. A sustained move through $1.60 would put the recent 1.65–1.66 high back in play.
EGRAG Crypto sees the current hesitation as a compression phase. The analyst wrote that XRP’s 21-day, 50-day and 100-day exponential moving averages are converging with a macro trendline near price. He described XRP as being “squeezed,” though his much higher long-term targets of $12, $15 and $27 remain speculative and require moves far beyond current resistance.
#XRP – WHY ARE WE STAGNANT? 🚧
Simple: RESISTANCE + COMPRESSION.
Look at the white circle:
⚡ 21 EMA
⚡ 50 EMA
⚡ 100 EMA
⚡ Macro trendline
👉They’re all converging around PRICE.
👉This isn’t XRP doing “nothing.”
👉This is XRP being SQUEEZED.
And here’s the good part:
💡As… pic.twitter.com/LL7rtu01zM
— EGRAG CRYPTO (@egragcrypto) September 24, 2026 His shorter-term setup places more weight on $1.55. A strong recovery through that level after a retest of 1.40–1.41 would support his bullish continuation scenario. If XRP cannot reclaim $1.55, EGRAG sees the middle of a falling channel near $1.22 becoming more relevant.
Current momentum data lean toward buyers. RSI at 65 remains comfortably above 50, while the +50 Aroon Oscillator supports the recent upward trend without showing extreme dominance.
XRP price chart, source: TradingView The next confirmation would need to come from price. Crypto.news previously identified the $1.60 barrier after XRP’s September 23 rejection, with roughly $1.70 representing the next visible resistance area if buyers establish support above $1.60.
Whales bought the dip while XRP recovered Large-holder accumulation has accompanied the rebound. Santiment data shared by analyst Ali Martinez showed wallets in the tracked whale cohort accumulating roughly 1.54 billion XRP within 96 hours, worth approximately $2.2 billion at prices during the accumulation period.
The tracked holdings increased from roughly 8.27 billion XRP to 9.81 billion XRP. The buying began while XRP traded near $1.40 following the market reaction to the failed CLARITY Act vote.
Wallet data cannot identify every beneficial owner because exchanges, custodians and institutions may control multiple addresses. The 1.54 billion XRP figure therefore measures balances within the monitored wallet cohort, not confirmed purchases by a known group of individual investors.
Price nevertheless strengthened after the accumulation period. XRP moved from roughly $1.41 on September 20 to $1.53 the following day before eventually testing above $1.65, historical market data show.
EGRAG’s RSI roadmap gives another way to measure whether momentum can continue. He wants RSI to cross its moving average above 53, retest that region and hold it before targeting stronger momentum readings toward 80.
#XRP – THE RSI ROADMAP IS DRAWING ITSELF :
This chart is actually very illustrative when you look at the historical behavior.
The previous RSI expansion went far more parabolic than I expected, reaching extreme momentum territory. Now RSI has completed a major reset and is… pic.twitter.com/woZpBK2l3H
— EGRAG CRYPTO (@egragcrypto) September 25, 2026 His downside alternative places 47 as the next momentum level if RSI fails to hold above 53. The current RSI reading of 62.77 already sits above that gateway, but maintaining it through another price test would be required for his “preferred bullish roadmap” to remain intact.
XRP ETF demand keeps building below resistance U.S. spot XRP ETFs have continued attracting new money while XRP trades below $1.60. SoSoValue data reported for September 24 showed $14.89 million in daily net inflows, taking cumulative net inflows to approximately $1.76 billion. Bitwise led the session with $9.91 million, while Franklin Templeton added $4.98 million.
The previous session brought another $18.04 million. Bitwise received $11.54 million on September 23 and Franklin’s XRPZ drew $6.50 million, pushing cumulative inflows at that point to approximately $1.748 billion.
Fund demand has not removed XRP’s price volatility. September 23 offers the clearest example: XRP ETFs absorbed fresh capital while spot XRP fell sharply after failing to sustain its move above $1.60.
As crypto.news reported when Bitwise’s XRP ETF passed $500 million, regulated fund demand has continued through multiple XRP corrections. Seven U.S. spot XRP funds had already attracted roughly $1.57 billion by late August.
Institutional exposure is extending beyond dedicated XRP products. A September 9 SEC filing for the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF showed XRP carrying a 9.15% weight in the fund’s benchmark as of August 31. Bitcoin represented 39.54%, Ethereum 18.86% and BNB 9.29%.
The filing lists XRP among the fund’s eligible assets. T. Rowe Price had already launched the actively managed crypto product earlier in 2026, so the filing represents an updated allocation disclosure, not a pending request for permission to begin holding XRP.
The Cyber Hornet S&P 500 and XRP 75/25 Strategy ETF is likewise already operating. Its SEC prospectus states that the product targets approximately 75% exposure to S&P 500 stocks and 25% to XRP through direct holdings, futures and XRP-linked exchange-traded products. The fund commenced operations on January 30, 2026.
Ripple’s institutional push continues behind XRP’s rally Ripple has continued building institutional connections separately from XRP’s short-term trading setup. At the Middle East Stablecoin Forum in Dubai on September 17, Ripple Middle East and Africa Managing Director Reece Merrick joined representatives from BlackRock, HSBC, Mashreq and other financial firms for a discussion covering stablecoins, tokenized deposits and tokenized money-market funds.
MESA’s published event material listed BlackRock Managing Director Tony Ashraf, HSBC executive Finali Fernando and Merrick on the same “Digital Money and Tokenised Assets 2030” panel. The event documentation establishes their participation but does not show that BlackRock or HSBC entered a new commercial partnership with Ripple.
RLUSD formed part of Ripple’s discussion of institutional settlement. Merrick described stablecoins as an always-on layer for moving value between institutions and said Ripple built RLUSD “not to replace bank money, but to let it travel.” His statement describes Ripple’s intended use case, not evidence that banks represented at the conference have adopted RLUSD.
Ripple’s stablecoin had already crossed $2.3 billion in market capitalization earlier in September. Crypto.news reported that RLUSD reached $2.32 billion while XRP remained far below its 2025 cycle high, showing that growth in Ripple’s stablecoin business has not consistently translated into matching XRP price performance.
