2026 is clearly shaping up to be a major year for Ripple’s global expansion.
Notably, Ripple has taken another step forward toward strengthening its presence across key global markets.
After expanding its footprint in Europe, Ripple is now making deeper inroads into Korea. With this latest development, Jeonbuk Bank has become the first regional bank in Korea to utilize Ripple Payments to send cross-border transfers.
This also marks the third partnership for Ripple in Korea this year, after it partnered with K Bank and Kyobo Life Insurance. Together, these partnerships further fuel the XRPL’s narrative around its fundamentals and real-world adoption, with a focus on the payments infrastructure.
Source: X Meanwhile, Ripple’s [XRP] AI narrative is also gaining steam.
RAVN Robotics has deployed its RAVN token on the XRP Ledger, adding embodied AI and tokenized equity to XRPL’s ecosystem. The company is focused on AI software platforms that power machines, including drones, industrial robots, and machine perception solutions.
With the developments on the payments and AI fronts, Ripple is placing itself at the forefront of innovation with XRP. Therefore, the next important test for the XRPL will be whether this increased utility will translate into volume on-chain.
As such, will Ripple Payments and XRPL’s multi-faceted utility play a critical role in unlocking XRP’s bullish narrative in the third quarter?
Ripple’s Korea expansion puts XRPL fundamentals in focus The impact of these partnerships is already being seen on-chain.
Over the last 72 hours, just 0.16% of DEX trades used XRP as the bridge asset, showing that adoption is still at an early stage. However, as XRPL activity grows, higher auto-bridging could drive more liquidity and utility for XRP.
This is where Ripple’s AI narrative and growing partnerships start to connect.
As mentioned in the post below, 2 million payments have already been processed between AI agents on the XRP Ledger.
The concept is that AI agents need a cheap and efficient payment rail, which cards are not suited to for very small transactions. However, XRPL can provide this with its low fees and 3-5 second settlement times. If these use cases develop, they could represent a significant new utility for XRP.
Source: X With this in mind, it is not hard to see why Ripple’s increasing global footprint is such a crucial element to their 2026 narrative. Jeonbuk Bank’s adoption fits into this trend, providing another payments-focused use case for Ripple and XRPL in Korea.
Meanwhile, stablecoin liquidity on XRPL is also rising.
According to DeFiLlama, the market cap of stablecoins on the XRPL ecosystem has risen by over 8% this week, crossing $80 million in inflows, pushing total stablecoin liquidity above $1 billion.
Source: X The importance of this to XRPL cannot be understated, as stablecoins can facilitate payments, DEX trading, and cross-chain settlement. With institutional adoption of both stablecoins and AI payment rails rising, XRPL’s usage in Q3 is shaping up to be a strong one for utility.
Final Summary Ripple is expanding in Korea while XRPL grows across payments, AI, and tokenization. Rising liquidity and network activity could make Ripple Payments a key XRP Q3 catalyst.
A political action committee backed by major cryptocurrency firms Coinbase and Ripple Labs has spent more than $2 million in opposition to Oliver Gilbert, a Democratic candidate in Florida’s 24th congressional district.
Focus on Digital Asset PolicyFederal Election Commission (FEC) filings show that the Protect Progress PAC, an affiliate of the crypto industry-funded Fairshake, invested heavily in media campaigns targeting Gilbert ahead of the state’s Democratic primary. Despite this, none of the Democratic candidates in the race publicly promoted significant policy positions related to digital assets before the advertising campaign began.
Gilbert is vying for the congressional seat currently held by Representative Frederica Wilson. Wilson, who has a record of voting against the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act and the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, has publicly endorsed Gilbert’s campaign.
Shevrin Jones, a state senator and another Democratic candidate for the 24th district, completed a Stand With Crypto questionnaire that resulted in a “strongly supports” designation from the advocacy group, further highlighting the crypto community’s involvement in local races.
Gilbert criticized the attack ads, claiming that “Trump’s tech billionaire buddies” were funding “crypto con artists trying to buy a Democratic primary.” According to reports, some of the advertisements included fabricated Miami Herald headlines unrelated to digital asset issues.
Gilbert claimed that tech industry allies of Donald Trump were using crypto funding to sway the Democratic primary, with some ads falsely referencing Miami Herald reporting.
Fairshake, registered as a federal PAC, reported a balance of $193 million as of January. The organization uses affiliates such as Protect Progress to boost Democratic candidates and Defend American Jobs to support Republican candidates. As of June, Fairshake-affiliated PACs funneled over $82 million into primaries and special elections to influence voter perceptions.
Mini dictionary: Fairshake, a US-based political action committee (PAC) that advocates for crypto-friendly regulations by financially supporting candidates who align with digital asset interests in American elections.
Broader Election SpendingThe PAC has also spent more than $150,000 backing Lois Frankel’s re-election bid in Florida’s 23rd district. Defend American Jobs, a separate Fairshake affiliate, reported spending a combined $1.5 million in support of Nick Begich in Alaska’s at-large congressional district, Sydney Gruters in Florida’s 16th district, and Harriet Hageman’s run for a US Senate seat from Wyoming.
CandidateState/DistrictSupport/OpposePAC Funding (approx.)Oliver GilbertFlorida, 24thOppose$2 millionLois FrankelFlorida, 23rdSupport$150,000Nick BegichAlaska, at-largeSupportPart of $1.5 millionSydney GrutersFlorida, 16thSupportPart of $1.5 millionHarriet HagemanWyoming, SenateSupportPart of $1.5 millionOn Tuesday, voters in Alaska, California, Florida, and Wyoming are selecting candidates for the November general election. The results of these primaries may influence control of the US House of Representatives and Senate in the next congressional session, beginning in January.
Upcoming Legislative MilestonesBoth chambers of Congress are currently on recess, with the Senate planning a vote on the CLARITY Act when it reconvenes in September. The outcome could have significant implications for the regulatory treatment of digital assets in the US.
As billions of dollars pour into campaign spending, future legislation such as the CLARITY Act remains in focus for both digital asset supporters and regulators alike.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Crypto market analyst Austin Hilton has released a new forecast for XRP, predicting a significant short-term decline before a strong multi-year rally. Hilton outlined specific price targets spanning 2026 and 2027, basing his projections on the established four-year Bitcoin market cycle.
Short-term outlook: Anticipating a dropHilton estimates that XRP could fall to a target zone between $0.60 and $0.80 in the near term. This range would indicate a decline of 20% to 40% from current price levels and may take place during the first two weeks of October 2026.
He attributes the expected downturn to the ongoing bear phase of Bitcoin’s four-year cycle. According to Hilton, this bear stage began in October 2025 and is likely to reach its lowest point around early October 2026. He projects that the broader cryptocurrency market could still lose 30% to 40% in value before that bottom arrives, adding that tight liquidity conditions currently favor bearish momentum.
Hilton also cautions investors to remain calm and avoid emotional decision-making during periods of rapid price drops. He argues that such declines are a normal pattern within cryptocurrency cycles, rather than an indicator of fundamental weakness.
Hilton emphasizes that panicking during short-term declines can harm long-term results, adding, “Short-term pain, long-term gain.”
Bull run and long-term targetsFollowing the perceived cycle bottom, Hilton expects a surge in liquidity and an ensuing sharp rally. He sets his year-end 2026 target for XRP at $2.50 to $4.50, which could establish a fresh all time high. For mid-2027, his projection rises to a range of $5 to $7, and he anticipates XRP could surpass $10 later in 2027.
Hilton describes these targets as “fairly conservative,” noting that stronger-than-expected performance from Bitcoin could push XRP even higher. He draws attention to ongoing developments within Ripple and its expansion into real-world asset tokenization and the RLUSD stablecoin as factors that may add further utility and support to XRP.
He suggests that, should Bitcoin break above its all time high of $126,000 and head toward $250,000, XRP price projections would become even more aggressive.
Mini dictionary: RLUSD is a US dollar-backed stablecoin developed by Ripple, designed to facilitate fast and efficient transactions within the Ripple ecosystem.
Year/PeriodXRP Price TargetNear-term (Oct 2026)$0.60–$0.80Year-end 2026$2.50–$4.50Mid-2027$5–$7Late 2027Above $10The four-year cycle debateSome market observers claim that Bitcoin’s four-year cycle has become less relevant amid the introduction of new exchange-traded funds and increasing institutional interest. Hilton disputes this perspective, stating that sufficient data does not yet exist to support abandoning the cycle theory. He plans to maintain this strategy unless evidence shows a meaningful change in market patterns.
Hilton stresses that his price outlook is rooted in the consistency observed in crypto’s historical cycle activity, even as market structure evolves.
The analyst also flags the upcoming CLARITY Act as a potential catalyst. He notes that if the act passes, it could provide an added boost for both XRP and the broader crypto sector, although its status remains uncertain entering the fourth quarter of the year.
Summary of projectionsHilton underscores that his XRP forecast follows a clear structure: a near-term decline toward $0.60–$0.80 in the fall of 2026, followed by a rebound that could deliver new all-time highs through 2027. He advises market participants to consider the cyclical nature of crypto assets as they evaluate both risks and opportunities going forward.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.
Disclosure. PANews may publish sponsored content, partner content, advertisements, affiliate links, event promotions, and market commentary involving Web3 projects, service providers, or financial products. PANews personnel, contributors, or affiliates may hold digital assets or other interests related to covered topics. See our Terms of Service.
Open Interest Reaches Two-Month Peak$XRP derivatives activity on Binance is picking up pace. According to CryptoQuant analyst Arab Chain, XRP open interest on Binance has climbed to approximately $461.3 million, its highest level in two months. The figure has risen sharply from roughly $360 million in early August, reflecting a notable increase in capital flowing into outstanding derivatives positions.
XRP is trading near $1 as the build-up occurs, a psychologically significant price level that has drawn attention from traders across the market. The jump in Binance open interest to $461.3 million represents the highest reading since early July, coinciding with renewed activity among larger market participants.
Direction Remains an Open QuestionA rise in open interest does not, by itself, reveal which way traders are positioned. The CryptoQuant analyst noted that rising open interest does not indicate whether traders are predominantly long or short. Instead, the increase points to greater participation and speculation in the XRP derivatives market.
Open interest represents the total number of outstanding derivative contracts that have not yet been settled. A rise in open interest typically indicates new money entering the market as traders open fresh positions. For now, both bullish and bearish scenarios remain on the table.
If XRP rises while open interest continues to increase, it could indicate new positions supporting upward momentum. Conversely, continued price weakness alongside elevated open interest could increase the risk of liquidations and sharper price moves. Traders watching XRP should keep a close eye on how price behaves near the $1 level as positioning continues to build.
Sources:
Crypto Briefing: XRP open interest on Binance hits two-month high, CryptoQuant analyst says
AMBCrypto: XRP whales turn active, Binance open interest hits $461.3 million
BitcoinWorld: Binance XRP Open Interest Hits Two-Month High
Bitcoin (BTC) shows early signs of recovery, trading around $63,400 on Wednesday after a 2.9% gain and a close above key resistance earlier this week. Ethereum (ETH) continues to trade sideways, nearing the upper consolidation range near $1,919, where a close above this level suggests a rally ahead. Ripple (XRP) shows signs of a mild recovery as it holds around the key psychological level of $1.
Bitcoin closes above key resistanceBitcoin price trades at $64,391 on Wednesday, holding just above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $64,376 but still capped by a dense band of overhead resistance. BTC remains below the 100-day EMA at $66,334 and the key horizontal barrier at $66,500, keeping the near-term bias cautiously bearish despite improving momentum.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 52 leans slightly positive. At the same time, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is above its signal line and back in positive territory, hinting at recovering upside pressure that has yet to overcome the prevailing resistance structure.
On the topside, initial resistance is seen at the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement at $65,547 (drawn from May 26 high of $78,080 to the yearly low of $57,800 recorded on July 1), followed by the 100-day EMA at $66,334 and the horizontal cap at $66,500. A sustained break above these levels would open the way toward the 50% retracement at $67,940, with the 200-day EMA higher at $71,451 acting as a broader trend ceiling.
On the downside, the 50-day EMA at $64,376 provides immediate support; a daily close below this floor would expose the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement at $62,586 and the horizontal support at $62,300 as the next demand zone.
BTC/USDT daily chartEthereum could rally if it closes above 100-day EMAEthereum price trades at $1,909 on Wednesday, retaining a capped tone as price holds above the 50-day EMA at $1,871 but remains below the 100-day EMA at $1,918 and the 200-day EMA at $2,115. This configuration suggests recovery attempts are meeting overhead supply from medium- and long-term averages, even as the RSI at 55 stays in mildly positive territory and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) hovers just below zero, hinting at waning bearish momentum rather than a clear bullish turn.
On the topside, initial resistance sits at the 100-day EMA near $1,918, followed by the horizontal barrier at $2,000, before the 200-day EMA at $2,115 caps broader upside.
On the downside, immediate support is the 50-day EMA around $1,871, with a deeper structural floor only emerging at the distant horizontal level at $1,385, where stronger demand could emerge if the current range breaks lower.
ETH/USDT daily chartXRP hovers around the key psychological level of $1XRP price trades at $0.99 on Wednesday, extending a bearish near-term bias as spot holds beneath the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day EMAs at $1.07, $1.15, and $1.34, respectively.
The cluster of overhead EMAs suggests the pair remains capped after its recent pullback, while the RSI around 36 leans toward weak momentum and the MACD histogram stays marginally negative, hinting at lingering downside pressure rather than an imminent bullish reversal.
On the topside, immediate resistance is at the 50-day EMA at $1.07, then the 100-day EMA at $1.15. Above these, further barriers align at $1.30 and the 200-day EMA at $1.34, ahead of a more distant horizontal level at $1.90.
With XRP hovering around the psychological $1.00 mark, a loss of this meaningful support level would leave XRP exposed to further downside, driven primarily by momentum and broader market sentiment.
XRP/USDT daily chart(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Cryptocurrency prices FAQs Token launches influence demand and adoption among market participants. Listings on crypto exchanges deepen the liquidity for an asset and add new participants to an asset’s network. This is typically bullish for a digital asset.
A hack is an event in which an attacker captures a large volume of the asset from a DeFi bridge or hot wallet of an exchange or any other crypto platform via exploits, bugs or other methods. The exploiter then transfers these tokens out of the exchange platforms to ultimately sell or swap the assets for other cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. Such events often involve an en masse panic triggering a sell-off in the affected assets.
Macroeconomic events like the US Federal Reserve’s decision on interest rates influence crypto assets mainly through the direct impact they have on the US Dollar. An increase in interest rate typically negatively influences Bitcoin and altcoin prices, and vice versa. If the US Dollar index declines, risk assets and associated leverage for trading gets cheaper, in turn driving crypto prices higher.
Halvings are typically considered bullish events as they slash the block reward in half for miners, constricting the supply of the asset. At consistent demand if the supply reduces, the asset’s price climbs.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and XRP each face critical technical levels as trading remains tight and investors look for clear signals on market direction. While Bitcoin and Ethereum consolidate near major support zones, Dogecoin and XRP continue to confront persistent downward trends with limited signs of imminent reversal.
Bitcoin trades sideways, eyes crucial resistanceBitcoin has hovered near $64,200, consolidating after an early summer rebound from its June low of $58,000. The daily chart reflects an ongoing standoff between a fragile long-term structure and some short-term stabilization, with price action mostly flat since early July.
Technical signals have seen modest improvement. Short-term moving averages at $63,750 and $63,900 currently sit below the trading price, and the RSI has risen to approximately 52, which suggests buyers hold a small momentum edge, though conditions remain far from overbought. Despite this improvement, BTC has yet to break decisively higher.
Immediate resistance is concentrated between $66,000 and $67,000, with a key major moving average positioned near $66,300, currently sloping downward. A clear daily breakout above this region would provide the first strong indication of a recovery structure forming.
