Pundit Explains Why XRP Price Still Lags Despite Spike in XRPL Transactions to 1.6M

While the XRP price is up today, it has not made any decisive upward push despite the XRP Ledger witnessing what some regarded as a spike in transactions.

For context, the XRP Ledger recently hit 1.6 million transactions in 24 hours, a figure many see as a sign of rising network activity. Yet, despite this perceived milestone, XRP’s price continues to trade around $2.2.

Several community pundits have noted this contrast between rising transaction volume and stagnant price action, with market commentator Ripple Van Wickle recently discussing what might be going on behind the scenes.

Wickle explained that the sharp rise in daily transactions shows real use of the XRP network, not just speculative trading. In his view, this is an indication of growing adoption.

XRP Also Needs a Spike in Trade Volume

He believes more people are turning to XRP for actual settlement purposes, which often means there are broader developments brewing quietly in the background. However, he also clarified that increased network activity alone doesn’t guarantee price growth.

While the XRPL currently shows strong usage, Wickle pointed out that trading activity on exchanges hasn’t kept up. Spot volume, which tracks how much XRP people are buying and selling, hasn’t moved much. For context, data from CoinMarketCap shows XRP has averaged $1.9 billion in 24-hour volume over the past three days.

According to Wickle, this divergence shows that while interest in the network is growing, serious money hasn’t flowed in yet. Without that trading volume, he believes XRP’s price will likely stay stuck.

Wickle also noted that at the time, XRP price traded under two important levels: $2.22 and $2.23. These levels now act as resistance, and unless XRP breaks above them, he thinks any attempt at a rally could lose steam quickly. Interestingly, XRP has broken above these levels, now trading at $2.27.

Meanwhile, looking at price patterns, Wickle observed that XRP has been forming higher lows since June, shaping a pattern that usually leads to a breakout. However, for that to happen, he stressed that buyers need to step in with more conviction.

Are Institutions Re-entering the Market?

Also, he talked about the source of the rising transactions. He asked whether new institutions are behind the volume or if it’s just more activity from existing users settling transactions. 

6/ The real question: Is this rise in transactions because of new institutional players or just more settlement activity?

If big players are back, that’s a strong signal for the future.

— Ripple Van Winkle | Crypto Researcher 🚀🚨 (@RipBullWinkle) July 5, 2025

Specifically, if institutions are re-entering the market, Wickle sees this as a powerful signal for future price gains. On the other hand, if the spike comes from routine settlements, the market impact could remain limited.

Further, Wickle highlighted a pattern around past XRP price rallies. According to him, during major price surges, both transaction volume and trading volume increased together. Right now, that alignment doesn’t exist. 

He believes smart traders are watching this gap closely and waiting for stronger confirmation before making big moves. He then marked $2.40 and $2.55 as the next important price levels. If XRP clears both with strong trading support, he said it could spark the next breakout.