In the UAE, Ripple holds a separate regulatory foundation for its institutional products. The Dubai Financial Services Authority approved RLUSD as a recognized crypto token in June 2025, allowing DFSA-licensed firms inside the Dubai International Financial Centre to use it for permitted virtual-asset services. Ripple had received its own DFSA license for regulated blockchain payment services three months earlier.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
Crypto Crew University, a popular YouTuber, says XRP is getting ready for another major price move.
In a recent video, he said XRP’s current monthly RSI pattern looks similar to patterns that appeared before major price increases in 2017 and 2021.
He uses a custom indicator to identify what he considers a key buying zone. According to him, XRP reached the lower part of this zone in October 2025 and again in August 2026.
He also pointed to similar patterns in earlier market cycles, including periods when XRP traded around $0.04 and $0.004, as well as in December 2013.
XRP RSI Pattern May Signal Another Move The main signal Crypto Crew University is watching is XRP’s RSI, an indicator that tracks momentum. He says XRP’s monthly RSI recently dropped below its moving average, creating what he calls a “pocket.” He says a similar pattern appeared in 2018 and 2022.
Instead of buying immediately, he is waiting for the RSI to move back above the moving average. He says this crossover could be the signal to enter XRP.
As an example, he points to June 2020, when XRP was trading around $0.18 and the RSI crossed back above the moving average. XRP later rose to nearly $2, according to his analysis.
He also points to another example in which XRP was trading around $0.37 before eventually rising to about $3.30.
Crypto Crew University’s XRP Chart showing Historical RSI conditions. The Setup Is Repeating Crypto Crew University believes XRP is showing a pattern similar to those seen in past market cycles. He says that in 2025, XRP’s RSI reached its highest level since 2017 before XRP hit a market peak of $3.66 in July 2025.
The RSI then fell below its moving average, creating the “pocket” he is watching now. Notably, the decline coincided with XRP’s price drop from around $3.60 to below $1 in the following months.
Now, the analyst says his next signal is for the RSI to move back above the moving average for another price explosion. However, past patterns do not guarantee that XRP will repeat the same performance. Market conditions change from one cycle to another.
At press time, XRP is trading at $1.53, up 2.2% over the past day and 15.74% over the past week. The coin moved from $1.2468 this week to reach $1.6582 before slightly retracing. In August, XRP also moved from $0.978 to $1.70 before retracing. These swift surges and pullbacks are giving bulls confidence in a higher price outlook.
XRP’s $2.7B Liquidation Zone Problem Meanwhile, XRP is facing a major liquidity test, with $2.7 billion in liquidation leverage concentrated around $0.98–$1.00, according to CoinGlass. At the same time, significant liquidity is present around $1.80 and $2.00, leaving XRP between major liquidity zones on both sides.
The data suggests the possibility of a fall below $1 and a rise toward $2, although the $1 liquidity zone is significantly stronger. However, analyst ChartNerd stressed that liquidity at $1 does not guarantee a move to that level.
ChartNerd expects a major price move once XRP breaks out of its current range, describing the setup as a possible “liquidity hunt.”
The XRP Ledger new accounts count hit 11,432 on September 24, 2026, more than three times the 30-day average of roughly 2,700–3,000 activations.
The spike landed as XRP climbed from $1.40 to $1.60, drawing immediate attention from traders and on-chain analysts watching the network.
What the 11,432 Print Actually Means On XRPL, an address does not become an account until it receives enough XRP to meet the reserve requirement and creates an AccountRoot entry. That distinction matters for investors.
Exchange batch funding, custody migrations, airdrop farming, and speculative wallet splitting can all produce the same chart.
The XRP Ledger new accounts figure, sourced to XRPScan, is real. What is still unclear is who funded them and why.
The timing is hard to ignore. XRP hit $1.60 on $7.4B in volume while CME leveraged funds cut 46.3 million XRP in net shorts, a sign that institutional positioning shifted sharply.
Separately, XRP call options traded at a steep premium, with the one-week 25-delta skew reaching 9.3 volatility points. That is a crowded, leverage-heavy tape, and a spike in on-chain account creation landed right in the middle of it.
Context helps frame the print. XRP whale activity and daily transactions had already been elevated earlier in September, with active accounts peaking at 17,222 on September 4.
Santiment separately counted 3,647 new wallets around the $1.60 breakout, plus 1,917 whale transactions above $100,000. That combination suggests at least some of the new wallets belong to larger players, not just retail.
Still, a prior Bitquery analysis showed that 793 accounts drove 93.2% of XRPL transactions, a figure Ripple co-founder David Schwartz pushed back on but did not fully dispute.
Protocol Catalysts Could Explain the Rush Several XRPL upgrades are converging this week. Batch V1.1, which enables atomic settlement, is approaching its activation window around September 29.
PermissionDelegationV1_1 follows around October 5. Both features make multi-account treasury management and compliance workflows easier for institutions, and both can drive operators to spin up many new addresses at once.
The XRP Ledger new accounts spike may, in part, reflect that kind of infrastructure prep.
The broader XRPL stack is also getting denser. XRP Ledger version 3.4.0 launched lending protocol amendments alongside peer-protection upgrades.
Native lending proposals XLS-65 and XLS-66 entered validator voting, amendments that would let participants lend directly on-chain.
Meanwhile, Binance launched an $800,000 XRP rewards program for RLUSD holders starting September 25, which could independently drive new wallet creation.
Institutional rails are expanding at the same time. ECB Pontes went live on September 21, with one day-one operator running on XRPL-derived infrastructure.
However, XRP ETF inflows have already crossed $1.7B, and 21Shares has flagged that institutions can use XRPL rails without holding the token.
The real test is whether these new XRP Ledger new accounts stay funded and interact with lending, RLUSD, or Batch once those features go live, or quietly go dormant.