The long-term target, a significant moving average near $71,500, remains distant. Achieving it would require a far more robust upside move and signal a broader shift in market trend. On the downside, support is established at $63,000. If this level fails, the next zones to watch are $60,000 to $61,000, with the earlier June–July lows around $58,000 potentially acting as a further backstop.
For now, Bitcoin stays compressed within a narrow range. Buyers have managed to slow the decline but not spark a turnaround. A clear break outside $63,000 to $66,300 is needed to confirm the next direction.
AssetCurrent PriceImmediate SupportImmediate ResistanceBitcoin (BTC)$64,200$63,000$66,000–$67,000Ethereum approaches technical inflectionEthereum is compressing around $1,900 after weeks of narrowing price swings, standing out with a pronounced converging structure. Support lines have gradually risen beneath current prices, while immediate resistance is moving downward.
ETH is currently trading at approximately $1,896, with short-term moving averages near $1,880 and another key average at $1,849. Both averages now sit below the trading price, reinforcing Ethereum’s short-term resilience. An RSI reading of 53 suggests a slight bullish momentum, though not enough to indicate strong buying interest.
Primary resistance spans the $1,915 to $1,950 area. This region also coincides with a declining trendline from July highs and the intermediate moving average at $1,917. ETH has repeatedly struggled to breach this barrier.
A convincing move above $1,950 would be significant, as it would invalidate the current compression pattern upward and open the door toward $2,000 and the long-term moving average at $2,120. Without such a breakout, downside risk persists. The support area between $1,850 and $1,880 is crucial; losing this could set up a return toward $1,750–$1,800.
The narrowing range makes a technical breakout increasingly likely, with $1,850 and $1,950 acting as key levels to watch in the days ahead.
AssetCurrent PriceCritical SupportKey ResistanceEthereum (ETH)$1,896$1,850–$1,880$1,915–$1,950Dogecoin and XRP struggle to regain momentumDogecoin remains under firm selling pressure, continuing a downward trajectory that has defined much of 2025. The asset is now trading near $0.0699, with recent price action showing little progress toward reversal, although the pace of decline eased in August.
DOGE sits between $0.0707 and $0.0718, just under its short-term moving averages. This forms a tight resistance cluster that must be overcome for any temporary recovery. The intermediate and long-term averages are found at $0.0802 and $0.0958 respectively, both declining and highlighting ongoing weakness. The breach of the rising support line that developed between February and June led to the asset falling from above $0.10 to $0.07.
Although momentum is subdued, the RSI at roughly 46 does not yet signal an oversold market. Support within $0.068–$0.070 is critical. Lost support here could expose $0.065 or even the psychological $0.060 area.
XRP, developed by Ripple Labs as a digital payment solution, recently dropped below the key $1 barrier after extended selling. XRP now trades near $0.998. All major moving averages remain above the current price, emphasizing the challenge ahead. The closest are at $1.039 and $1.074, both still declining through August. The larger-term average is at $1.345, with an additional significant resistance at $1.155.
Momentum indicators reflect a market that is approaching but not yet at oversold levels, with the RSI near 36.5—just above the classic oversold threshold of 30. Reclaiming $1 and quickly pushing above $1.04 would provide the first signs of buyer interest. Full recovery would require a move beyond $1.07. Failure to regain the $1 level could see price slide toward the next support zones at $0.95 and $0.90, where historical support is limited.
Dogecoin and XRP continue to face dominant downward trends, with both assets trading well below key resistance levels and showing limited signs of reversal, keeping sellers firmly in control.
AssetCurrent PriceKey SupportKey ResistanceDogecoin (DOGE)$0.0699$0.068–$0.070$0.0707–$0.0718XRP$0.998$0.95 / $0.90$1.039 / $1.074Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Although Bitcoin is still consolidating around $64,200, the daily chart still indicates that the market is torn between a much weaker long-term structure and short-term stabilization. After rising from its late-June low of about $58,000, Bitcoin has been moving sideways for the majority of July and August.
Looking into short-term directionThe immediate technical structure has made a minor improvement. The short-term moving averages, which are centered around $63,750 and $63,900, are exceeded by Bitcoin. Additionally, the RSI has moved to about 52, giving buyers a slight momentum advantage without indicating an overbought situation. BTC hasn't been able to convert this stabilization into a bigger breakout, though.
BTC/USDT Chart by TradingViewThe $66,000–$67,000 area is the most significant near-term resistance because the next major moving average is located close to $66,300 and has a downward slope. The first significant sign that the current range is becoming a recovery structure would be a daily breakout above this region.
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The long-term moving average stays at roughly $71,500 beyond that. Regaining it would necessitate a much more forceful move and would signify a more significant shift in Bitcoin's overall trend. The immediate support on the downside is still $63,000. Losing it would expose $60,000–$61,000, with the June–July lows at about $58,000 coming next.
As a result, Bitcoin is still in compression. Although buyers have halted the decline, they still don't have enough power to turn it around. The next significant directional signal should come from a break outside of the range of $63,000 to $66,300.
Ethereum has to escapeAfter weeks of increasingly constrained price action, Ethereum is nearing a technically significant turning point as it compresses around $1,900. In contrast to Bitcoin, Ethereum has developed a clear converging structure, with support rising beneath the current price and resistance falling toward it.
ETH/USDT Chart by TradingViewETH is currently trading at about $1,896. Another significant average is close to $1,849, and the short-term moving average is at about $1,880. Both remain below the market, providing Ethereum with a short-term structure that is somewhat beneficial. This view is supported by the RSI at 53, which indicates a modest bullish momentum advantage without strong buying pressure.
The primary barrier is centered between $1,915 and $1,950. This area is currently crossed by the declining trendline from the July highs, and the intermediate moving average is located close to $1,917. ETH has had difficulty rising above this resistance cluster on several occasions.
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Therefore, a strong breakout above $1,950 would be more important than the comparatively small percentage move needed to get there. Such a move would invalidate the current compression pattern to the upside, possibly opening the path toward $2,000 and the long-term moving average at $2,120.
Downside risk would remain active if there were no breakout. The first defensive area is located between $1,850 and $1,880 according to the rising support line and moving averages. The recent rebound would be weakened if that cluster were lost, and ETH might move back toward $1,750–$1,800.
At the moment, Ethereum is more likely to experience a technical breakout than a confirmed trend reversal. The $1,850 support and $1,950 resistance levels are especially significant because the narrowing range indicates that the current low-volatility structure is unlikely to last forever.
Dogecoin remains under pressure Dogecoin is still under intense technical pressure as it continues the downtrend that has dominated the asset for the majority of 2025, trading close to $0.0699. The chart does not yet demonstrate a convincing reversal, despite the fact that the rate of decline has significantly slowed in August.
Right now, DOGE is trading between $0.0707 and $0.0718, directly below its short-term moving averages. This immediately forms a resistance cluster that is only a few percentage points higher than the current price. The first prerequisite for a temporary recovery would be to reclaim it.
DOGE/USDT Chart by TradingViewLarger barriers are significantly higher. The long-term average is still around $0.0958, and the intermediate moving average is close to $0.0802. Both exhibit a distinctly bearish hierarchy and are still declining. The rising support structure that emerged between February and June was also breached by DOGE.
The asset moved from above $0.10 to $0.07 as a result of the subsequent decline, and buyers have not yet been able to create a significant higher high. Momentum is weak, though not deeply oversold.
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With an RSI of about 46, DOGE is below neutral momentum without being significantly oversold. In the event that the current support fails, this allows for further downside. Thus, the $0.068–$0.070 area is crucial. $0.065 and ultimately the psychological $0.060 level could be revealed by a clear breakdown.
XRP loses psychological levelAfter months of relentless selling, XRP has fallen below the psychological $1 threshold, placing the asset at a crucial juncture. Almost all of the major moving averages are still above the market, and XRP is currently trading at about $0.998. The short-term structure is the immediate issue.
XRP/USDT Chart by TradingViewAt roughly $1.039, XRP is below the closest moving average, and at roughly $1.074, it is below another important average. Throughout August, both have kept declining, indicating that sellers are still in charge of the short- and intermediate-term trend. The bigger picture is even more challenging.
The long-term moving average is still around $1.345, and the next significant resistance is close to $1.155. Therefore, before the larger bearish structure could be deemed invalid, XRP would need to make a significant recovery. There is little indication of an imminent reversal in momentum.
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XRP is comparatively near oversold territory, but it is still above the traditional 30 threshold, with an RSI of about 36.5. The RSI reading alone does not offer a reliable bottom signal because persistent downtrends can keep it low for extended periods of time. Now, the $1 level serves as the direct battlefield.
The most recent breakdown could become a failed bearish move if price is quickly recovered above it and then moves through $1.04. Recovering $1.07 would offer much more convincing proof that buyers are returning. But if $1 isn't recovered, XRP could drop even further. The next areas to watch are roughly $0.95 and $0.90, where there isn't much established support.
Block is letting a third party sell the tokens it has never listed, and Cash App balances can now fund outside wallets including MetaMask and Ledger.
Original Image Credits: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com
Posted August 18, 2026 at 3:56 pm EST.
MoonPay turned on Cash App Pay as a payment method on Tuesday, letting eligible U.S. customers spend their Cash App balance at MoonPay checkout.
The effect is that Cash App money can now buy tokens Block has never listed. MoonPay’s onramp reaches ether, solana, XRP and more, and purchases can be pushed into third-party and self-custody wallets including Ledger, BitPay, Trust Wallet, MetaMask and Uniswap.
Block Rents What It Will Not List Cash App sold bitcoin and nothing else for years, then began a phased USDC rollout in late May. The partnership with MoonPay allows users to use their Cash App balances to access other cryptocurrencies without holding it on Cash App.
“While bitcoin remains at the core of our digital asset strategy, we want to give customers choice and flexibility wherever and however they choose to pay,” Morgan Kuntze, Block’s global partnerships lead, said in MoonPay’s announcement.
MoonPay has spent the year widening its U.S. payment options, adding the Discover network as its third major card network and launching an enterprise stablecoin platform aimed at banks and merchants. Cash App Pay is the consumer version of the same push, and it hands MoonPay a funded wallet with tens of millions of U.S. users attached.
Related Listen: Why the AI Business Model Is Cracking and How Crypto Could Help Fix It
AI-assisted content: This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by a member of the Unchained editorial team before publication.
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is drawing renewed whale interest as analysts watch a major resistance level that could determine the next move.
Whale Activity Explodes—Will Price Follow?Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez said on Tuesday on X that whale activity on the XRP Ledger has "exploded" over the past 24 hours.
Transactions worth more than $1 million surged 280% to more than 38 transactions, but despite the increase in large-holder activity, Martinez remains cautious about XRP’s technical structure.
He sees downside potentially extending toward $0.70, while a break above $1.06 could unlock significantly more upside.
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XRP still needs to clear what the analyst described as "huge resistance" before the outlook turns decisively bullish.
The analyst also highlighted XRP’s steep drawdown, noting that the altcoin trades roughly 73% below its all-time high.
XRP’s Role as Bridge AssetXRP Ledger validator Vet on Sunday highlighted XRP’s built-in role as a bridge asset on the network’s decentralized exchange.
The XRP Ledger can automatically route trades through XRP when doing so improves trade execution. Vet said only 0.16% of DEX trades over the past 72 hours currently use this functionality, leaving considerable room for adoption if usage eventually reaches double-digit percentages.
He argued that XRPL’s protocol-native DEX can aggregate liquidity and automatically bridge long-tail assets more efficiently than fragmented smart-contract-based exchanges.
Ripple’s partnership with South Korea’s Jeonbuk Bank adds another institutional use case around the broader XRP ecosystem, although Ripple Payments adoption does not necessarily translate directly into XRP usage or demand.
Image: Shutterstock
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Crypto analyst EGRAG CRYPTO has drawn significant attention in the community with a newly published long-term chart for XRP, describing a key technical zone near $1.01 as of August 13. The analysis, titled “The Chasm,” outlines a series of major price targets for the digital asset in the coming years, projecting milestones at $2.50, $15, $27, and $50.
Key resistance at $2.50Prominent commentator Digital Perspectives emphasized that $2.50 remains the immediate resistance XRP must overcome to begin a new upward trend. He explained that breaching this level will be crucial before any higher targets can be considered realistic.
The chart published by EGRAG CRYPTO spans a period from 2015 through 2032, mapping XRP’s historical and potential future price movement within a logarithmic rising channel. Currently, the asset’s price sits close to the lower edge of this channel, suggesting that traders are watching for a possible breakout.
Digital Perspectives stated that XRP “needs to break above $2.50 before discussion can shift to higher targets,” identifying this mark as a technical gateway rather than just a psychological level.
Legislative backdrop and policy impactDigital Perspectives also linked the price outlook to developments surrounding the CLARITY Act in the U.S. Senate, noting that regulatory clarity may directly influence XRP’s ability to sustain a rally. With Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune pushing for a vote, the cloture motion on the CLARITY Act is scheduled for September 15, 2026. The bill will require at least 60 votes to proceed, with all 53 Senate Republicans expected to support it and at least seven Democrats needed to cross party lines.
The timing of this vote could become a catalyst for XRP, should it align with key price levels on the technical chart.
Market structure and institutional trendsEGRAG CRYPTO maintained that technical structure is more significant than market sentiment as XRP compresses within its current consolidation area. Past cycles have seen the asset trade sideways in similar zones before eventually breaking higher, which both EGRAG CRYPTO and Digital Perspectives highlighted as an important historical reference point.
The analyst urged that “while most will focus on volatility or fear, a few will recognize the underlying structure guiding XRP’s next move.”
The chart’s outlook suggests that, after clearing $2.50, XRP could accelerate toward the double-digit range, depending on both technical and legislative developments.
Amid this evolving technical landscape, a broader industry transformation is also underway. Traditional markets, often reliant on complex intermediaries, are witnessing a migration to Web3 solutions. Platforms like 1stepSwap now enable investors to manage shares of leading U.S. companies and hold tokenized assets such as gold or silver directly within their crypto wallets. By instantly sourcing the best market prices and removing middlemen, these models reflect a growing trend of integrating real-world assets with blockchain technology.
Both analysts stress that monitoring technical patterns and policy shifts remains vital for traders and investors seeking to anticipate the next major move in XRP.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Despite still experiencing significant upward movement in XRP price, Ripple aims to solidify its leading position in the blockchain ecosystem.
At this point, Ripple is expanding its corporate digital asset services by forging new partnerships to continue its global growth.
Accordingly, Ripple announced that it has established a strategic partnership with Jeonbuk Bank, one of South Korea’s most important regional banks.
The bank, which operates under the umbrella of JB Financial Group, will use Ripple Payments infrastructure for cross-border commercial payments.
According to Ripple’s official statement, Jeonbuk Bank will be the first regional bank in South Korea to use Ripple Payments.
The partnership aims to provide faster cross-border payment services, particularly to corporate clients such as import-export companies, technology startups, and online content creators who make international payments.
Thanks to Ripple, payments will be processed in minutes!
The statement indicates that Ripple Payments’ infrastructure can enable payments to be processed within seconds or minutes, 24/7.
The statement explains that Jeonbuk Bank’s use of Ripple Payments could reduce the numerous intermediary steps involved in the current SWIFT-based international money transfer process and support real-time payments in seconds.
Ripple Asia-Pacific General Manager Fiona Murray stated that the partnership demonstrates the growing interest of South Korea’s corporate finance sector in digital asset infrastructure.
JB Jeonbuk Bank Chairman Park Choon-won stated in his announcement that through this collaboration, the bank plans to enhance its digital financial competitiveness and expand its global financial services.
*This is not investment advice.