Ripple has introduced the XRPL AI Starter Kit, aiming to facilitate payments between autonomous software agents using x402 payment protocols. This solution allows transactions to be conducted in either XRP, Ripple’s digital asset, or RLUSD, its new stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. The move addresses growing demand for seamless, automated financial interactions as machine-to-machine payments evolve into practical tools beyond initial trials.
Stablecoin RLUSD offers fixed-price certainty for AI agentsAI agents are increasingly making frequent, small purchases, such as spending $0.10 per inference thousands of times each day. For these microtransactions, stable pricing is essential to both buyers and sellers. RLUSD, designed to maintain a one-to-one peg with the US dollar and backed by cash reserves, offers the predictability needed for invoicing, subscriptions, and API payments.
Ripple maintains that RLUSD’s backing by cash and equivalents ensures price stability, allowing AI agents and developers to transact without worrying about value fluctuations typically associated with cryptocurrencies like XRP.
The XRPL documentation demonstrates this distinction, highlighting XRP as the simplest native on-chain payment method, while RLUSD is used for transactions requiring a dollar-denominated value. Both assets settle over XRPL, but serve different transactional needs.
Recent documentation distinguishes XRP payments as the straightforward native method on XRPL, whereas RLUSD is labeled for dollar-based transactions. Both benefit from deterministic settlement on the same network.
Growth in machine-to-machine commerce through AI payments could drive increased XRPL activity. Ripple emphasizes that RLUSD enables these transactions without exposing users to the risk of XRP price volatility.
XRP’s role as XRPL’s native asset remains significantWhile RLUSD meets stable-value needs, XRP’s utility within XRPL is not diminished. XRP is the protocol’s native asset, streamlining direct value transfers across the ledger. RLUSD, in contrast, is an issued token representing a stable digital dollar.
One key feature of XRPL is its support for cross-currency transactions. This allows an agent to send value in XRP, with the recipient receiving RLUSD—or vice versa—utilizing the network’s built-in exchange functions.
This flexibility enables two autonomous agents to transact without having to agree on holding the same asset. For example, a service provider preferring RLUSD can still receive payments from clients holding only XRP. XRPL documentation highlights direct XRP payments as the quickest and most straightforward settlement path for such transactions.
The infrastructure supporting machine payments is expanding. The community-led XRPL AI Hub has indexed more than 7.25 million agent-payment transactions, and records average daily activity of roughly 181,000 payments. These figures reflect organic engagement with the emerging agent-payment ecosystem and signal increasing relevance for both assets in automated commerce.
Mini dictionary: XRPL AI Hub, a community-driven platform tracking and analyzing autonomous agent payments and activity on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), offers real-time insights into trends in automated digital transactions.
AssetTypeMain Use CaseSettlement NetworkValue PegXRPNative digital assetDirect on-chain payments, value transferXRPLMarket-drivenRLUSDStablecoin (issued)Stable, dollar-denominated paymentsXRPLPegged to $1
XRP continued its upward momentum, trading near $1.54 after climbing 16% over the previous seven days and gaining 4% in the last 24 hours. The renewed rally has driven XRP back to the $1.57 to $1.60 resistance range, which previously halted the token’s last breakout drive.
CME futures show divergence in sentimentWhile XRP spot prices moved higher, the latest Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) settlement data revealed a different mood in the derivatives market. CME’s September XRP futures contract recently settled at around $1.505, down 5.32% on the session, after previously reaching an intraday high of $1.6595.
These two figures cover separate timeframes—spot XRP’s increase reflects a weekly gain, while the CME decline marks a daily contract movement. As a result, market participants cautioned against directly comparing the performance numbers. Even so, the reversal in futures underscores that institutional traders and speculators have not tracked XRP’s spot rally in a linear fashion.
CFTF data showed leveraged funds holding 1,585 long and 2,304 short CME XRP futures contracts as of September 15. With each contract representing 50,000 XRP, this left the group net short by roughly 35.95 million XRP, a sharp reduction from 82.25 million XRP the previous week, signaling a significant short squeeze as XRP surged above $1.60.
Major short positions unwind, but buyers’ strength uncertainThe recent pullback on futures contracts arrived just after a notable shift in market positioning. According to CFTC figures from September 15, leveraged funds reduced their net short exposure by nearly 46.3 million XRP in one week. This contraction supported the rapid price spike as shorts closed out their stakes and prices jumped past the $1.60 threshold.
The fallout leaves XRP at a potential turning point. With many shorts already forced to unwound positions, the focus now shifts to whether new buyers can sustain demand or if the momentum was primarily driven by the squeeze.
Key technical levels: $1.50 support and $1.60 resistanceThe token’s immediate technical outlook centers on familiar levels. Bulls must defend the $1.50 region, while the $1.57 to $1.60 area remains a crucial resistance zone. This band previously marked the boundary where XRP’s last upward attempt faltered, making its significance pivotal for further upside attempts.
Earlier technical analyses also highlighted $1.60 as the neckline of a bullish pattern, with some forecasts forecasting a potential rise toward $2 if XRP manages to clear this barrier. However, this bullish scenario is contingent on XRP maintaining momentum above the resistance point.
A clear breakout above $1.60 would suggest that the move is transitioning from a short-covering phase into a broader bullish trend, while failure to hold the $1.50 support may indicate that the recent rally has outpaced investor demand, potentially opening the door to a move back toward $1.40.
Spotting these critical price movements is vital, especially in fast-changing crypto segments. In the meme token space, trends can swiftly generate outsized market activity. For example, Fomo App data highlighted a recent trade in “Niu Lai” that transformed a $99 stake into about $370,000, underlining the importance of tracking both the timing and selection of tokens. Fomo App integrates social feeds, investor rankings, and trade notifications, allowing users to follow meme token trends and investor actions in real time.
In this context, observing resistance and support levels, as well as investor flows and meme token surges, remains critical for traders looking to gauge upcoming momentum shifts across crypto markets.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
US-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Expectations; Oil Prices Fall But Supply Risks Remain
Oil prices fell on Friday as markets weighed the likelihood of a US-Iran ceasefire while also worrying that escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia could disrupt supplies from the key Middle Eastern oil producer. The market had endured a week of sharp volatility before this. According to sources close to the discussions, US and Iranian negotiators, who held talks in New York this week, have explored a phased path to end the conflict, including Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and Washington lifting economic sanctions on Iran. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that when the war ends still depends on the US’s decision. However, Reuters’ vessel traffic data shows that the physical supply situation remains fragile. Only 10 commodity vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, up from 7 the day before, but still well below the average of around 17 vessels per day over the past 10 days. Positive news on diplomatic progress could help erode some of the geopolitical premium priced into oil, but shipping data indicates that any meaningful normalization is still a long way off.
6 minutes ago
Payment Processor Vulnerability Causes Mass NFT Theft; Yuga Labs' White Hat Team Rescues NFTs Worth Over $5.7 Million
Yuga Labs’ Vice President of Blockchain, Quit, released a statement saying that at 9 a.m. ET today, attackers exploited a vulnerability in Payment Processor V2 to steal 10 Meebits, 50 Otherdeeds, 10 WoW, and 235 Desperate Apewives. The incident was reported to the team more than 12 hours later, and a subsequent investigation revealed that a large number of NFTs faced similar risks. Quit noted that after contacting the LimitBreak team, the latter swiftly suspended the similarly affected Payment Processor V3. However, V2 could not be paused, and V3 on ApeChain was also temporarily un-suspendable. As a result, the team launched a white hat operation, transferring and securing a total of 23,155 NFTs valued at over $5.7 million. The team later discovered the same vulnerability could also be abused to steal WETH, with approximately 660 WETH at risk that could not be recovered in time. All rescued NFTs have now been moved to secure addresses; holders will be able to claim their assets after revoking authorizations for the vulnerable contract.
6 minutes ago
Xie Jiayin: Bitget will resume withdrawals as soon as all risks are eliminated.
Xie Jiayin, head of Bitget’s Chinese-language region, released a statement noting that theft incidents and handling protocols vary across different security events. Bitget will resume withdrawals as soon as all risks are eliminated, and hopes users will grant the platform sufficient time to complete security checks. Xie added that in Bitget’s 8 years of operation, the platform has never misappropriated user assets; its User Protection Fund, established in 2022, has consistently remained above $300 million to guard against black swan events. The platform is not concerned about users withdrawing funds, but rather, out of prudent consideration for market and security risks, it has opted to temporarily suspend the withdrawal function.
6 minutes ago
Binance's co-CEO: We are assisting Bitget in tracking and recovering stolen funds, and sharing security intelligence.
Binance Co-CEO Richard Teng issued a statement saying that after the Bitget security incident, Binance’s security team has been working closely with Bitget since the incident was detected, assisting in sharing security intelligence, tracking related funds, and supporting asset recovery efforts. Teng noted that in such security incidents, the crypto industry will unite to counter attackers, and the relevant assistance work is still ongoing.
6 minutes ago
Bonk Guy: Pullback in Robinhood Chain Ecosystem Tokens Could Be a Buying Opportunity
Prominent trader Bonk Guy has published a post expressing optimism about the Robinhood Chain ecosystem, arguing that price corrections of assets within the Robinhood Chain ecosystem present buying opportunities, and stating: "Buy now, you will thank me later."
6 minutes ago
Security Alert: Users Must Revoke Authorizations for Payment Processor V2 and V3 Related Contracts Immediately.
Yuga Labs’ Vice President of Blockchain, Quit (@0xQuit), issued a reminder that users should immediately revoke authorizations for the Ethereum Payment Processor V2 and ApeChain Payment Processor V3 contracts, using tools such as revoke.cash or similar platforms. Quit stated that if users’ assets were transferred without authorization, those held at addresses starting with “0x71cf” remain secure. However, affected users still need to revoke the aforementioned contract authorizations. Earlier reports flagged a suspected NFT security flaw at NFT marketplace Magic Eden, where a white hat hacker transferred 3,832 NFTs from hundreds of wallets, valued at approximately $1.5 million. Yuga Labs’ blockchain VP Quit clarified that the transfer was a white hat operation, with all relevant NFTs stored at addresses starting with “0x71cF”. The assets are safe and will be fully returned once the risk is mitigated.
XRP Ledger stablecoin market cap rose 6.15% weekly to $1.159 billion. RLUSD accounted for $1.067 billion, or 92.1% of the total market. RLUSD grew 11.55% over 30 days, outpacing overall XRP Ledger stablecoin growth. USDC fell 21.86% monthly on XRP Ledger despite a 6.71% weekly recovery. Stablecoin market growth does not confirm XRP purchases or institutional investment. The XRP Ledger stablecoin market reached about $1.159 billion on September 25 after gaining $67.12 million in one week. DefiLlama data shows the total rose 6.15% during the seven days. Ripple USD, or RLUSD, remained the largest stablecoin on the network.
XRP Ledger Stablecoin Market Reaches $1.159 Billion RLUSD accounted for about $1.067 billion, equal to 92.1% of the tracked stablecoin market. Its market value rose 11.55% over 30 days. The broader XRP Ledger stablecoin market increased 9.8% during the same period.
The growth comes as the network prepares for other changes. Recent coverage showed that XRP Ledger Batch V1.1 moved closer to activation, with validator support above the required threshold. The feature would allow several linked transactions to settle together under defined conditions.
RLUSD Grows While USDC Records Monthly Drop USDC moved in the opposite direction over the monthly period. Its XRP Ledger market capitalization fell 21.86% to about $4.62 million. However, USDC rose 6.71% over seven days, slightly above RLUSD’s 6.69% weekly increase.
Other stablecoins also recorded monthly declines. Valtorum USD fell 7.03% to $72.77 million, while EUR CoinVertible dropped 2.37% to $11.37 million. These figures cover only their balances tracked on the XRP Ledger, not their total supply across other supported networks.
DefiLlama’s chain metric measures the value of stablecoins present on a network. It does not measure trading volume or funds deposited in decentralized finance. Separately, Binance launched XRP rewards for eligible RLUSD holders starting September 25, bringing fresh attention to the stablecoin.