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Ripple Prime, Ripple’s prime brokerage firm, has closed the upsized offering of its senior unsecured notes to help support its U.S. expansion. This comes as the crypto firm continues to expand its operations under a crypto-friendly administration, even as the CLARITY Act stalls.
Ripple Prime Closes Upsized Offering Of Senior Notes In a press release, the crypto firm announced the successful close of the upsized $275 million private placement of senior unsecured notes that Ripple Prime issued to support its ongoing and expanding U.S. business. The firm noted that the offering generated much demand, attracting interest from a “diverse base of institutional investors in key financial markets.”
Ripple further revealed that its prime brokerage will specifically use the proceeds from the offering as working capital and for general coperate purposes. Commenting on this development, Noel Kimmel, President of Ripple Prime, said,
The robust support we received for our inaugural notes offering is a testament to the strength of our business today, and confidence in our long-term vision for the growing intersection of traditional and digital asset financial infrastructure.
Kimmel added that they now have an additional source of capital to invest in the team and technology as they look to boost their position as one of the largest non-bank prime brokers globally. Ripple Prime was previously Hidden Road before Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition last year.
Since the acquisition, Ripple Prime has integrated crypto trading into its services. Earlier this year, the firm added support for Hyperliquid, making the decentralized platform its first DeFi venue for its institutional clients to trade perpetuals.
Unsecured Notes Gain Investment Grade Rating The crypto firm also revealed that the unsecured notes received an investment-grade rating of BBB from the global credit rating agency KBRA. Earlier this year, KBRA assigned Ripple Prime an issuer rating of BBB.
The credit agency cited Ripple’s strong capital position, including its XRP holdings, as one reason for this rating. It also noted Ripple Prime’s growing balance sheet, further strengthened by the close of this offering.
The close of this offering notably comes as Ripple continues to expand its operations within and outside the U.S. As CoinGape reported earlier today, the crypto firm partnered with a Korean bank, which is deploying Ripple payments for real-time cross-border settlement.
For more on crypto trading, check out the Best Regulated Crypto Exchanges in the USA – Top Picks Compared in 2026
Coinbase is leading XRP's negative net wallet flows, accounting for nearly half of the seven-day imbalance.
Wallet activity related to XRP has become heavily weighted toward withdrawals.
Data shared by Analyst Amr Taha shows that Coinbase recorded a seven-day net wallet count of -14,300.
Coinbase Accounts for 47.3% of the Imbalance Net wallet count is just a simple score that shows whether more people are putting crypto into an exchange or taking it out, and per Taha’s data, some of the largest crypto trading venues are all negative for this metric.
On Binance, the number is -3,270 net wallets, and on Crypto.com, it stands at -2,680. Interestingly, the two exchanges first moved below zero on July 18, almost a week after Coinbase did the same, suggesting the imbalance wasn’t just down to a spike from one day of trading.
What this essentially means is that there are more wallets withdrawing XRP on these trading venues than those making deposits, and Coinbase has been the biggest hit.
According to the data Taha shared, as of August 18, the American exchange accounted for exactly 47.3% of the total absolute 7-day net wallet imbalance, which happens to be its highest level since July 2024.
Binance’s share also jumped, going from nearly zero on July 16 to about 10% of the current total. But such activity seems to have dropped on Upbit, whose share went from 40% in June to around 12% today.
You may also like: Ripple’s (XRP) $1 Breakdown Could Get Worse Before It Gets Better XRP Longs vs. Shorts: The Numbers Behind the $1 Battle Aren’t What They Seem Ripple (XRP) ETFs Remain in the Green, But the Actual Inflows Tell a Different Story XRP Struggling Below $1 Taha’s reading has come just as XRP once again went below the $1 level, with analysts like Crypto Patel suggesting things could get much worse before they improve. According to him, the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap could yet drop by a further 20% to 40%, taking it to an accumulation zone between $0.85 and $0.65.
Meanwhile, another market watcher, ChartNerd, has said the asset is currently repeating the same coiling pattern it formed before a major bull run in the past, just on a bigger scale. He predicts there could be a strong breakout from the current retest zone toward $8, $13, and $27, as long as the ascending support holds.
XRP was still trading just under the $1 mark at the time of writing, with CoinGecko data showing it had barely moved in 24 hours but had dropped by slightly more than 1% over seven days.
Every other chart bled red, with the asset down 7% in two weeks and 9% across 30 days. However, the biggest come-down was on the yearly chart, which showed that the Ripple token has plunged well over 66% from where it was 12 months ago.
Ripple's former CTO, David Schwartz, revealed that he once held approximately 26 million XRP, but this amount has decreased to around 2 million XRP over time.
David Schwartz, former CTO of Ripple and a prominent figure in the XRP Ledger, made a noteworthy statement regarding his personal XRP holdings.
According to David Schwartz, in a post on the X platform, he stated that he once held approximately 26 million XRP, but this amount has decreased to approximately 2 million XRP over time.
A Decrease of 24 Million XRP! Schwartz’s statement came in response to a user’s question about the size of his personal XRP holdings. The former Ripple executive stated that his XRP holdings reached approximately 26 million tokens at their peak, and today he holds around 2 million XRP.
These figures mean Schwartz has reduced his XRP position by approximately 92 percent.
Schwartz has previously stated that he has gradually reduced his XRP holdings and that risk management has played a significant role in these decisions.
In previous statements made in 2026, he said that he preferred to reduce his position as the XRP price rose, stating that holding large amounts of cryptocurrency posed a significant risk for him and that he disliked taking risks.
However, there is no detailed information on when and at what price Schwartz reduced his XRP holdings from 26 million XRP to the current 2 million XRP. Therefore, the statement reveals the total change in his personal XRP holdings over time, not a specific sales transaction.
*This is not investment advice.
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Amid subdued crypto sentiment and capital outflows, EiCrypto is promoting cloud mining as a way for holders to generate cash flow from idle digital assets.
Summary
EiCrypto launches cloud mining services aimed at helping crypto holders put idle BTC, ETH and DOGE assets to work. With crypto liquidity weakening, EiCrypto introduces cloud mining contracts that let users access computing power without owning hardware. EiCrypto expands into cloud mining with renewable-powered infrastructure, offering holders an alternative way to generate returns from digital assets. Cryptocurrency market sentiment has recently been subdued, driven primarily by a breakdown in on-chain liquidity transmission, persistent net outflows from spot ETFs, sell-offs by whales and large holders (such as Strategy), and a macro-level decoupling between traditional finance and crypto assets. Although US stocks have hit new highs on expectations of interest rate cuts, capital has not effectively flowed into the crypto market.
Consequently, a large number of long-term cryptocurrency holders face two issues: price volatility and asset dormancy.
Price Volatility: The prices of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP are susceptible to factors including market sentiment, macroeconomic conditions, policy changes, and capital flows, potentially leading to significant fluctuations within short periods. Investors relying solely on price appreciation for returns must wait for market opportunities over the long term while also bearing the risk of price declines. Asset Dormancy: When investors choose to hold digital assets for the long term, the assets themselves typically remain in a relatively “dormant” state unless they are traded, staked, or utilized in other digital asset services. In other words, while the assets possess potential long-term value, they do not automatically generate additional cash flow while the investor waits for price appreciation. Consequently, an increasing number of users are shifting their investment mindset; while retaining their assets and the potential for long-term growth, they are seeking alternative ways to enhance asset utilization and establish diversified passive income streams.
In response to growing market demand, EiCrypto has launched a brand-new cloud mining service. Leveraging a unique contract mechanism that links hash power to returns, the service enables users to effectively mitigate market volatility risks and convert idle assets — such as BTC, ETH, and DOGE — into cash flow, thereby establishing an efficient passive income solution.
EiCrypto operates mining facilities across more than 100 countries, utilizing over 800,000 mining units powered entirely by renewable energy and situated in regions with low electricity costs and stable infrastructure.
These mining facilities operate continuously to mine cryptocurrency. Users do not need to purchase hardware or grapple with technical complexities; instead, they participate remotely by selecting cloud mining contract plans via the EiCrypto platform, thereby securing the right to utilize computing power for a fixed contract term. The share of computing power purchased determines the user’s final returns.
Join EiCrypto cloud mining quickly in just three steps.
Register an Account: Sign up here to receive a $15 new-user bonus.
Deposit Methods: EiCrypto supports a wide range of mainstream digital assets; users can deposit major cryptocurrencies such as BTC, USDT, ETH, LTC, USDC, XRP, SOL, and BNB.
Select a Contract: Choose a cloud mining contract that suits a particular budget and timeframe; the system will then operate automatically.
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Once the contract is activated, earnings will be automatically settled to an account after 24 hours. Users can choose to withdraw their earnings or reinvest them, thereby achieving long-term, compound growth of their digital assets.
EiCrypto has established multiple security mechanisms regarding compliance and safety:
Annual financial and security compliance audits by PwC; Digital asset custody insurance from Lloyd’s of London; Cloudflare enterprise-grade cybersecurity protection and McAfee® security systems; AI-driven risk control, multi-layered encryption architecture, and two-factor authentication (2FA). In conclusion EiCrypto’s new cloud mining model effectively solves the two major problems of price volatility and asset idleness. In the future, what will truly differentiate us will not only be wealth accumulation, but also our level of understanding and innovation capabilities.
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Disclosure: This content is provided by a third party. Neither crypto.news nor the author of this article endorses any product mentioned on this page. Users should conduct their own research before taking any action related to the company.
Technical analysts have identified a potential trend reversal for $XRP, highlighting a convergence of moving averages and strong price support around the $0.93 to $1.00 range. Chart analyst EGRAG CRYPTO flagged the recent crossing of the 200-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the 200-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on XRP’s three-day chart, describing it as a signal seen during previous macro bottoms.
Moving averages signal possible bottomThe compression of the 200 SMA and 200 EMA follows a period of significant price declines and, according to EGRAG CRYPTO, may mark the early stages of a new upward trend. Historically, this type of moving average crossover has suggested that a bottoming phase is underway rather than a breakdown.
Moon Lambo, a cryptocurrency commentator, reinforced this analysis in a recent video, stating that traders should watch for price activity around the $1 level on XRP, where psychological and technical support converge.
Both analysts note that liquidity remains concentrated below current price levels, with channel support aligning near the $0.93 to $1 zone.
Mini dictionary: Moving average cross, A technical pattern where two moving averages (such as 200 SMA and 200 EMA) intersect, often used by traders to identify changes in trend direction.
$0.93–$1.00: Critical zone for shakeout and reversalEGRAG CRYPTO identifies the area between $0.93 and $1.00 as crucial for a possible wick, which could shake out late buyers and attract short sellers before a reversal to the upside. He explained that a move below the current price, followed by a quick recovery above $1, would represent a classic market trap, often preceding strong upward moves.
My preferred scenario involves a wick into the $0.93–$1.00 range, a rapid reclaim of the $1.00 level, and a subsequent reversal. This setup typically flushes out late bullish traders, invites short sellers, and then flips direction.
Moon Lambo echoed this view, suggesting that a brief drop into the highlighted zone would not alarm traders who understand the technical factors at play.
Should XRP avoid dipping into this support area and instead reclaim higher price structure early, EGRAG CRYPTO considers this scenario even more bullish.
Market outlook and next resistance levelsEGRAG CRYPTO emphasized that he sees the current structure as a bottoming phase for XRP, not a sign of further declines. He points to a potential rally if XRP breaks out cleanly from this key zone.
Those lacking technical experience may view a dip into the $0.93–$1.00 range as a breakdown. However, market participants who understand the structure will likely see it as an entry opportunity for the next upward leg.
EGRAG CRYPTO’s analysis includes a charted pathway with the next target set within the so-called “Yellow Range,” spanning $1.62 to $2.30 upon a confirmed reversal from the anticipated support zone.
Key SupportResistance (“Yellow Range”)Moving Averages$0.93–$1.00$1.62–$2.30200 SMA & 200 EMA crossThe main question, as highlighted by EGRAG CRYPTO, is whether the market will produce a final wick into the $0.93–$1.00 zone before momentum reverses, or whether strength already in place will propel XRP upward without a new low.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
A CryptoQuant analyst said XRP open interest on Binance has climbed to approximately $461.3 million, its highest level in two months, signaling increased activity in the token’s derivatives market.
Open interest has risen from around $360 million at the beginning of August while XRP trades near $1.00, reflecting a significant increase in capital committed to outstanding derivatives positions.
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The analyst noted that rising open interest does not indicate whether traders are predominantly positioned long or short. Instead, the increase points to greater participation and speculation in the XRP derivatives market.
If XRP rises while open interest continues to increase, it could indicate new positions supporting upward momentum. Conversely, continued price weakness alongside elevated open interest could increase the risk of liquidations and sharper price moves.
The analyst said funding rates, trading volume and the long to short ratio will be important indicators for assessing how traders are positioned as XRP approaches key price levels.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.
XRP is approaching a deadline that could put its market under pressure. A new unlocking wave scheduled by Ripple is set to release a massive amount of tokens, while the price is already trading around a sensitive technical level. Behind the spectacular figure of this operation lies a more nuanced reality. Not all unlocked XRP necessarily join the market. Between genuinely available supply, risk of selling pressure, and price fragility, the coming weeks could become decisive for XRP.
In Brief Ripple plans to unlock 1 billion XRP on September 1st. 600 to 800 million XRP are expected to be re-locked, limiting the supply actually injected. 200 to 400 million XRP could enter the market to fund Ripple’s activities and ecosystem. XRP trades around the sensitive $1 threshold, in a fragile technical setup. The Background of a Massive Asset Unlocking by Ripple As September 1st approaches, the American company Ripple prepares to execute a contractual routine established since the end of 2017: the monthly unlocking of one billion XRP tokens freed from its escrow accounts. The company had strategically chosen at the time to isolate 55 billion XRP in fixed-term contracts to bring predictability to the management of its reserves.
At the current price hovering around one dollar per token, this operation represents the theoretical equivalent of one billion dollars injected into the market. However, interpreting these figures does not reflect the operational reality observed on the blockchain. Transaction history shows that the firm systematically re-locks between 600 million and 800 million XRP in new time-lock contracts. Consequently, the actual increase in circulating supply each month is only within the range of 200 million to 400 million XRP.
These resources genuinely integrated into the market are also not intended to be wildly sold on exchange order books. Ripple reinjects those 200 to 400 million dollars of assets to support its overall operational infrastructure, feed its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) service, seal institutional partnerships, and fund ecosystem development initiatives. Relative to the global crypto market, this net monthly contribution remains relatively modest.
In comparison, XRP’s daily transaction volume very frequently exceeds the one billion dollar mark on major international exchanges. The highly predictable and planned nature of these issuances historically limits their direct impact on prices. While brief periods of volatility sometimes occur at the unlocking, the market generally tends to stabilize once the amounts re-locked under escrow are confirmed, as institutional investors have factored in this parameter for several years.
To better understand the real functioning of this recurring financial operation, its key characteristics should be summarized as follows :
The nominal unlocked volume : 1 billion XRP released on September 1st from the initial escrow contracts of 55 billion dating from 2017 ; The re-escrow locking : 600 million to 800 million XRP immediately locked again in new forward contracts ; The real net injection : 200 million to 400 million XRP effectively put into circulation, equivalent to a net value of 200 to 400 million dollars ; Allocation of funds : financing On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) services, institutional partnerships, and ecosystem development ; Liquidity context : a net contribution absorbed by a daily XRP trading volume greater than 1 billion dollars on crypto exchanges. The Technical Fragility of XRP Facing Support Tests The real concern of analysts lies not so much in the schedule but in the delicate technical configuration in which Ripple’s crypto finds itself at the time of this release. The token slips below its major $1 support, trading at $0.99 with a 0.3% decline over the last 24 hours and a cumulative drop of more than 1% on the weekly scale.
This passage below the psychological dollar mark is accompanied by concerning weakness signals from a trend-following perspective. The crypto’s price now moves below its simple 50-day moving average, set at $1.07, confirming short-term dominance of bearish pressure. Moreover, the gap separating it from its 200-day simple moving average, located at $1.28, highlights the deterioration of the underlying longer-term momentum.
From a momentum indicator standpoint, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 37.83. Although the crypto remains formally in the neutral zone, this level dangerously flirts with the critical threshold of 30, marking the oversold boundary. This configuration indicates persistent selling pressure, though not yet extreme. If the slide continues, the asset risks sinking further into an oversold zone, while a rebound of the RSI above 50 would be necessary to hope for a return of bullish momentum.
Future Challenges for the Crypto’s Trajectory Between Ripple’s accounting management and the graphic realities of its token, the challenge for the next two weeks promises to be decisive for investor confidence. Although experience shows that the absorption of the net supply of 200 to 400 million XRP usually occurs without major shocks thanks to large trading volumes, the current fragility of technical support could increase investor nervousness.
The market thus faces a complex trade-off between the theoretical neutrality of a programmed mechanism and the psychology of actors reluctant to accumulate an asset below its main moving averages. In this context, where short- and medium-term trends remain bearish, buyers’ ability to defend the $0.99 zone and quickly push the XRP price back towards the 50 SMA at $1.07 will be decisive. Failure to regain these key levels could anchor the token in a prolonged stagnation phase, turning calendar regularity into an additional catalyst of uncertainty.
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Luc Jose A.
Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d'une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j'ai rejoint l'aventure Cointribune en 2019. Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l'économie, j'ai pris l'engagement de sensibiliser et d'informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu'elle offre. Je m'efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l'actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
A long-standing theory connecting Elon Musk to XRP and, by extension, to XLM, has re-entered discussion within the cryptocurrency community. The renewed debate stems from content by Digital Asset Investor, a well-known social media figure in crypto circles, who says he introduced the hypothesis years before it gained wider attention.
The timeline behind the Musk-XRP theoryThe core of the argument traces back to 1999, when Musk established X.com, one of the earliest digital payments companies. That firm pioneered what some describe as the first instantaneous digital currency transfers before merging with what eventually became PayPal. Musk later shifted focus to aerospace technology, founding SpaceX and dedicating himself to rocket development for over a decade.
Supporters of the theory propose that this apparent change in direction was actually a form of strategic separation allowing Musk to maintain covert ties with digital payments. After reacquiring the X.com domain and purchasing Twitter, which he rebranded as X, Musk reportedly aimed to harness the platform’s vast, largely verified user base for building an expansive money transfer system.
Mini dictionary: X.com — Founded in 1999 by Elon Musk, X.com was an early digital banking and payments venture that merged with Confinity to form PayPal, now one of the world’s largest online payments platforms.
Satellites, distributed nodes, and global paymentsThe theory takes a technical turn with claims that SpaceX’s Starlink satellite program could play a direct role in building XRP infrastructure. According to Digital Asset Investor, satellites launched by Musk’s company may soon serve as hosts for cryptocurrency nodes, creating new pathways for financial connectivity where traditional banking is not available.
Expanding on this, Digital Asset Investor recalls a previously reported story of an XRP node operating inside a Cold War-era underground bunker—suggesting that a distributed network of nodes in space, underground, or beneath the ocean could be resilient against disruptions.
One view asserts that “satellite-supported and geographically distributed crypto nodes would make it nearly impossible to shut down global payments infrastructure relying on XRP.”
Elon Musk’s position on XRPDespite speculation, Musk has avoided making explicit public statements about XRP. In one video segment, when asked if he envisioned XRP’s ledger integrating into global finance, Musk responded, “I certainly cannot speak to any specific crypto.”
Observers have noted that although Musk comments openly on Bitcoin and Dogecoin, he consistently refrains from mentioning XRP, a pattern that some consider intentional. For these theory supporters, his silence fuels further speculation.
Even when questioned directly, Musk consistently avoids addressing XRP, leaving followers to interpret his silence.
Developments on the XRP Ledger and AI integrationApart from the ongoing speculation around Musk, new data points to growth in the XRP ecosystem. The latest figures show that 2 million agentic transactions have been settled directly on the XRP Ledger. In these transactions, AI-powered agents pay each other using both XRP and RLUSD as settlement layers, highlighting a practical use for decentralized technology.
Monica Long, president of Ripple, described the company as “the only game in town” for overseeing digital asset lifecycle management with full compliance across various regions.
Mini dictionary: XRP Ledger — An open-source, decentralized blockchain developed by Ripple focusing on fast transactions, low costs, and efficient cross-border payments. RLUSD is a stablecoin operating within some ecosystems as a settlement asset.
While the hypothesis surrounding Musk and XRP continues to attract debate, recent advancements highlight ongoing innovation in decentralized payments, regardless of celebrity involvement.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
In a groundbreaking pilot backed by Dubai’s government, ten physical real estate towers have been fractionalized into 7.8 million digital tokens. These tokens are now approved for secondary-market trading through regulated platforms, with a minimum participation threshold of AED 2,000, equivalent to approximately $540. Settlement for transactions occurs within 3 to 5 seconds via the XRP Ledger (XRPL), with Ripple Custody safeguarding the digital assets throughout the process.
Dubai Land Department moves to tokenizationThe Dubai Land Department, the official government entity responsible for real estate registration and regulation in the emirate, selected XRPL as the foundation for this initiative. During the first phase, the team successfully minted title-deed tokens equivalent to more than $5 million in property value.
Phase two has launched controlled secondary trading, allowing investors to purchase and resell fractional shares of these properties. All asset transfers are synchronized in real time with the official land registry, ensuring consistency between the digital and traditional records.
Dubai’s long-term strategy aims to tokenize 7% of the city’s real estate market—estimated at roughly $16 billion, or AED 60 billion—by 2033. Scaling up from the current pilot of ten properties will require onboarding a larger number of title deeds, further development of regulated distribution channels, and increased participation from both retail and institutional investors.
Lower investment thresholds and a liquid secondary market are positioned to attract a wider pool of capital, including international participants. As more properties are tokenized under the supervision of Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and trading volumes increase, the cumulative value of tokenized property is projected to build steadily toward the 7% market share target.
PhaseTokenized PropertiesProperty ValueTrading AccessPhase One10 towers$5 millionMinting onlyPhase Two10 towers$5 million+Secondary market launched2033 Target~7% of Dubai market$16 billionOpen, regulatedXRPL and regulated digital real estate infrastructureThe selection of XRP Ledger is linked to its established reputation for speed, stability, and cost efficiency, making it suitable for managing high-value physical assets with clear audit trails. Ctrl Alt, a digital infrastructure provider, handles the technical aspects of minting and managing the property titles on-chain.
Ripple Custody ensures the tokens are protected with institutional security measures. Unlike traditional crypto products that lack underlying physical assets, these tokens correspond to actual legal title deeds endorsed and issued by a government body. Structured as Asset-Referenced Virtual Assets, they comply fully with local legal requirements, but are native to the blockchain environment.
Settlement times for secondary trades are reduced from several weeks to just seconds by recording changes both in the traditional registry and on-chain. The dual-ledger approach provides robust legal certainty while boosting operational efficiency.
The involvement of Dubai’s sovereign land registry with XRPL highlights growing confidence among authorities in using public blockchains for critical, regulated asset classes. The current pilot demonstrates full end-to-end functionality from government title issuance to near-instant trading and secure custody.
Officials expect the property token set to expand over time, aligning with Dubai’s vision to become a global digital asset leader and supporting ambitions to grow tokenized real estate to the targeted $16 billion scale by 2033.
Mini dictionary: XRP Ledger (XRPL), Public blockchain developed by Ripple, known for its speed, low transaction costs, and proven support for both cryptocurrency and tokenized real-world assets such as property and financial instruments.
Fractional ownership of Dubai real estate is now accessible via blockchain tokens, offering rapid settlement and secure custody while ensuring all transfers remain compliant with official land registry records.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
The decentralized exchange (DEX) built into the XRP Ledger processed more than 4,200 trades through its native bridge asset, XRP, in a 72-hour period, according to Vet, an active validator on the network. The recent visualization shared by Vet demonstrated the XRP Ledger’s distinctive auto-bridging protocol functioning at scale and highlighted thousands of trades routed automatically through XRP to optimize execution for traders.
How auto-bridging powers the XRPL DEXAuto-bridging is a built-in feature of the XRP Ledger DEX that enables trade offers between two assets (IOUs) to settle through XRP when this route produces a better deal for users. This automation occurs at the protocol level, requiring no extra input from the trader. As a result, every trade on the XRPL DEX can access the deepest available liquidity on the network instead of being split across fragmented pools.
Over a 72-hour snapshot, the DEX processed a total of 4,200 IOU-to-IOU trade offers via auto-bridging, with over 6,700 XRP routed in total. The majority of sell-side volume came from XAH trades, with 4,265 XRP trades and 4,232 XRP sold, while RLUSD dominated the receive side, recording 4,247 trades and 5,153 XRP received. This trading activity reflects the XRP Ledger’s core design as a single, unified venue for cross-asset trades.
“XRP is the native bridge asset of the XRP Ledger. This is a live look of the last 72 hours on the XRPL DEX of trades going through XRP. It’s a protocol-native functionality doing this by default. The XRPL routes automatically DEX offers through $XRP if it improves the trade quality,” Vet explained in his visualization.
Mini dictionary: Auto-bridging refers to the automatic routing of trades through a network’s primary asset (in this case, XRP) instead of requiring users to manually select bridges, ensuring optimal rates and increased liquidity for decentralized trades.
AssetTrades (Last 72h)XRP Routed/SoldXAH (sell side)4,2654,232 XRPRLUSD (receive side)4,2475,153 XRPXAH trade dominance and cross-chain movementQuestions from community members focused on the consistently high XAH volume displayed in the visualization. Vet attributed this to an active market maker operating in that specific order book. He also pointed out that XAH, a digital asset issued on the XRP Ledger, maintains genuine demand. Users frequently move funds between Xahau, a specialized smart contract network, and the XRP Ledger using the network’s cross-chain teleport feature.
This flow between blockchains creates consistent DEX activity. Vet further stated that the auto-bridging function allows the decentralized exchange to aggregate liquidity and trading volume more effectively than fragmented smart contract DEX platforms. Traders always interact on the same unified platform, allowing the protocol to optimize order routing network-wide.
Mini dictionary: Xahau is an independent, smart contract-enabled blockchain network designed with interoperability for the XRP Ledger. The teleport feature enables assets to move seamlessly between Xahau and XRPL.
The protocol aggregates liquidity and trades in a way that enables smaller, less-traded assets to benefit from deeper liquidity and improved trading outcomes.
Liquidity providers, AMM routing, and future outlookVincent Van Code, a software engineer specializing in blockchain protocols, raised questions regarding routing through automated market makers (AMMs) and liquidity providers. Vet responded that an estimated 31% of auto-bridged volume on XRPL DEX passes through AMM or liquidity provider pools, though he cautioned that this figure was approximate and that detailed breakdowns require more comprehensive data.
Despite the vivid data from Vet’s 72-hour snapshot, current auto-bridging activity accounts for just 0.16% of total DEX trades in the given period. While the share remains low, Vet suggested that as usage of the protocol grows and auto-bridged volume rises to double digits, the feature will become a more prominent part of the XRP Ledger DEX. For now, the technical groundwork is in place and proving capable of handling high-volume and cross-asset trades efficiently.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP are showing signs of a short-term recovery, but the market remains at an important point. Recent price action shows that the three cryptocurrencies have avoided deeper declines for now, while several resistance levels are still limiting a stronger recovery.
Bitcoin Holds $62,000 SupportBitcoin remains inside a wide trading range, with $60,000 acting as major support and $66,000-$67,000 as resistance.
The most important downside area is around $62,000-$62,200. Bitcoin has so far stayed above this level, keeping its recent price structure intact.
A confirmed move below $62,000 could create a new lower low and increase the chance of a deeper decline in the following weeks. On the upside, a move above $65,500 could weaken the current bearish setup and allow Bitcoin to move higher.
Ethereum Struggles Below $2,000Ethereum is also moving within a range and continues to face resistance around $1,940-$1,970. ETH has support around $1,800-$1,830, while the wider support zone sits between approximately $1,500 and $1,600.
A sustained move above $1,970-$1,980 could improve Ethereum’s outlook and bring $2,130-$2,150 into focus. Above that range, the next resistance area is near $2,400.
The bearish divergence on the daily chart remains active, which could keep ETH moving sideways in the near term rather than starting a strong rally.
XRP Holds Around $1XRP remains weaker than Bitcoin and Ethereum. The weekly trend is still bearish, with the next major support around $0.93.
On the daily chart, XRP is holding close to the $1 level and is showing a possible bullish divergence between its price and RSI. The signal, however, has not been confirmed yet.
A stronger rebound accompanied by several positive daily closes could confirm the setup and lead to some relief over the next one to two weeks.
XRP could still lag Bitcoin during such a move because it has underperformed for an extended period.
What Traders Are Watching NowFor Bitcoin, $62,000 and $65,500 remain important levels. For Ethereum, attention is on $1,970, while XRP needs to defend $1 and show stronger buying activity.
A decisive move through these levels could provide a clearer picture of whether the current recovery can continue or whether Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP remain trapped within their existing ranges.
Story Ends Here
Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.
Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.
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Bitcoin trades above $64,000 as spot Bitcoin ETFs returned to net inflows on Monday.
Notable Statistics:
Coinglass data shows 64,687 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $242.91 million. SoSoValue data shows net inflows of $297.6 million from spot Bitcoin ETFs on Monday. Spot Ethereum ETFs saw net inflows of $30.85 million. In the past 24 hours, top gainers include Venice Token, Bitway and POL. Notable Developments:
Bitcoin Needs to Stay Above $63,000 for Fresh Upside: 10x ResearchBitcoin Will Bottom Against Stocks Within 4 to 12 Weeks, Analyst ForecastsMSTR CEO Calls MSCI’s Index Proposal ‘Ill-Advised,’ Says Bitcoin Is an Operating AssetCLARITY Act ‘Far From Dead,’ Analyst Argues Ahead of Trump-Attended Crypto MeetingTom Lee Says ETH’s First Breakout Since October 2025 ‘Would Be Good to See’XRP Whale Activity Surges 280% but Price Remains Around $1: What’s Going On?Trader Notes:
Crypto trader Jelle argued Bitcoin appears to be in the late stages of its bear market, with spot exchange volume at its lowest since 2019, more than half of supply underwater and exchange inflows slowing.
Seller Exhaustion and MVRV-Z metrics are also approaching historical bottom levels, suggesting a potential accumulation opportunity.
CryptosBatman explained Bitcoin has historically seen major trend shifts around U.S. midterm election years, making the 2026 vote a key window to watch.
With November approaching, the trader expects BTC’s price action to become particularly significant. The previous cycles have produced major repricing.
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Trader KillaXBT noted Bitcoin has consolidated above $61,000 for nearly two months, yet traders remain heavily focused on a potential drop toward $50,000.
The trader cautions against repeatedly lowering downside targets simply to fit a bearish bias, arguing that price action, not expectations, should dictate positioning.
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Bitcoin’s volatility falls to a cycle low, as traders shift to AI stocks and prediction markets.