Stablecoin Growth Does Not Confirm XRP Buying The market-cap changes do not show that users moved funds directly from USDC or other stablecoins into RLUSD. Such a conclusion would require transaction-level records connecting withdrawals, transfers, issuance, or purchases. Recent market coverage also noted rising RLUSD balances alongside wider XRP market activity. The figures alone also do not identify which users or institutions caused the tracked weekly increase in network balances.
RLUSD targets a one-dollar value and uses cash and cash-equivalent reserves, according to Ripple. Ripple issues the stablecoin on XRP Ledger and Ethereum, so the network balance represents only part of circulation. Ripple says RLUSD supports payments, settlement, and treasury flows. The token remains redeemable one-for-one for U.S. dollars under its reserve structure. XRP remains separate as the ledger’s native cryptocurrency. The weekly increase does not prove equal XRP purchases or institutional investment.
Bitget CEO Gracy Chen shared key takeaways from her earlier live stream on social media, including: 1. Affected assets include ETH, XRP, BNB, AVAX, USDT, USDC and other tokens, spanning Ethereum, XRP Ledger, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Optimism, BSC and Base. All on-chain cold wallets have been confirmed secure and were not impacted. 2. Bitget has contacted all affected chain foundations; some foundations have confirmed freezing hacker wallet addresses. The team will continue to follow up on relevant channels and release updates. 3. Bitget stated that based on IP behavioral characteristics and on-chain analysis, the attack method is highly consistent with known patterns of North Korean hacker groups. The platform has reported the incident to relevant authorities and is cooperating with global investigations. 4. Bitget Wallet operates on fully independent infrastructure from the Bitget exchange. This incident had no impact on Bitget Wallet, and all assets in Bitget Wallet are completely secure. 5. Regarding the platform’s financial status, Bitget said that in addition to its over $464 million protection fund, its own assets exceed $1 billion, with user funds fully backed at a 1:1 ratio, and all related data is verifiable on-chain. 6. On the timeline for resuming withdrawals, Bitget noted its goal is to complete a full recovery as soon as possible. A specific time window will be announced immediately once confirmed, and the platform will not commit to unachievable deadlines.
Cover image via depositphotos.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available.
South Korean retail capital has effectively seized control of liquidity in a Ripple-associated token, turning the local market into the asset's leading global driver.
While Wall Street is absorbing crypto ETFs, XRP trading volumes in Asia have grown so large that South Korea's largest exchange, Upbit, recorded $224.22 million in daily turnover, far outpacing the main U.S. regulated giant, Coinbase, with its $173.38 million.
XRP spot trading volume heatmap showing South Korea's Upbit outpacing U.S. exchange Coinbase, Source: CoinGlassAccording to CoinGlass's market heatmap, Binance remains the global spot market leader with $306.13 million. However, it was the unusually strong interest in XRP within South Korea that created an unprecedented pricing and liquidity phenomenon.
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The XRP/KRW pair on Upbit accounted for 15.57% of the platform's total activity, allowing the asset to surpass even Bitcoin and the stablecoin Tether in liquidity.
Amid this capital shift, the token's price is trapped in the $1.44–$1.50 range, while exchanges are recording a daily decline in volume following a powerful weekly rally in which XRP gained more than 14–15%.
Why Koreans believe in Ripple and XRP more than Americans doThe answer lies in pragmatic market mechanics, not blind optimism. First, a strict regulatory dead end has played a role: retail investors in South Korea are completely prohibited from trading leveraged crypto futures.
Without the ability to short, traders are forced to seek volatility exclusively in the spot market, where XRP — with its low fees and near-instant speed—has become an ideal tool for quick scalping. In the last hour alone, the Korean session generated $23.71 million in net spot volume on Upbit.
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The situation is also being fueled by prolonged stagnation in traditional markets. The national stock index, KOSPI, is stuck in a tight range, prompting middle-aged local investors to liquidate traditional stock portfolios en masse and move their money into crypto.
Meanwhile, in the United States, institutional funds are currently absorbing liquidity, focusing strictly on regulated BTC and ETH. Ripple's retail brand has historically been closer to Eastern investors: XRP's weekly trading volume on Upbit has already approached $1.71 billion.
This imbalance of power clearly shows that, despite Ripple's American roots and years of lawsuits with the SEC in Washington, the asset's actual price formation is now dictated by Seoul, not by offices in New York.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse says the choice between XRP and a stablecoin should depend on which better solves a customer’s payment problem, while emphasizing that his optimism about cryptocurrencies extends beyond XRP.
Garlinghouse Weighs XRP Against Stablecoins for Payments In remarks shared on X by Eri, Garlinghouse described XRP and stablecoins as alternative ways to address a payment need, with customer satisfaction determining which approach makes sense.
“It could be that XRP is the best bridge asset for that purpose, or it could be that, no, a stablecoin is going to solve that problem better.”
“It could be that XRP is the best bridge asset for that purpose, or it could be that, no, a stablecoin is going to solve that problem better.”
– Brad Garlinghouse,
A😊happy customer is #1. pic.twitter.com/cheEQePWRn
— 🌸Eri ~ Carpe Diem (@sentosumosaba) September 24, 2026
The comparison was conditional. Garlinghouse left open the possibility that XRP would be the most suitable asset for a particular task, while acknowledging that a stablecoin could deliver a better result in another case. His remarks did not establish either asset as the preferred option for every payment.
Ripple’s product documentation describes how either approach can work. A payment provider can convert a sender’s fiat currency into XRP or a stablecoin, transfer the digital asset, and convert it into the recipient’s local currency. The recipient may also retain the funds in digital form.
“I’m Not an XRP Maximalist” In another excerpt shared by Eri, Garlinghouse explicitly rejected the description of himself as an XRP maximalist.
“I’m not one of these people who’s an XRP maximalist, I’m bullish on a bunch of cryptos, for a bunch of reasons.”