Bitcoin’s recent volatility has dropped to multi-year lows, with its 30-day realized volatility standing at around 42%, compared to the S&P 500’s roughly 18% — marking the narrowest gap in volatility between the two assets on record. The market is stuck in a stalemate between buyers and sellers: sell-offs by corporates and mining firms cap upside gains, while deleveraging and ongoing accumulation by long-term holders limit downside declines. As Bitcoin’s volatility eases, some short-term traders have shifted their risk appetite to assets like AI stocks, tokenized equities, stock perpetuals, and prediction markets. A NYDIG study notes that short-term traders tend to chase volatility, narrative momentum, and upside potential, with “traders targeting 5x or 10x returns” now having options including Bitcoin, Nvidia, gold, stock perpetuals, 0DTE options, and sports event contracts. Data shows that monthly trading volume of traditional asset perpetuals on crypto platforms has surged more than fivefold from $52 billion in January to $268 billion in June. Meanwhile, South Korean retail traders have clearly shifted from cryptocurrencies to AI-related stocks, with trading volumes on major South Korean crypto exchanges falling by up to around 80% year-over-year. CoinDesk points out that the Bitcoin market is currently more like in a “dormant” state, with falling trading participation, shrinking market depth, and regulatory uncertainty combining to suppress volatility. If U.S. crypto regulation makes substantial progress, the macro environment shifts, or a new market narrative emerges, the current low-volatility regime could be broken, and thinner liquidity may further amplify price swings.
1 minutes ago
NVIDIA: Multi-GPU UMAP can process 870GB of vector data in 8 minutes, achieving a maximum speedup of 74 times.
NVIDIA has released a technical blog announcing that its cuML and cuVS libraries now support multi-GPU UMAP functionality, enabling distributed execution of dimensionality reduction for large-scale vector data across multiple GPUs—significantly cutting runtime while preserving embedding quality. NVIDIA noted that during tests on the MIRACL dataset (containing 106 million vectors, totaling ~870GB) run on a DGX system equipped with 8 H100 GPUs, cuML’s multi-GPU UMAP completed end-to-end processing in just 8 minutes, delivering up to 74x speedups over projected CPU-based implementations. Prior CPU-based solutions failed to process the full dataset even with 2TB of memory. The approach works by partitioning data into multiple clusters, building local k-nearest neighbor (kNN) graphs in parallel across different GPUs, then merging these into a global graph, thereby overcoming the memory constraints of a single GPU. NVIDIA added that this technology can reduce hundreds-of-GB UMAP tasks that previously took hours or even days to process down to just minutes.
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Market News: Anthropic Plans to Raise Over $10 Billion in Credit Lines Ahead of Its IPO
Market sources say Anthropic is asking lead banks to provide around $1.25 billion each in loans, while other major participating banks are expected to contribute roughly $1 billion apiece. Separately, reports indicate the credit line Anthropic aims to raise ahead of its IPO could exceed its $10 billion target.
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Axios reporter: The White House will host a tech leaders event with Trump tomorrow, and prediction market firms have not been invited.
According to Axios reporter Alex Isenstadt, the White House plans to co-host an event with President Trump tomorrow, with several tech industry leaders in attendance. White House sources noted that prediction market firms have not been invited to the event and will not participate. BlockBeats previously reported that on August 15, insiders disclosed that U.S. President Trump is expected to attend a crypto industry innovation conference at the White House next week, where he will hold discussions with executives from multiple crypto firms, as well as heads of prediction market and AI companies. Attendees of the conference include leaders from firms such as Coinbase, Ripple, Gemini, Robinhood, Polymarket, and Kalshi. All these executives are members of the newly established Innovation Advisory Committee of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Sources said the conference is scheduled to take place at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, aiming to hold policy dialogues around innovative fields including U.S. fintech, crypto assets, prediction markets, and artificial intelligence. CFTC Chairman Mike Selig and other government advisors are also expected to attend, while Treasury Secretary Bessent and Commerce Secretary Lutnick may be present.
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CASHCAT drops 30% following its listing on Robinhood, with one trader holding on despite an unrealized loss of $412,000 and has not sold yet.
According to Arkham's monitoring, trader 0x4B1 purchased CASHCAT tokens worth approximately $1.29 million when the asset launched on Robinhood, acquiring around 0.85% of its total supply at an average market cap of roughly $150 million at the time of purchase. After CASHCAT listed on Robinhood, its price dropped by about 30%, leaving the trader with an unrealized loss of roughly $412,000. However, on-chain data shows the trader has not sold any of the tokens to date.
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US media: Tesla’s Cybercab will be launched this month in Austin, but doubts remain over the safety of its autonomous driving.
Tesla plans to publicly unveil its Cybercab, a driverless taxi, in Austin, Texas, U.S. as early as this month. The vehicle features a steering-wheel and pedal-free design, with Tesla employees already testing the fully driverless version on private roads within the company’s campus. Reports note that Cybercab runs on Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving) software, though its autonomous driving capabilities and safety remain under scrutiny. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is still investigating Tesla’s FSD for traffic rule compliance issues, while existing Robotaxi services in some markets still have human safety drivers on board. Cybercab is designed to operate without in-vehicle personnel intervention; Tesla plans to use remote operators to handle emergencies and has started integrating Starlink connectivity into the vehicles. Data scale is another concern. Tesla stated in July that it needs to accumulate dedicated driving data for Cybercab. To date, Tesla’s unsupervised Robotaxis have logged around 380,000 miles across six cities, while Waymo has completed over 220 million miles of fully autonomous driving on public roads since 2020. Additionally, Cybercab’s lack of traditional driving controls may face restrictions under U.S. federal vehicle safety regulations. It remains unclear whether Tesla is seeking regulatory exemptions, according to reports. The Verge points out that as Cybercab’s launch approaches, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the autonomous driving safety and regulatory approvals required for its commercial operation.
Cash App is expanding its crypto offering through a new integration with MoonPay. Eligible U.S. users can use Cash App balances to buy assets including Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and USDT. The integration also allows users to fund supported wallets such as MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, BitPay, and Uniswap. Cash App previously focused mainly on Bitcoin before adding USDC support earlier in 2026. The MoonPay partnership lets Block offer broader crypto access without building separate infrastructure for each digital asset. Cash App is expanding its cryptocurrency access through a new MoonPay integration. Eligible users in the United States can now use their Cash App balances to buy more digital assets beyond Bitcoin and USDC.
The service gives users access to assets available through MoonPay, including ether, Solana, XRP and USDT. The move also connects Cash App balances with several external crypto wallets and services.
The partnership marks the first time the service has opened access to multiple cryptocurrencies through an outside crypto payments provider. It expands payment options for customers.
Cash App Opens Access to More Crypto Cash App users can fund purchases on MoonPay directly from their available balances. The supported wallet options include Ledger, BitPay, Trust Wallet, MetaMask, and Uniswap, among other services.
The mobile payment platform has more than 50 million users. Until recently, its crypto service mainly focused on Bitcoin before adding support for USDC earlier in 2026.
MoonPay Handles Wider Asset Support The MoonPay deal allows Block to offer access to more cryptocurrencies without building separate systems for each asset. MoonPay already supports a wide range of tokens and wallet connections.
Block can therefore keep bitcoin at the center of its digital asset strategy while giving customers more payment choices. The company can also rely on MoonPay for the technical links needed for broader crypto purchases.
Jack Dorsey has long supported bitcoin and has expressed doubts about stablecoins. However, he said customers wanted stablecoin access, which influenced Cash App’s decision to support USDC.
Morgan Kuntze, Block’s global partnerships lead, said the company wants to give customers choice and flexibility in how they pay. The MoonPay integration now extends that approach to several major cryptocurrencies while keeping Cash App as the funding source.
XRP slips below $1 even as Korean regional bank adopts Ripple Payments. (Daniel Bernard/Unsplash)Summary
XRP fell below $1 and is the weakest major token over the past day and week, even as Ripple expands its institutional partnerships.Ripple’s new deal with South Korea’s Jeonbuk Bank brings near real-time cross-border payments to regional business customers but does not clarify which stablecoin powers the transfers.Ripple’s push of its RLUSD stablecoin as the main settlement asset helps explain why growing institutional adoption has not lifted XRP, even as traders maintain heavily long futures positions amid increasingly negative social sentiment.XRP fell below its widely-watched $1 level to 98 cents in Asian morning hours Tuesday, its lowest price since November 2024.
The slide came as Ripple, the payments company closely associated with XRP, announced its third Korean partnership of the year, with Jeonbuk Bank becoming the first regional bank in the country to deploy Ripple Payments for cross-border transfers.
That followed custody and wallet infrastructure deals with Kyobo Life Insurance and Kbank earlier in 2026. Jeonbuk Bank was founded in 1969 in Jeonju, in Korea's south-west, and is the dominant lender in its home province.
In a release shared with CoinDesk, Ripple describes the service as delivering near real-time stablecoin cross-border settlement, without specifying which asset moves the money.
Bank transfers today hop between intermediary banks over the SWIFT messaging network and can take days to arrive. Ripple says its route settles in seconds to minutes and runs around the clock, which the bank will offer to business customers including importers, exporters, IT startups and online content creators.
Fiona Murray, Ripple's managing director for Asia Pacific, said in a statement the deal reflects growing momentum across Korea's institutional financial sector, with banks building digital asset capability and looking for long-term infrastructure partners. Regional banks play a vital role in the real economy, she said.
The company has spent the past year pushing RLUSD, the dollar-pegged token it issues, as the settlement asset for institutional work. CoinDesk asked Ripple which asset the Jeonbuk deployment uses and did not immediately receive a reply.
This distinction helps explain why a steady run of Ripple partnerships has done little for the token.
XRP traded above $3 at last year's highs and has spent August drifting toward and now through $1, CoinDesk data shows, while Ripple has been signing asset managers, custodians and banks.
The split shows on Ripple's own ledger. Tokenized real-world assets on the XRP Ledger are worth about $1.38 billion, as CoinDesk reported earlier in the month, of which $845 million is RLUSD. The stablecoin accounts for more than three fifths of everything issued there.
Meanwhile, traders are betting the price turns anyway.
Futures open interest stood at about $2.78 billion this week, as CoinDesk assessed, with more than three accounts holding long XRP positions for every one holding a short on Binance and a similar ratio on OKX, even as commentary about the token across social channels turned its most negative in three months.
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Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness
Building the Zcash Machine: Tachyon and Quantum Readiness
Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.
Jun 30, 2026
Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.
Why it matters:
Zcash’s Tachyon upgrade aims to scale shielded payments, improve quantum readiness, and test whether its funding, security, and governance can hold.
Ripple, a blockchain based payment solution, has announced its partnership with South Korea’s regional bank Jeonbuk Bank. This partnership brings Ripple deeper into South Korea’s banking system, and through Jeonbuk Bank, it will deploy Ripple Payments for international transfers, making it the first regional bank in the country to adopt the platform.
How the Ripple and Jeonbuk Bank Partnership Will WorkIn a recent press release, Ripple announced that this partnership will focus on improving Jeonbuk Bank’s international payment system. Using Ripple Payments, the bank aims to reduce the delays and complexity often linked to traditional cross border transfers.
Transfers that can take several days through traditional systems could instead settle in seconds to minutes. The service will also operate 24/7, including weekends and holidays.
Jeonbuk Bank is the first regional bank in Korea to deploy Ripple Payments, replacing multi-day SWIFT transfers with near real-time, 24/7 cross-border settlement for its business customers. Our third Korean partnership this year, after Kyobo Life Insurance and Kbank, partnering…
— Ripple (@Ripple) August 18, 2026 The new payment system will mainly support businesses that need to move money across borders quickly. These include import-export companies, IT startups and digital content creators.
Fiona Murray, managing director of Asia Pacific at Ripple, said that,
“This partnership with Jeonbuk Bank reflects the growing momentum we are seeing across Korea’s institutional financial sector.”
Even Jeonbuk Bank president Park Choon-won praises the deal, stating that,
“With this partnership with Ripple, JB Jeonbuk Bank is ready to move beyond its role as a regional bank and emerge as a digital finance leader that meets global standards.”
XRP Use Has Not Been ConfirmedWhile the partnership is now confirmed, both companies have not disclosed specific financial details. The announcement also did not clarify whether the payment system will use XRP, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, or direct fiat-to-fiat transfers.
A public launch date, fee structure, and the specific countries covered by the payment service have also not been announced yet.
Ripple’s own payment infrastructure already supports South Korean won (KRW) payments through local clearing rails. Its payment documentation lists KRW support for business-to-business transfers of up to $2 million per transaction, depending on the use case.
Ripple Builds More Banking Links in KoreaThis deal marks another major step for Ripple in South Korea, becoming its third major institutional partnership in the country this year.
On April 15, Kyobo Life Insurance partnered with Ripple to explore blockchain based government bond settlement.
Later on 27 April, Ripple partnered with Kbank, South Korea’s first internet only bank, to bring institutional Wallet as a Service through Ripple Custody.
And now partherning with Jeonbuk Bank to expand Ripple Payments to support faster cross border remittances services for Korean people.
Story Ends Here
Trust with CoinPedia:CoinPedia has been delivering accurate and timely cryptocurrency and blockchain updates since 2017. All content is created by our expert panel of analysts and journalists, following strict Editorial Guidelines based on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Every article is fact-checked against reputable sources to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability. Our review policy guarantees unbiased evaluations when recommending exchanges, platforms, or tools. We strive to provide timely updates about everything crypto & blockchain, right from startups to industry majors.
Investment Disclaimer:All opinions and insights shared represent the author's own views on current market conditions. Please do your own research before making investment decisions. Neither the writer nor the publication assumes responsibility for your financial choices.
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Quick Overview XRP hovers around the $1 mark, defending a critical support zone amid recent selling pressure. Large transactions on XRP Ledger jumped 280% within a 24-hour window, exceeding 38 significant transfers. SEC explores bringing traditional U.S. equities onto blockchain infrastructure for round-the-clock trading. Combined XRP ETF holdings total $933 million, with Bitwise commanding $298.52 million in net assets. Active addresses on XRP Ledger climbed to 49,929 in one day, marking a two-month peak amid bearish sentiment. The digital asset XRP continues to trade in the vicinity of $1 following a wave of bearish momentum that temporarily drove prices beneath this psychological threshold. Current pricing data from TradingView shows XRP at approximately $1.0026, representing a modest 1% recovery from its recent bottom.
XRP Price This $1 threshold has emerged as a critical zone of contention between bulls and bears. While purchasing activity has successfully defended this area multiple times, the overall directional bias remains tilted toward the downside as long as XRP fails to reclaim territory above $1.05.
Market analyst Ali Charts highlighted on X platform that whale-sized activity across the XRP Ledger has experienced a dramatic spike during the last 24-hour period. The data reveals that transactions valued above $1 million increased by an impressive 280%, pushing the count beyond 38 substantial transfers. Market participants are monitoring this heightened large-wallet activity as it may indicate strategic accumulation by institutional players.
Regulatory Meeting May Transform Digital Asset Ecosystem Reports indicate the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is evaluating a proposal to migrate American equity markets onto blockchain technology, enabling continuous trading operations. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins is scheduled to convene with President Trump, CFTC Chairman Michael Selig, and influential financial institutions such as Ripple, Coinbase, Nasdaq, NYSE, CME Group, and DTCC.
Cryptocurrency influencer Crypto Rover highlighted this development via X, characterizing it as a transformative move toward merging conventional financial systems with blockchain infrastructure. The participation of DTCC holds particular significance considering the organization processes the vast majority of equity settlement transactions in the United States.
Exchange-Traded Funds and Network Metrics U.S.-listed spot XRP exchange-traded funds registered zero net inflows on August 14. Cumulative inflows since their market debut have reached $1.51 billion, while total net assets under management stand at $933.01 million. Daily transaction volume reached $10.76 million, with Bitwise accounting for $6.95 million and Franklin Templeton contributing $2.23 million.
Source: SoSoValue Notably, all five available ETF products experienced daily valuation declines surpassing 1%.