“I’m not one of these people who’s an XRP maximalist, I’m bullish on a bunch of cryptos, for a bunch of reasons”
– Brad Garlinghouse, 2026 pic.twitter.com/kAadHWXb8H
— 🌸Eri ~ Carpe Diem (@sentosumosaba) September 24, 2026
His comments distinguish support for XRP from exclusive support for a single cryptocurrency. They also accompany a payments business that offers customers access to assets beyond both XRP and Ripple’s own stablecoin. Ripple’s current payments offering lists RLUSD, USDC, USDT and fiat as options for funding, settlement and payouts.
XRP and RLUSD Have Different Characteristics Ripple’s documentation distinguishes XRP from RLUSD. XRP is the native cryptocurrency of the XRP Ledger, with a value determined by the market. RLUSD is designed to maintain a value of one U.S. dollar and is backed by reserves comprising cash, U.S. Treasuries and cash equivalents.
Although both can be used in payments, using RLUSD for settlement is not the same as using XRP as the asset carrying the payment’s value. Ripple identifies XRP as a bridge asset and RLUSD as an option for transactions requiring dollar-denominated price stability.
The company has also documented commercial use of its stablecoin. In a March 3, 2026 update, Ripple said business payments provider Corpay was using its custody and liquidity services to fund and settle positions across Asia-Pacific with RLUSD.
That update reported more than $100 billion in total Ripple Payments volume and payout coverage across more than 60 markets. Those figures describe the broader payments platform; the announcement did not identify them as XRP-only transaction volume.
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is the one cryptocurrency analyst Scott Melker says he would "never touch again."
He expects the next market cycle to draw a sharper line between tokens with genuine utility and value accrual and those designed primarily to enrich insiders and early investors.
Why Melker Won’t Touch XRP Again?Melker in a "51 Insights – What Matters in Digital Assets" podcast on Sep.23 cautioned "XRP. Sorry, guys."
He linked his stance to a broader criticism of crypto projects that raised substantial amounts of capital before developing businesses and products around their ecosystems.
Melker’s comments formed part of a broader argument that crypto investors should distinguish between adoption of a company or network and whether that activity ultimately creates value for holders of its associated token.
He said his own investment philosophy has changed substantially since entering crypto in 2016. Initially, he bought and traded numerous tokens but now focuses heavily on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), alongside a much smaller group of digital assets.
Most Crypto Tokens Won’t SurviveMelker argued that previous crypto cycles allowed projects to achieve enormous valuations based on narratives and long-term promises rather than existing products, revenue or usage.
The analyst pointed to the 2020-2021 market, when venture investors could invest shortly before a token launch and potentially realize substantial returns from their initial allocations.
He estimates 99% of those projects didn’t need a token, with many using tokens primarily as a mechanism for raising capital.
That model, Melker believes, will struggle to repeat itself.
Rather than another cycle in which investors can "throw a dart" and potentially find a token that rises 100-fold, Melker expects value to increasingly concentrate in utility and revenue driven projects.
He pointed to Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) as established Layer 1 networks benefiting from institutional adoption, while Hyperliquid (NASDAQ:PURR) is an example of a project with actual usage, earnings and token buybacks.
Melker similarly expects consolidation among blockchains, predicting that many smaller L1 and L2 networks could eventually become “zombie chains” or disappear.
Bitcoin Predicted To Reach $220K To $250KMelker remains firmly bullish on Bitcoin, saying his preferred strategy is to dollar-cost average and "forget about it."
He continued buying as Bitcoin fell from its $126,000 peak into the $60,000 range, becoming more aggressive as prices declined. Based on his long-term outlook, $60,000-$80,000 was a "liquidation sale."
Looking to the next cycle, Melker sees Bitcoin potentially reaching $220,000-$250,000, while acknowledging that his previous cycle price targets were too optimistic.
XRP bulls have triggered a short-term rebound push above the $1.50 level, with the Directional Moving Index and MACD indicators flipping green.
XRP appears to have begun another short-term recovery campaign after the previous rally met a roadblock at $1.6562 on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and started pulling back into today.
XRP Faces Roadblock Amid Rebound Above $1.50 The token continued to correct alongside the rest of the crypto market until it hit a floor of $1.4519 at 10:30 AM UTC today, Sept. 24.
Since then, XRP has entered a short-term recovery, recording multiple green 30-minute candlesticks and pushing back above $1.50. Data from the chart shows XRP witnessing eight bullish 30-minute candlestick closes out of a total of nine during the 4-hour period between 10 AM and 2 PM UTC.
The price action eventually faced resistance around the $1.5265 price area, which previously acted as support during the correction on Wednesday. This area gave way after repeated attempts by bears to breach it, resulting in the pullback to $1.45 today.
XRP 30m Chart Now, this $1.5265 level is acting as a roadblock to the recovery effort, as it also aligns with the resistance stationed around the upper trendline of the ascending channel that has formed during the ongoing rebound process.
DMI and MACD Flip Positive Further data from the 30-minute chart shows that the short-term Directional Moving Index (DMI) and MACD indicators have both flipped positive, confirming that short-term momentum has been predominantly bullish in the last few hours.
Specifically, the +DI has risen from 14.9455 at the start of today to highs around 29.9419 at press time, while the -DI has dropped from 28.0422 to 17.6617 within the same period. As for the ADX, the metric has reset to 23.9, showing that the bullish momentum remains strong in the short term.
The MACD indicator also reflects the price effect of this rebound campaign, with the MACD histogram bars flipping green over the past six 30-minute periods. Currently, the MACD line has risen to 0.0019, with the signal line still sitting at -0.0036 but actively rising.
Meanwhile, after dropping from the $1.5265 high, the XRP price dropped to retest the lower trendline of the recent ascending channel at $1.4890 and find support. So far, XRP is now pushing toward attacking the $1.5265 level again. A close above this area could open the door to highs around $1.53.
XRP Maintains Top 10 Lead as Liquidations Hit Shorts Despite the recent pullback, XRP has maintained its lead among the top 10, now sitting as the biggest 7-day gainer on the list. Notably, XRP’s 15.94% spike in the past week surpasses the 10.04% gain recorded by Bitcoin (BTC) and the 8.68% increase from Ethereum (ETH) within the same period.