Blockchain analytics from Santiment revealed that XRP Ledger network activity reached 49,929 active addresses on August 14, representing the strongest engagement level observed in more than sixty days. This uptick occurred simultaneously with social media sentiment toward XRP reaching its most negative point in three months.
😠 XRP negativity surged throughout this week as prices have failed to rally (so far). Crowd commentary is now at a 3-month bearish extreme across X, Reddit, Telegram, and other crypto channels.
⚡ The XRP Ledger, on the other hand, is not so quiet. $XRP just saw 49,929 active… pic.twitter.com/CmXxOHSYt0
— Santiment Intelligence (@SantimentData) August 14, 2026
Technical indicators show the Relative Strength Index positioned around 37.86, while the Stochastic RSI Fast hovers near 14.25, indicating potential oversold conditions. The MACD indicator remains in negative territory at approximately -0.025.
Market observers are focusing attention on the $0.9766 support zone. Successfully maintaining this level could establish a foundation for upward movement toward $1.04, with $1.10 serving as the subsequent target. The upcoming Senate cloture vote on the CLARITY Act, set for September 15, represents the next significant potential market catalyst.
XRP continues to face bearish pressure, with recent analyst commentary highlighting a potential accumulation zone as the cryptocurrency looks for direction. Institutional activity, particularly from Strive Financial Group, is bringing additional attention to XRP-linked exchange-traded funds, which could have lasting effects on the asset’s adoption narrative.
XRP price outlook and analyst predictionsAt press time, XRP is trading at $0.99. The 24-hour trading volume has reached $855 million, while the market capitalization stands at $62.68 billion. Despite signs of price stability in the last day, both XRP’s technical structure and the expansion of related ETFs could support a stronger move in the future.
Crypto analyst Crypto Patel has highlighted that the recent decline in XRP price serves as a warning echoed during the 2025 rally, when he cautioned investors as bullish momentum weakened above $3.
Following this warning, XRP experienced a steep correction, losing approximately 73% from its cycle peak and falling below $1 for the first time in nearly two years. The move below this psychological threshold has raised concerns about the underlying market structure.
Crypto Patel has identified the $0.85 to $0.65 range as a strategic accumulation point. He stated that a reversal is unlikely before another 20% to 40% decline in price, suggesting patience for long-term accumulation targets. Crypto Patel favors gradual accumulation near higher time frame demand zones instead of attempting to call the exact market bottom. His price targets remain $3, $5, $7, and $10 in future major rallies.
XRP’s drop of nearly 73% from its cycle top has brought the price below $1 for the first time in almost two years, creating substantial challenges for its market structure. The $0.85–$0.65 region could offer a meaningful accumulation opportunity, although a significant rebound may require a further pullback.
Institutional exposure to XRP ETFsData provided by BankXRP reveals that Strive Financial Group has publicly disclosed its exposure to XRP-based ETFs in an updated 13F regulatory filing. The filing lists investments in the Teucrium 2x Long Daily XRP ETF as well as the XRP ETF offered by Canary.
Strive Financial Group is a US-based asset management firm known for its engagement with alternative investment vehicles and emerging financial products.
This increased activity from Strive highlights the broader trend of institutions gaining exposure to regulated XRP products. While the 13F filing confirms holdings during the reporting period, it does not guarantee current positions or indicate a bullish stance. However, such disclosures do reflect growing interest in regulated digital asset instruments.
Industry commentators note that the presence of institutional players like Strive may help support long-term adoption, even if immediate market impact remains uncertain.
Mini dictionary: 13F filing, a quarterly report required by the US Securities and Exchange Commission for certain institutional investment managers, disclosing their equity holdings.
As investors monitor these developments, the next significant price move for XRP will likely hinge on buyers’ ability to maintain key support levels. If selling pressure dominates, XRP could see further losses. On the other hand, a reversal and subsequent breakout may set the stage for a move toward previously mentioned price targets.
Price LevelAnalyst PerspectiveMarket Cap24h Volume$0.99Current price, neutral zone$62.68 billion$855 million$0.85–$0.65Identified accumulation range––$3 / $5 / $7 / $10Long-term price targets––Market conditions and future outlookDespite optimism from institutional moves and ETF developments, XRP remains within a neutral trading range. While the broader cryptocurrency market has shown signs of improvement, analysts expect that only a firm shift in trend or a successful defense of critical support levels can prompt a sustainable rally in XRP.
Should buyer interest intensify at current levels, the cryptocurrency could consolidate and attempt higher moves. Otherwise, a lack of support could result in additional downward momentum, keeping the asset in a cautious stance.
Broader institutional interest in XRP-linked ETFs may lay the groundwork for future adoption, but a decisive turnaround in price action is necessary before a sustained rally can be expected.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
XRP is trading near the $1 mark, managing to regain ground after briefly slipping below this key psychological level amid recent selling pressure. TradingView currently shows XRP at around $1.00, reflecting a slight recovery of 1% from its latest low.
XRP price stabilizes as whale activity spikesThe $1 threshold has emerged as a major battleground between buyers and sellers in the XRP market. While bullish investors have managed to keep prices above this support level in several recent sessions, analysts note that momentum remains uncertain unless XRP can break above the $1.05 resistance area.
Market analyst Ali Charts reported that the XRP Ledger witnessed a sharp increase in large transactions during the past 24 hours. Transactions exceeding $1 million surged by 280%, reaching over 38 large transfers in a single day. This uptick in major movements has drawn attention to possible accumulation efforts from institutional or high-net-worth investors.
Whale activity on the XRP Ledger has soared over the past 24 hours, with transactions larger than $1 million climbing 280% and surpassing 38 significant moves.
SEC explores 24/7 equities trading on blockchainThe U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly considering a proposal to shift U.S. equity market infrastructure onto blockchain technology, which could enable continuous 24/7 trading. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump, CFTC Chairman Michael Selig, and top financial industry representatives, including Ripple, Coinbase, Nasdaq, NYSE, CME Group, and DTCC.
Crypto personality Crypto Rover described these discussions as a pivotal moment in bridging traditional finance and blockchain-based networks. The presence of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC)—a firm responsible for the vast majority of equity settlements in the United States—may further highlight the potential scope of this regulatory review.
Mini dictionary: DTCC (Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation), a US-based financial services company that provides post-trade clearing and settlement for the nation’s securities markets, processing trillions of dollars in transactions annually.
XRP ETFs and network growth metricsAll five U.S.-listed spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded daily valuation losses above 1%. No net inflows were registered on August 14. Overall, spot XRP ETFs have attracted $1.51 billion in cumulative inflows since launch, with combined net assets under management measured at $933 million.
ETF ProviderNet Assets ($ million)Daily Volume ($ million)Bitwise298.526.95Franklin TempletonNot disclosed2.23All ETFs Combined933.0110.76Blockchain analytics platform Santiment found that active addresses on the XRP Ledger spiked to 49,929 on August 14, the highest activity level recorded in more than two months. This surge coincided with increasingly negative sentiment on social platforms, marking the most bearish tone toward XRP in the last three months.
Social sentiment around XRP has dropped to a three-month low, even as daily active addresses on the XRP Ledger jumped to nearly 50,000.
Indicators show the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 37.86, with the Stochastic RSI Fast at 14.25, both suggesting XRP may be nearing oversold conditions. The MACD indicator is at roughly -0.025, remaining in negative territory.
Technical outlook and upcoming regulationsTraders are eyeing the $0.9766 support region. A successful defense of this level could open the way to a rebound toward $1.04, with $1.10 seen as a possible next target if upward momentum returns. Attention is also on the upcoming Senate cloture vote for the CLARITY Act, scheduled for September 15, which may serve as a significant regulatory catalyst for the broader digital asset sector.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Ripple has partnered with Jeonbuk Bank to deploy Ripple Payments for cross-border business remittances. This is making the lender the first regional bank in South Korea to adopt the service.
Ripple also stated that the deal is its third Korean partnership this year, following agreements with KBank and Kyobo Life Insurance. The service is intended to provide near-real-time settlement for Jeonbuk’s business customers, including import-export companies, IT startups, and online content creators, who have historically relied on transfers that take days to complete.
Jeonbuk Bank is the first regional bank in Korea to deploy Ripple Payments, replacing multi-day SWIFT transfers with near real-time, 24/7 cross-border settlement for its business customers. Our third Korean partnership this year, after Kyobo Life Insurance and Kbank, partnering…
— Ripple (@Ripple) August 18, 2026
The expansion adds to Ripple’s institutional presence in South Korea, but the Jeonbuk announcement does not yet specify whether XRP, RLUSD, or another settlement asset will be used for the remittances.
Jeonbuk Bank Becomes Ripple Third Korean Partner This Year Ripple Asia-Pacific Managing Director Fiona Murray said the Jeonbuk partnership reflects momentum in Korea’s institutional financial sector as financial institutions build digital-asset capabilities and seek long-term infrastructure partners. Jeonbuk Bank President Park Choon-won said the partnership would support the lender’s ambitions in digital finance and serve as a new growth engine for the bank.
Ripple Payments is presented as an alternative to traditional transfers that pass through multiple intermediary banks via the SWIFT network. Ripple said the service can complete settlement in seconds to minutes and operate around the clock, rather than relying on transfers that can take days.
Jeonbuk partnership follows Ripple’s April partnership with KBank, South Korea’s first internet-only bank. KBank serves 15 million users and is the exclusive banking partner of Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange. KBank and Ripple are conducting a second-phase proof of concept using Ripple’s Palisade digital wallet to test on-chain remittances to the United Arab Emirates and Thailand.
KBank pilot currently uses stablecoin-based settlement rather than XRP as a bridge asset. The partnership remains a multi-phase proof of concept rather than a live commercial remittance product.
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KBank and Kyobo Life Show Ripple’s Korea Strategy Jeonbuk follows Ripple’s April agreements with KBank and Kyobo Life Insurance. Kyobo Life, identified by Ripple as Korea’s largest life insurer, partnered with the company to explore tokenized government bond settlement using Ripple Custody. Murray was involved on Ripple’s side in that partnership.
Together, the three partnerships span custody, wallet infrastructure, and payments. Ripple’s Jeonbuk release describes these different starting points as part of an approach designed to support institutions across custody, payments, treasury, and wallet infrastructure.
These partnerships are arriving as South Korea finalizes its Digital Asset Basic Act, a digital-asset framework expected to classify stablecoins as payment instruments and impose new requirements on cross-border digital-asset activity. Reporting cited in the supplied evidence says Korean financial institutions have been accelerating blockchain infrastructure agreements as the framework develops.
The modern skyscrapers of the Yeouido financial district overlook the Han River in Seoul. KBank has said it plans to continue technical verification of stablecoin remittance use cases while South Korea’s legal framework develops. It has not confirmed a commercial launch timeline for the remittance service.
The evidence supports Ripple’s expanding institutional footprint in South Korea, with three partnerships announced this year across distinct financial services. It does not establish that Jeonbuk’s deployment or the other Korean agreements will use XRP for settlement.
For now, KBank’s stablecoin-based testing and any future activation of On-Demand Liquidity remain the key distinction between broader Ripple adoption and the confirmed use of XRP.
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South Korea's Jeonbuk Bank is set to deploy Ripple Payments as businesses seek faster alternatives to traditional cross-border transfer routes.
Ripple has partnered with Jeonbuk Bank in South Korea as the latter prepares to deploy Ripple Payments for cross-border remittances. The deal makes Jeonbuk Bank the first regional bank in the country to deploy the payment service.
The main objective is to support businesses that have traditionally faced several days of delays when moving money across borders via conventional transfers.
Expansion in Korea The partnership will be used for international transfers for businesses such as import-export companies, IT startups, and online content creators. Traditional transfers can take days to complete as payments move through multiple intermediary banks via the SWIFT network. Ripple Payments handles settlement in seconds to minutes and operates 24/7.
Weighing in on the development, JB Jeonbuk Bank’s President, Park Choon-won, said,
“With this partnership with Ripple, JB Jeonbuk Bank is ready to move beyond its role as a regional bank and emerge as a digital finance leader that meets global standards. This partnership will become a new growth engine for the bank, and we will lead innovation that reshapes the financial paradigm, going beyond the adoption of new technology.”
The announcement follows two other Ripple deals in South Korea this year. In April, the fintech company teamed up with Kyobo Life Insurance to focus on tokenized government bond transactions. The companies previously said that they would assess the technical and regulatory requirements for the approach, using Ripple Custody to support the storage, transfer, and settlement of tokenized assets. This was Ripple’s first deal with a major insurance institution in the country.
KBank is also working with Ripple to test how blockchain infrastructure could be integrated into its existing cross-border transfer system. The internet-only bank is running a two-phase proof of concept. It plans to use the company’s Palisade digital wallet during this stage.
Beyond its work with banks and financial institutions, Ripple has also been expanding the reach of RLUSD in South Korea. One of the company’s executives recently revealed that the stablecoin is now listed on the four largest crypto exchanges in the country – Upbit, Bithumb, Korbit, and Coinone.
You may also like: Delio’s Jeong Sang-ho Handed 15-Year Sentence Over 70B Won Crypto Scandal Big Win for XRP Holders: On-Chain Options Arrive via Flare’s FXRP XRP Closed at a 21-Month Low, but the Bigger Ripple Story Is Elsewhere Price Faces Downside Risks On the price side of things, XRP’s struggle around $1 has left the token vulnerable to another decline. One analyst has projected a potential decline of 20% to 40%. That would put the token between $0.85 and $0.65, a range that could serve as a macro accumulation zone.
Still, short-term momentum is showing some signs of stabilizing. Another market watcher said XRP’s four-hour RSI is holding near 42, while tighter price action suggests selling pressure has eased. For a stronger recovery, $1.015, $1.05, and $1.081 are levels to watch. A sustained move above $1.081 may open the way toward $1.145 and $1.20.
Ripple president Monica Long emphasized the company’s strategic focus on regulatory compliance, stating that Ripple has secured over 75 licenses worldwide to facilitate enterprise digital asset adoption. Ripple, a California-based blockchain payments firm, has invested more than a decade in establishing a compliance-focused environment to meet the needs of institutional clients.
Compliance and regulatory achievementsMonica Long explained that Ripple deliberately built its business “the hard way,” prioritizing licensing and regulatory certainty. Ripple now operates with more than 75 licenses across global jurisdictions, creating a framework for legal operation where many digital asset companies face barriers.
Long described Ripple as “a main character, especially in serving the enterprise and serving institutions.” She cited the company’s regulatory experience as a key reason institutional partners choose Ripple over less established competitors.
Ripple’s commitment to compliance has led to licenses in over 75 jurisdictions, enabling its presence in markets that demand strict regulatory standards.
The company remains committed to its long-held vision of the “Internet of Value,” which seeks to make the transfer of value as fast and accessible as information exchange. Ripple has positioned itself as a leader in providing integrated services for institutions navigating the evolving digital asset landscape.
Mini dictionary: Ripple — a San Francisco-based fintech firm specializing in blockchain-based global payment solutions. Known for its use of the XRP digital asset to facilitate cross-border transactions, Ripple collaborates with financial institutions to streamline settlement processes.
Community reactions and skepticismFeedback from the XRP community was divided following Long’s statements. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) argued that Ripple’s decade-long focus on institutions has not yielded substantial benefits for retail holders of XRP. Detractors referred to the company’s messaging as repetitive and the licensing achievements as “useless licenses.”
Several critics highlighted that XRP continues to trade below $1, questioning the practical impact of Ripple’s regulatory push and industry partnerships. Others described the communications as empty, expressing disappointment over the lack of direct retail returns.
Opinions within the XRP community reflect both frustration and doubt about the real-world benefits of Ripple’s institutional strategy.
Support for Ripple’s strategyOn the other hand, supporters characterized Ripple’s accumulation of licenses and end-to-end service offering as a significant competitive advantage. Some pointed to the company’s comprehensive coverage of custody, payment, and exchange functions as making Ripple difficult to replicate.
Another XRP advocate argued that, at around $1, XRP’s risk-reward profile remains attractive compared to other digital assets, suggesting optimism about its longer-term prospects.
AspectRippleCompetitorsLicenses Held75+Varies, often lessService RangeCustody, payments, compliance, settlementOften focused on single elementsLegal AccessMultiple key marketsRestricted in some jurisdictionsIntegrated digital asset lifecycle and institutional longevityLong claimed Ripple can provide the full digital asset lifecycle within a single platform, including custody, payments, compliance, and settlement. She positioned this integrated model as a core differentiator for institutions seeking legal certainty and operational efficiency.
Long also highlighted Ripple’s track record, noting the company’s consistent operation and deepening institutional relationships over 13 years in the industry. This is especially notable in a sector where many firms have been forced to exit due to regulatory challenges.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
Discussions around XRP have typically centered on the asset’s real-world utility, but investor and commentator Erin Lane has raised concerns about whether usage of the XRP Ledger and broader ecosystem directly benefits XRP holders. Lane’s recent comments suggest the key issue could be how much economic value generated by the network actually reaches those holding the token.
Value capture debate in the XRP ecosystemLane, who regularly comments on crypto topics, referenced a perspective from Altcoin Daily, a prominent digital asset analysis platform. She argued that proving XRP’s real-world application is not in itself enough and stated that “the biggest issue with XRP may not have been whether it has real world applications after all.” Instead, Lane questioned if there are mechanisms that ensure a portion of the network’s value accumulation is ultimately shared with token holders.
Drawing a comparison to crypto protocols that feature token buyback mechanisms, Lane outlined a possible scenario in which usage of a network generates revenue, which could then be directed toward supporting token demand via structured buybacks. She described this value flow as: network usage brings revenue, revenue prompts buybacks, and these buybacks enhance demand for the token.
Lane emphasized that if XRP adopted a similar mechanism, it could alter the investment case for the asset significantly.
Lane believes the focus for XRP should move beyond utility and include “how much of the network’s value is actually passed on to XRP holders.”
Altcoin Daily: Ripple’s strength versus XRP’s priceLane also referenced Altcoin Daily’s longstanding positive stance on Ripple, the company behind the XRP Ledger. Altcoin Daily, whose real name is Aaron Arnold, expressed in a video that he feels “insanely bullish” on Ripple as a growing blockchain company, but has seen less compelling price growth from XRP over recent years.
Altcoin Daily described his views on Ripple and XRP following conversations with various industry participants, including Sergei Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, at the SmartCon conference in New York. He highlighted ongoing changes within the XRP ecosystem yet pointed out that these developments have not translated into significant price appreciation for the XRP token.
Mini dictionary: Ripple is a fintech company based in San Francisco, known for developing the XRP Ledger, an open-source blockchain designed for fast and low-cost international payments.
The distinction between Ripple’s business success and the limited price performance of XRP was a central concern in Lane’s discussion.
XRP’s future as a liquidity tool under scrutinyLane pointed to the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s recognition of XRP as a digital commodity. This classification could set the stage for the asset to play a broader role in global financial infrastructure.
She questioned whether XRP could shift toward functioning primarily as a tool for liquidity within institutional frameworks, rather than only as a speculative asset. The viability of this shift would depend on increased institutional use of XRP and the introduction of mechanisms that tie network activity more directly to token demand.
Supporting this line of thought, Lane shared information on XRP Cryptocurrency Event Contracts, which are derivatives based on spot XRP prices. These contracts are structured as swaps with contracts expiring several times during the day, reflecting the ongoing interest in financial instruments tied to XRP’s value.
At the core of Lane’s argument is the question of whether rising activity around XRP can eventually result in meaningful value accrual for the token’s holders. As the XRP ecosystem grows, how value is distributed may become a focal issue for both investors and developers.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article does not constitute investment advice. Investors should be aware that cryptocurrencies carry high volatility and therefore risk, and should conduct their own research.
LendProtocol has launched a fixed-rate lending platform on the XRP Ledger for XRP and RLUSD holders. The platform advertises a 12% annual percentage rate, daily interest payouts, no fixed lock-up period, and a borrower collateral requirement of 120%.
According to figures provided by LendProtocol, the platform has facilitated more than 743 million XRP in loans and serves over 13,713 active lenders. The service provides an alternative for holders interested in earning potential interest on XRP, although it is a lending product rather than native blockchain staking.
Understanding XRP’s Approach to Staking
Unlike Ethereum and Solana, the XRP Ledger does not use a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. It uses a Federated Byzantine Agreement consensus model, under which validators confirm transactions without distributing staking rewards to XRP holders.
As a result, native XRP staking does not exist at the protocol level. Services marketed around “XRP staking” generally involve third-party lending, exchange programs, liquidity provision, or other yield-generating arrangements. Each model carries its own custody, counterparty, liquidity, and market risks.
XRP holders seeking a potential return on their assets have typically considered centralized exchange products, lending services, or blockchain bridges. LendProtocol aims to provide another option within the XRP Ledger ecosystem through a fixed-rate, centralized lending structure.
Understanding LendProtocol’s XRP Lending Model
LendProtocol operates as a centralized finance, or CeFi, intermediary. Users can deposit XRP or RLUSD, while borrowers must provide collateral equal to 120% of the loan value. Accepted collateral includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, RLUSD, and USDT.
The platform states that borrowers pay 12.7% APR and depositors receive 12% APR. The remaining 0.7 percentage points serve as the platform’s operating spread.
LendProtocol also says it assumes the direct lending exposure if an individual borrower defaults. This structure may reduce a depositor’s exposure to individual borrower failures, but it does not eliminate all risk. Depositors remain exposed to risks associated with platform solvency, custody, collateral liquidation, cybersecurity, regulation, and operational performance.
Interest is calculated and credited daily, according to the platform. If the daily interest remains in the account and continues to earn interest, a 12% APR would produce an effective annual yield of approximately 12.75%. Actual results may depend on account terms, withdrawals, platform availability, and whether interest is continuously compounded.
RLUSD is also available as a deposit asset. This may appeal to users who want exposure to a dollar-denominated asset rather than XRP price movements. However, RLUSD deposits still involve stablecoin, platform, custody, and counterparty risks.
LendProtocol says its security measures include cold storage for most deposited assets, AES-256 GCM encryption for stored data, and mandatory two-factor authentication. Users should independently review the platform’s custody arrangements, legal terms, audits, withdrawal policies, and risk disclosures before depositing assets.
According to LendProtocol, more than 743 million XRP has been facilitated through the platform across over 13,713 active lenders. These figures and the advertised interest rate are provided by the company and should be independently verified where possible.
LendProtocol and XLS-66 Are Separate Lending Models
LendProtocol is a consumer-facing CeFi lending service that uses the XRP Ledger for parts of its asset and transaction infrastructure.
It is not an implementation of XLS-66, a proposed XRPL lending specification designed to support protocol-level lending structures with off-chain credit assessment.
The two models may use the same underlying blockchain, but they differ in structure, risk allocation, custody, and intended users. LendProtocol’s offering is described as a fixed-rate, overcollateralized lending product managed by a centralized intermediary.
Users comparing XRP income products should therefore avoid treating LendProtocol deposits as native staking. They should assess the service as a third-party lending arrangement and consider the associated platform and counterparty risks.
About LendProtocol
LendProtocol is a centralized lending platform operating with XRP Ledger-based assets. It offers XRP and RLUSD deposit products with an advertised 12% APR, daily interest crediting, and no fixed lock-up period.
Borrowers must provide collateral equal to 120% of the loan amount using one of six supported assets. LendProtocol states that it manages borrower defaults rather than passing exposure to individual depositors. This arrangement does not remove broader custody, solvency, market, operational, or regulatory risks.
More information, including applicable terms and risk disclosures, is available at lendprotocol.io.
Whale Transactions Spike on the XRP LedgerLarge-holder activity on the XRP Ledger surged sharply on August 18, with transactions above $1 million jumping 280% in a single 24-hour period. according to on-chain analyst Ali Martinez, citing data from Santiment.
The spike adds to an accumulation trend that has been building for weeks. with
Divergence Between Whales and Price PerformanceThe buying stands in stark contrast to broader market weakness.
The picture was not always this consistent. In June, large holders moved in the opposite direction, selling roughly 30 million $XRP, underscoring how quickly sentiment among big players can shift.
Still, analysts caution that whale buying alone does not guarantee a price recovery.
Sources:
Crypto Times: XRP Whales Accumulate 72M Tokens as Price Trades Near $1
CoinGape: XRP Price Prediction as Whale Wallets Surge Amid Rising Network Activity
Crypto.news: XRP Price Slips Below $1 as Whale Activity Jumps 280%
XRP traded slightly below $1 on Tuesday, Aug. 18, as rising whale transactions and derivatives activity failed to produce a sustained price recovery.
Summary
XRP traded near $0.996 Tuesday, losing 0.4% daily and 1.2% over seven days overall recently. Price remained below $1, leaving the former support level as immediate resistance for recovering buyers. Large XRP Ledger transactions above $1 million reportedly increased 280%, but transfer direction remains unclear. Binance open interest increased while spot price weakened, raising liquidation risks without confirming market direction. The tx bridge remains halted after attackers stole 198,715.88 XRP through faulty deposit verification software. The token changed hands near $0.996, down 0.4% over 24 hours and 1.2% over seven days, according to market data. XRP’s market capitalization stood near $62.4 billion, ranking it sixth among cryptocurrencies.
XRP traded between approximately $0.989 and $1.01 during the latest 24 hour period. It remained 9.1% lower over 30 days and about 66.7% below its level one year earlier.
The token briefly recovered above $1 on Monday after opening near $0.994. However, buyers failed to maintain the rebound, returning the price below the psychological threshold on Tuesday.
XRP price remains fragile below $1 The XRP/USDT daily chart shows a broader downtrend from the July 2025 high of $3.65. The decline has produced lower highs and pushed XRP into a narrow consolidation range around $1.
The $1 level has acted as support for much of the decline. Trading below it changes the immediate structure because recovering buyers must now reclaim the same level before challenging higher resistance.
An initial recovery would need to clear $1 to $1.05. Above that area, liquidity may sit between $1.16 and $1.18, although reaching those levels would require stronger volume and momentum.
Immediate support sits around $0.988, matching Tuesday’s intraday low. A daily close below that level would expose $0.95, followed by the wider area between $0.85 and $0.90.
The price recently steadied near $1 while large transfers to Binance declined. That reduction in exchange inflows did not produce a confirmed reversal.
Whale transactions rise without confirming accumulation Crypto analyst Ali Martinez reported that XRP Ledger transactions worth more than $1 million increased 280% within 24 hours. The total reportedly rose above 38 large transactions.
Martinez described the activity as evidence that “whales are back.” However, transaction counts alone do not establish whether large holders are buying, selling or moving tokens between wallets.
Large transactions can include exchange deposits, withdrawals, internal transfers and custody reorganizations. Identifying accumulation requires destination analysis, balance changes and exchange flow data.
The price remained below $1 during the transaction increase. That lack of an immediate price response weakens any claim that the activity was entirely driven by buying.
Separate CryptoQuant data showed that whale transfers to Binance had fallen to their lowest level since 2021. The three month average reportedly declined to approximately $61 million.
Lower exchange inflows can reduce potential selling pressure, but they do not guarantee demand. Tokens may also move through exchanges or addresses not covered by the dataset.
Exchange withdrawals and leverage send mixed signals CryptoQuant contributor Amr Taha reported that Coinbase’s seven day net wallet count fell to minus 14,300 on Aug. 17. Binance and Crypto.com also recorded more withdrawing wallets than depositing wallets.
The figures measure wallet counts rather than the amount of XRP withdrawn. One large deposit can outweigh many small withdrawals, making the indicator unsuitable as a direct measure of net token flows.
Coinbase reportedly represented 47.3% of the absolute wallet imbalance across the exchanges tracked by the analyst. That share shows where the activity was concentrated but does not reveal whether the withdrawn tokens entered self custody or another trading venue.
XRP derivatives activity also increased. CryptoQuant analysis showed Binance open interest rising about 28.6% between Aug. 3 and Aug. 17.
Open interest measures outstanding derivatives positions and does not distinguish longs from shorts. Rising leverage while the spot price remains weak can increase the size of liquidations when the market eventually breaks from its range.
In related coverage, derivatives positioning rebuilt while aggressive selling remained dominant. Funding rates, cumulative volume delta and long to short ratios remain necessary for assessing directional positioning.
Technical indicators remain bearish The Awesome Oscillator stood near minus 0.0630 on the daily chart. The negative reading shows bearish momentum remains active, although it is less extreme than during previous stages of the selloff.
The bull and bear power indicator was also negative at approximately minus 0.0377. This points to limited buying pressure and supports the current bearish consolidation structure.
XRP price chart, source: crypto.news Neither indicator confirms that XRP has reached a bottom. Momentum could improve if the price reclaims $1 and the oscillator moves toward positive territory.
Claims of targets between $15 and $17 would require gains exceeding 1,400% from the current price. Such forecasts remain speculative and are not supported by the present daily momentum readings.
The same applies to forecasts calling for a decline into the $0.65 to $0.85 range. Those levels are possible technical scenarios rather than confirmed destinations.
Bridge remains halted following verification exploit The tx project said attackers stole 198,715.88 XRP from its bridge reserve on Aug. 9. The bridge connected the tx blockchain with the XRP Ledger.
According to the project’s update, its software accepted transactions that had not delivered XRP to the correct bridge address. Relayers then approved unbacked balances that attackers redeemed for genuine XRP.
The vulnerability affected the bridge’s verification logic, not the XRP Ledger itself. The bridge remains halted while the team reviews remedies and security changes.
As crypto.news reported, the stolen XRP was converted and routed through privacy infrastructure, complicating recovery efforts. The project also filed a complaint with the FBI.
Separately, a South Korean regional bank adopted Ripple’s payments service on Aug. 18. The announcement did not say XRP would be used for those transfers, so the agreement should not be treated as direct demand for the token.
XRP must reclaim $1 on a daily closing basis to reduce immediate downside pressure. A break above $1.05 would improve the short term setup, while another rejection could return attention to $0.95 and $0.90.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
18 August 2026 | 11:58 Jeonbuk Bank will deploy Ripple Payments for business remittances, becoming Korea’s first regional lender to offer the company’s 24/7 cross-border settlement service.
Key Takeaways Jeonbuk will deploy Ripple Payments. Business transfers settle within minutes. The service runs around the clock. XRP and RLUSD roles remain unknown. Ripple now has three Korean deals. Ripple announced its partnership with Jeonbuk Bank on August 18. The agreement will bring Ripple Payments to the bank’s business customers, including import-export companies, IT startups and online content creators.
Jeonbuk Bank becomes the first regional bank in Korea to deploy the payment service. The target is straightforward: cross-border payments that settle in seconds to minutes and remain available 24 hours a day.
A payment service for companies moving money abroad Businesses that import goods, pay overseas suppliers or receive revenue from abroad often depend on correspondent banking. A payment can pass through several intermediary banks before it reaches its destination, adding processing time, fees and uncertainty around its arrival.
Jeonbuk Bank is the first regional bank in Korea to deploy Ripple Payments, replacing multi-day SWIFT transfers with near real-time, 24/7 cross-border settlement for its business customers. Our third Korean partnership this year, after Kyobo Life Insurance and Kbank, partnering…
— Ripple (@Ripple) August 18, 2026
Ripple says its platform gives Jeonbuk Bank a different route for those transfers. The bank will offer near real-time settlement to business customers, with payments running around the clock instead of relying only on banking hours.