XRP Biggest Gainer Among Top 10 | Source: CoinMarketCap Moreover, short traders have started to feel the impact of the recent price rebound. Over the past four hours, the XRP market has witnessed $3.86 million worth of liquidations, with shorts accounting for $2.27 million or 58.8%. The story is different in the past 24 hours, where longs dominate liquidations.
XRP Futures Data | Source: Coinglass Meanwhile, accounts and positions across Binance and OKX, two of the largest trading destinations, remain bullish, as their long/short ratios predominantly sit above 2. However, the overall long/short ratio in the XRP futures market remains at 0.9585, indicating dominance of short positions.
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) consolidates near $1.51 Thursday as Trump and Xi Jinping meet, with crypto commentator Cheeky Crypto arguing history says the summit likely won’t move the needle.
Why Past Summits Haven’t Helped XRPThe analyst laid out two prior cases where positive US-China outcomes failed to lift XRP:
October 30, 2025 Trump-Xi meeting — XRP traded around $2.60 heading in. President Donald Trump announced a roughly 10-point tariff cut, yet XRP fell to $2.43 by the next day. The Fed also cut rates that same week, muddying the picture, but good news still didn’t push price up. May 2026 Beijing trip — XRP traded around $1.43 before Trump’s visit. Despite language about “constructive strategic stability” and new agricultural purchase deals, XRP never broke its $1.30 to $1.45 range. By late July, it had slid to around $1.08. Why the Summit Itself Isn’t the Real DriverCheeky Crypto argues the summit agenda doesn’t touch XRP at all, with no mention of the XRP Ledger, Ripple, or ETFs on the table.
Instead, broad risk appetite drives the connection, with Bitcoin moving first and XRP typically following harder in both directions.
Timing makes it worse: markets price in summit outcomes weeks ahead, so much of the good news already sits in the price by the time leaders shake hands, setting up a classic sell-the-news reaction.
That risk grows here since XRP jumped 8% on September 18 to $1.40 on trade-talk optimism, even as US spot XRP ETFs added less than $10 million over that stretch.
The analyst reads that as spot buyers riding risk-on sentiment rather than real fund flows, a mood-driven rally that can reverse just as fast as it built.
What Actually Matters More Than the SummitCheeky Crypto points to bigger near-term catalysts than any White House handshake:
This week’s Fed speeches — a full stack of commentary from policymakers Friday’s University of Michigan consumer sentiment reading September 30 PCE inflation report — the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge On the XRP side specifically, an amendment activation, the Evernorth vote, and an October 1 escrow release all carry more weight than today’s meeting.
XRP Technical Analysis: Trader NotesXRP trades at $1.51 Thursday, up 0.5%% and stabilizing after Wednesday’s sharp 6% pullback from the $1.65 to $1.70 zone.
Price holds above every major EMA, with RSI at 60.73 showing momentum cooling from overbought but staying constructive.
Key levels for XRP: $1.65 to $1.70 — yesterday’s rejection zone, next major test $1.45 — today’s low, first support $1.42 — 20-day EMA, deeper support Photo via Shutterstock
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XRP soared above the $1.50 price level again after falling towards the $1.45 price area earlier today, after the market saw a sell-off
The uptick came as addresses holding XRP approached 8.15M, while, according to the recent exchange inflow figures, some of the holders may still be preparing to sell.
XRP holder addresses continue climbing The number of addresses holding XRP has increased steadily over the past six months, rising from around 7.72 million in late March to 8.15 million! The increase represents an increase of about 430,000 addresses.
It continued to grow when the price was rising and falling. What this suggests is that there was more interest in XRP beyond traders reacting to its daily movements.
Trading activity is signalling a more cautious read. About 524,000 XRP entered trading platforms in the latest reading, while about 135,000 left.
Source: Santiment That move led to a net inflow of about 389,000 XRP. Tokens sent to exchanges are often seen as tokens that are available for sale, although there might be other reasons.
The latest inflow was also small when compared with the multimillion-XRP spikes that have been seen earlier in the year. What this shows is that there are some selling risks, but there is no rush to exit.
Can the XRP price retest $1.60? XRP saw a fall of nearly 8% during the broader crypto-market decline, falling to a low near the $1.45 price area.
Buyers could then be seen returning, and this took the price to around $1.52. At the time of this writing, XRP was up 1.39%.
The recovery has the $1.45-$1.42 price region as the nearest support. If it does not slip below that region, the recent recovery should remain unharmed, and buyers will get another chance to challenge the $1.60 price level.
Source: TradingView If it is able to move beyond the $1.60 price level, it could open the way towards the $1.66 area, where it recently encountered selling.
Should $1.42 not hold, then the attention would switch to $1.36. Once resistance, this level looks as if it could now provide some support on a sharper pullback.
However, XRP is sitting above its major price averages; this means that the wider recovery will not be overturned yet. Still, reaching $1.60 is needed for the rebound movement to develop into another long phase up.
Final Summary XRP jumped back above $1.50 after tumbling almost 8% along with the broader market dip. While the holder addresses increased to 8.15M, some inflows into exchanges suggest potential selling risk.
Both XRP and DOGE are pulling back sharply, but deeply negative MVRV readings could keep long-term traders interested.
A clear difference has emerged in the long-term MVRV levels of major crypto assets. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Chainlink are slightly above 0%. This means the average market participant who has held these assets over the past year is still sitting on a small profit.
XRP and Dogecoin, on the other hand, are in a different position.
Deep MVRV Discounts According to the latest findings by Santiment, XRP’s 365-day MVRV stands at around -11.75%. DOGE is even lower at about -19.26%. The negative readings essentially mean that many long-term holders are currently holding unrealized losses. A lower MVRV can sometimes point to lower selling pressure.
Fewer traders are sitting on large profits that could lead to immediate selling. In previous instances, periods of heavy unrealized losses have also created longer-term recovery opportunities.
Santiment stated that XRP and DOGE currently stand out because their long-term holders remain deep in the red even as the market recovered.
“BTC, ETH, and LINK aren’t suddenly ‘bad buys’ just because their MVRV is slightly positive. But when comparing opportunities, assets far below 0% often deserve extra attention. The deeper the losses compared with other coins, the more interesting the setup can become.”
Fresh Selling Pressure After a strong start to the week, the crypto market has started to cool off. XRP has been hit particularly hard in the latest pullback. Ripple’s native token dropped more than 7% over the past 24 hours and is now trading near the $1.48 level. Ali Martinez believes that “everything comes down to $1.60.” As such, a decisive break above this could confirm the pattern and trigger another 30% rally toward $2.
The OG meme coin, meanwhile, is also among the poorest performers in the past day as it shed 6.6%.
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However, investor interest in US-based spot DOGE ETFs appears to have picked up since then. These funds raked in $909,650 on Monday, and around $1.2 million on Tuesday, pushing weekly net inflows above $2 million.
XRP (XRP) stabilizes near $1.50 after its breakout, with $1.35–$1.40 providing key support.Dogecoin (DOGE) is defending its 200-day moving average after its sharp breakout and subsequent correction.Ethereum (ETH) remains in a broader uptrend despite its correction from the recent $2,800 high.Stellar (XLM) maintains its long-term breakout structure while consolidating above the crucial $0.20 level.XRP's stabilization attemptAfter yet another erratic surge that momentarily pushed the asset toward $1.65, XRP is trying to stabilize around $1.50. In comparison to the beginning of September, the overall technical structure has significantly improved, despite the subsequent rejection.
XRP/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe breakout from the declining resistance line that connected the highs of XRP in late August and September is the most significant development. Around $1.40, the price broke through this trendline and quickly accelerated toward $1.55–$1.60. Additionally, there was a discernible increase in volume during the breakout, which lent the move greater legitimacy than a number of earlier recovery attempts.
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Right now, XRP is trading well above its main moving averages. While shorter averages have begun to rise below the price, the 200-day average is currently at about $1.36. As a result, a comparatively strong support cluster is formed between $1.35 and $1.40.
The rejection around $1.60–$1.65, however, indicates that sellers are still active at higher levels. Before another attack on $1.60–$1.65 becomes likely, XRP must recover roughly $1.55. The August wick, located around $1.70, is the next significant target above that. On the downside, $1.45 is the first level to watch.
The breakout structure would remain intact even in the event of a deeper correction toward $1.40. However, if XRP fell below $1.35, it would return to its 200-day average and significantly weaken the setup.
Dogecoin correctionDogecoin experienced a similar breakout, rising from roughly $0.087 to over $0.10 before experiencing aggressive profit-taking. At $0.0955, DOGE is currently trading directly above one of the chart's most significant technical levels. That level is approximately $0.093, which is the 200-day moving average.
DOGE/USDT Chart by TradingViewBefore briefly testing it in August, DOGE struggled below it all summer. The most recent rally ultimately resulted in a strong breakout and the biggest increase in trading volume since August. Transforming that breakout into support is the current challenge. DOGE hit about $0.105 before sellers drove it sharply lower.
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However, the most recent candle indicates that buyers are reacting around $0.092 and pushing the price back toward $0.096. The bullish structure would be maintained by holding $0.093–$0.095, with $0.10 serving as the initial resistance.
The recent $0.105 high would be exposed by a clean move through $0.10, followed by roughly $0.11. Another unsuccessful 200-day breakout is the risk. The next major support level is around $0.087–$0.088 if DOGE closes sharply below $0.092–$0.093. The moving-average cluster around $0.082–$0.085 becomes the main defensive zone below that.
Pressure on Ethereum risesDespite the most recent decline from about $2,800, Ethereum is still in a strong technical position. After three straight red daily candles, ETH is currently trading at $2,673, but the correction has not done much damage to the overall uptrend thus far.
ETH/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe significant structural shift took place when Ethereum surged from below $2,000 and firmly regained its 200-day moving average in August. ETH spent several weeks consolidating between about $2,400 and $2,550 rather than retracing immediately. Eventually, the most recent breakout toward $2,800 was built upon that range.
The price is comfortably above all of the chart's major moving averages. While the intermediate averages are between $2,350 and $2,400, the shortest average is approaching $2,520. At $2,250, the 200-day moving average remains much lower. These are in line with the larger bullish structure. On the other hand, short-term momentum has clearly diminished.
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The RSI has declined after getting close to overbought territory, and ETH was unable to sustain the move above $2,750–$2,800. The $2,600–$2,650 range is the immediate support. Holding this range would preserve the most recent breakout and allow for a potential second attempt at $2,750–$2,800.
The rising short-term average between $2,500 and $2,520 would become the next significant support if the price broke below $2,600. Ethereum must close decisively above $2,800 in order to move higher. Such a move would break through the most recent local high and possibly pave the way toward the psychological $3,000 mark.
Will Stellar hold the pace?Stellar has clearly broken above its long-term resistance structure, rising from about $0.18 to a recent peak of about $0.225 before declining toward $0.209. XLM's move through the 200-day moving average at $0.189 is the most significant technical development.
XLM/USDT Chart by TradingViewDuring earlier recovery attempts, the price was frequently constrained by this level; however, the most recent advance broke through it with increasing trading volume. After that, XLM hit about $0.216 before making a wick toward $0.225. In an aggressive response, sellers briefly drove the asset back toward $0.20. Since then, buyers have partially recovered from that decline.
As long as XLM remains above the prior breakout region, the setup continues to be favorable. The first significant support is around $0.20, with $0.188–$0.190 around the 200-day average coming next. Additionally, the shorter moving averages are improving the underlying structure by turning upward below that level.
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The immediate resistance zone on the upside remains $0.215–$0.225. A successful breakout would target about $0.235, which is the major June peak. There is some momentum, but not much.
After the rejection, the RSI pulled back, giving XLM more room in case buyers return. Losing $0.20 would weaken the short-term setup, while a decline below $0.19 would jeopardize the larger breakout itself.