The deal is aimed at companies with regular international payment needs. Importers and exporters need to pay suppliers and receive invoices across borders. Startups may pay remote workers, cloud-service providers or overseas partners. Online creators can receive income from global platforms and advertisers.
Fiona Murray, Ripple’s managing director for Asia Pacific, said:
“Regional banks play a vital role in the real economy.”
What changes for Jeonbuk Bank customers Ripple Payments is designed to handle the operational work around cross-border transfers through one service. The official announcement highlights three changes for Jeonbuk’s business clients:
Settlement speed: transfers can complete in seconds to minutes. Availability: the service operates 24/7. Transparency: businesses gain clearer visibility into payment processing. The announcement does not publish the first payment corridors, fees, supported currencies or a customer rollout date. Those details will determine which Jeonbuk clients can use the service and how it compares with existing bank-remittance products.
Jeonbuk Bank President Park Choon-won called the partnership a step in the lender’s digital-finance strategy.
“This partnership will become a new growth engine for the bank.”
The key question: XRP, RLUSD or another settlement route? Ripple’s announcement does not identify the asset or currency used to settle Jeonbuk Bank’s transfers.
That leaves three possibilities open. The payment flows could use XRP, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, or a fiat and stablecoin arrangement selected for each corridor. Ripple has not confirmed any of them.
The distinction matters because a bank adopting Ripple Payments does not automatically establish new transaction demand for XRP. It also does not confirm that RLUSD will serve as the settlement asset.
The partnership confirms the payment platform and its target users. The settlement mechanism remains undisclosed.
Ripple’s third Korean financial-institution deal this year Jeonbuk Bank is Ripple’s third Korean institutional partnership announced in 2026.
Earlier deals covered different parts of the digital-asset stack:
Kyobo Life Insurance is exploring on-chain settlement for Korean government bonds. Kbank is deploying Ripple Custody wallet infrastructure for institutional digital-asset operations. Jeonbuk Bank is adopting Ripple Payments for cross-border business remittances. Ripple has also expanded its regulated presence outside Korea. Ripple Payments Europe was added to ESMA’s MiCA register after receiving authorisation in Luxembourg. In Japan, RLUSD became the first foreign stablecoin approved under a new regulatory category.
Jeonbuk’s future announcements need to answer four practical questions: which countries the service will cover, which currencies it will support, when customers can access it and which asset settles each transfer.
Author
Alex is Editor-in-Chief of Coindoo and co-founder of Millennial Media Group, with nearly a decade of experience covering financial markets - crypto first, then everything else. It started in 2016 with Bitcoin. Like most people at the time, he didn't fully understand it - so he kept digging. Blockchain, tokenomics, the projects, the cycles. That curiosity never stopped, and eventually pulled him into traditional markets too: equities, commodities, macro. Not because he left crypto behind, but because you can't properly understand one without the other. What drives him is straightforward: he wants to know why something is happening, not just that it's happening. Most market coverage stops at the headline - price up, price down, here's a chart. Alex finds that kind of reporting actively unhelpful. If you walk away from an article without understanding the mechanism behind the move, what did you actually learn? He holds a degree in Tourism from New Bulgarian University - not the most obvious path into financial markets, but markets have a way of pulling in people who are simply too curious to stay out. He has authored over 200 in-depth analyses and more than 10,000 articles across crypto and traditional finance. He still thinks every day in markets teaches him something new. That's probably why he hasn't stopped.
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.
Daily on-chain activity metrics on the XRP Ledger rose alongside preparations for regulatory talks in the United States and infrastructure expansion in South Korea. The number of transactions worth more than $1 million increased by 280%, with monitoring data recording 38 such transfers over 24 hours.
According to on-chain analyst Ali Martinez, citing Santiment, the current surge was preceded by a week of accumulation, during which addresses holding large balances acquired more than 450 million XRP.
XRP whale transactions (1M-100M tokens) over the past 3 days, Source: Ali Martinez / SantimentThis helped push the daily number of active addresses to a two-month high of 50,000.
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New XRP banking rails and the White House inviteThe increase in on-chain activity coincided with Ripple's entry into South Korea's banking market. South Korea's Jeonbuk Bank announced the integration of the Ripple Payments platform for commercial settlements.
According to the project's technical specifications, the bank's cross-border transfers are routed through the XRP Ledger's internal rails, bypassing the traditional SWIFT interbank system.
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The second factor is the changing regulatory landscape in the United States. A closed-door meeting between Ripple executives, SEC Chair Paul Atkins, and acting CFTC Chairman Michael Selig is being prepared in Washington. The talks are being organized after the Senate postponed its vote on the CLARITY Act until September.
For XRP buyers, Ripple's direct contact with the heads of the agencies signals an attempt by the administration to implement regulatory rules directly through the relevant commissions without waiting for Congress to act.
Large market participants are using the pause created by the delay to build positions at a lower price before the regulatory framework is formally approved.
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On the spot market, the reaction to the on-chain data and news backdrop has kept the price near a key technical level. At present, XRP is holding the psychological support level of $1.
The combination of supply accumulation by large holders and improving fundamental network metrics is viewed by market participants as a leading signal that XRP's bullish trend may resume.
TLDR XRP trades near $0.99 after a sharp drop from its 2025 cycle peak. Analyst Crypto Patel flags the $0.85–$0.65 range as a possible accumulation zone. Long-term targets sit at $3, $5, $7, and $10 if a reversal confirms. Strive Financial Group disclosed XRP ETF holdings in a new 13F filing. The broader XRP trend stays neutral, with a confirmed breakout still needed. XRP is trading at $0.99 at the time of writing. The token has a 24-hour trading volume of $855 million and a market capitalization of $62.68 billion.
The price has held fairly steady over the past day. Analysts are now watching XRP’s chart for signs of a longer-term recovery.
Crypto Patel, a crypto analyst, shared his view on X. He pointed back to a warning he gave during the 2025 rally, when he flagged weakening structure above $3.
$XRP: The Bearish Call They Ignored… Until It Dumped 73%
Back in July 2025, when most of the market expected higher prices, I warned that #XRP was losing bullish structure and advised taking profits above $3.
Today:
✅ ~73% down from the cycle top
✅ ~53% below the confirmed… https://t.co/AGHdYcGmRI pic.twitter.com/5aQcBCl6ff
— Crypto Patel (@CryptoPatel) August 17, 2026
Crypto Patel Sees Long Road to $10 Since that 2025 warning, XRP has fallen roughly 73% from its cycle peak. It slipped below $1 for the first time in nearly two years.
Patel said this drop shows real damage to XRP’s market structure. He does not expect a bottom right away.
He pointed to the $0.85–$0.65 range as a possible accumulation zone. Even so, he said a further drop of 20% to 40% is possible before any reversal starts.
Patel’s approach is to buy gradually near higher time frame demand zones. He avoids trying to pick the exact bottom.
His long-term price targets for XRP are $3, $5, $7, and $10. These are goals for a future cycle, not short-term predictions.
XRP Price on CoinGecko Strive Discloses XRP ETF Holdings Separately, the account BankXRP shared new information on X about institutional activity. Strive Financial Group updated its 13F filing with regulators.
The filing shows Strive holds positions in the Teucrium 2x Long Daily XRP ETF. It also holds shares of the Canary XRP ETF.
This filing points to growing institutional interest in regulated XRP products. More firms appear willing to gain exposure through ETFs rather than holding XRP directly.
A 13F filing only shows holdings from a past reporting period. It does not confirm what a firm holds today or plans to do next.
Still, the disclosure adds to a pattern of institutions engaging with XRP-linked funds. It is one more data point for people tracking adoption trends.
XRP’s price action remains neutral despite these developments. The token has not broken out of its current range in either direction.
The wider crypto market has shown some improvement in recent sessions. A shift in that broader trend could support a bigger XRP move if it continues.
Whether XRP moves higher from here depends on buyers holding key support levels. A failure to hold support could send the price lower before any recovery attempt.
At publication time, XRP remains at $0.99, with market watchers tracking the $0.85–$0.65 zone as the next area of interest.
Ripple (XRP) and Stellar (XLM) remain under pressure as broader market uncertainty and weak technical momentum weigh on both altcoins. XRP is hovering below the key $1 mark on Tuesday while XLM continues its corrective decline below $0.157. Meanwhile, mixed derivatives and on-chain signals indicate cautious sentiment, leaving both cryptocurrencies vulnerable to further downside.
Mixed derivatives cap recoveryDerivatives data shows mixed sentiment with a mild bearish tilt among traders. CoinGlass’ long-to-short ratio for XRP and XLM reads 0.80 and 0.87, respectively, on Tuesday, nearing their lowest levels in a month. A ratio below one indicates bearish sentiment, as traders bet asset prices will fall.
XRP long-to-short ratio chart. Source: Coinglass
XLM long-to-short ratio chart. Source: CoinglassIn addition, the XRP funding rate flipped positive on Monday and read 0.0042% on Tuesday, indicating that longs are paying shorts and reflecting a bullish bias. Meanwhile, the XLM rate flipped negative, reading -0.0054% on Tuesday. This negative rate indicates that short traders are paying longs and reflects a bearish bias.
XRP funding rate chart. Source: Coinglass
XLM funding rate chart. Source: CoinglassCautious optimism among tradersCryptoQuant’s summary data shows cautious optimism. XRP’s futures markets show large whale orders, while other metrics remain neutral, supporting a potential recovery. However, XLM shows selling-side dominance in both markets, and large whale orders, hinting at cautious sentiment among traders.
XRP summary chart. Source: CryptoQuant
XLM summary chart. Source: CryptoQuantXRP technical outlook: Slips below key supportXRP price trades at $0.99 on Tuesday, keeping a bearish near-term tone as it holds below the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $1.07, the 100-day EMA at $1.15 and the 200-day EMA at $1.34. XRP also remains under the broken descending trendline reference at $1.00 and the horizontal barrier at $1.00, underscoring persistent overhead pressure.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) near 35 stays in weak territory, while the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator is slightly negative, hinting at lingering downside bias rather than a decisive reversal.
On the topside, immediate resistance is clustered at the psychological $1.00 mark, followed closely by the former trendline break level at $1.00. Above this area, the 50-day EMA at $1.07 is the next hurdle, followed by the 100-day EMA at $1.15 and the horizontal barrier at $1.30, with the 200-day EMA at $1.34 and a higher horizontal line at $1.90 marking more distant caps.
With no clear support levels defined below the current price in the current dataset, any further slide would leave XRP vulnerable to downside price discovery until fresh demand emerges.
XRP/USDT daily chartXLM technical outlook: Extends correction below key EMAsXLM price trades at $0.156 on Tuesday, extending its corrective phase below all major EMAs, which keeps the near-term bias bearish. The 50-day EMA at $0.173, the 100-day EMA at $0.178 and the 200-day EMA at $0.190 all sit overhead as trend-defining resistance, reinforcing a capped tone after the recent slide.
The RSI near 31 hovers close to oversold territory, while the MACD indicator turns marginally positive around the zero line, hinting at fading downside momentum but not yet signaling a clear recovery as long as price holds beneath these clustered averages and Fibonacci retracements.
On the topside, initial resistance aligns around the $0.173 area, where the 50-day EMA converges with the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement, followed by the prior horizontal barrier at $0.177 and the 100-day EMA at $0.178. Higher up, the 200-day EMA at $0.190 precedes the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement at $0.200, with subsequent Fibonacci levels at $0.218, $0.237 and $0.260 capping any medium-term recovery, ahead of the cycle high near $0.298.
On the downside, immediate focus rests on the support band between the horizontal floor at $0.142 and the structural low around $0.139; a decisive break under this zone would likely open the door to a deeper bearish extension despite the already stretched momentum backdrop.
XLM/USDT daily chart(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Bank of America (BofA) has expanded its exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Wall Street giant also trimmed its holdings in Strategy (MSTR), American Bitcoin Corp (ABTC), and other crypto stocks.
Bank of America Holds Almost $94 Million in Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP ETFs The Wall Street giant, with a $1.55 trillion investment portfolio, has increased its investments in multiple crypto ETFs in Q2 2026, according to a 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Bank of America holds $94 million in net exposure in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP ETFs.
Bank of America raised its holdings in BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) by 77% in the quarter. It now holds over 1.72 million IBIT shares, up from 972,590 shares earlier.
It also has investments of more than $10 million in Bitwise’s BITB, $2.24 million in Grayscale Bitcoin Mini ETF, and $1.32 million in FBTC. The bank also holds exposure to GBTC, VanEck’s HODL, and Direxion Daily Bitcoin Bull 2X ETF (BTCU).
Moreover, Bank of America (BofA) has also expanded its BlackRock Ethereum ETF (ETHA) exposure by 2,838%. It now holds 1.98 million shares in ETHA, up from 67,492 shares.
In addition, Bank of America increased its XRP ETF holdings slightly in Q2, after keeping exposure the same as in the last quarter. The Wall Street giant holds 13,260 shares of the Volatility Shares XRP ETF (XRPI).
In contrast, the bank has sold the remaining 10,296 shares of Volatility Shares Solana ETF from its investment portfolio. It has fully exited Solana ETFs after selling 700 Volatility Shares 2x Solana ETF shares last quarter.
These holdings align with broader trends as many institutions build positions in spot crypto products. Notably, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley revealed XRP holdings via ETFs amid tradFi’s push into tokenization, treasury management, and real-time payments.
Bank Trims Strategy (MSTR) Stock Exposure Bank of America (BofA) also revealed 1.17 million MSTR stock holdings worth almost $102 million, down 70% from 3.96 million stocks. BofA trimmed MSTR exposure as the largest corporate Bitcoin treasury started selling BTC holdings to pay dividends and build cash reserves.
The Wall Street giant also sold 3,800 Strike (STRK) perpetual preferred shares. The bank even adjusted positions in Strategy convertible senior notes.
The bank sold all 85,508 shares in Trump family’s American Bitcoin Corp (ABTC), while increasing Bitmine Immersion (BMNR) stock holdings by 78% to almost $22 million. It also increased stock holdings in Hyperliquid Strategies Inc (PURR) by 167% to 635,407 shares.
Bank of America has also invested in Circle, Coinbase, and Bitcoin mining crypto companies including MARA Holdings, Riot Platforms, and CleanSpark shares.
For retail investors looking to follow Wall Street’s lead safely, utilizing fully compliant US crypto exchanges like Coinbase ensures adherence to rigorous security and domestic regulatory frameworks.
Embodied AI Meets Decentralized LiquidityRavn Robotics has officially launched its $RAVN token on @Ripple's $XRP Ledger, bringing a new category of real-world asset to the network: embodied AI software built for autonomous machines. The company's focus sits squarely at the intelligence layer,
The $RAVN token is structured as more than a standard utility instrument. meaning holders gain exposure to the company's performance through a blockchain-native format rather than conventional equity channels. The launch integrates AI-driven perception and real-time coordination capabilities for autonomous drones and unmanned systems directly into the $XRP ecosystem.
A Growing Ledger for Real-World AssetsThe Ravn launch arrives as the XRP Ledger cements its position as a leading venue for tokenized real-world assets. Institutional momentum has been building steadily, with
On the infrastructure side, Ripple has also been expanding its builder ecosystem:
Ravn Robotics represents a less conventional entry into this space, pairing the physical-world utility of autonomous systems with on-chain liquidity. Whether the model gains traction will depend on how the market values tokenized access to an early-stage robotics and AI company. But the launch signals a broadening of the asset types finding a home on the XRP Ledger, well beyond traditional finance.
Sources
Dexlocate: RAVN XRP Token Overview
24/7 Wall St.: XRP Ledger Tokenizes $3 Billion in Real-World Assets
Ripple: Supporting Innovation on the XRP Ledger in 2026
