Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has confirmed to the community that he would be stepping away for a while.
This decision comes as the market continues to trend downward, with renewed selling pressure affecting major assets like ADA, as well as ecosystem stress and governance issues within the Cardano community.
Key Points
Charles Hoskinson, the Cardano founder, has confirmed he will be taking a break.
This decision comes on the back of Cardano ecosystem issues and broader market challenges.
Over the last six weeks, two prominent Cardano ecosystem projects, TapTools and JPG.store, have announced a shutdown.
Cardano Summit 2026 was canceled after a 7.8 million ADA proposal gained only 65% support.
The Cardano price has since fallen below $0.20 to a five-year low, currently down 94% from its 2021 peak.
Cardano Founder Announces Break
The Cardano founder made his announcement in an X post on June 3, 2026. According to the brief disclosure, Hoskinson revealed he would be taking a break and would return later, but failed to provide any explanation about the duration or underlying reasons.
Cardano founder on X
Further, he also did not clarify whether the break applies strictly to his activity on social media or extends to his broader involvement in the crypto ecosystem.
This announcement comes at a time when the Cardano ecosystem, his personal ventures, and the wider market face mounting challenges, adding to speculation about the motives behind his decision.
Cardano Ecosystem Struggles
Notably, several recent developments have added pressure to the Cardano ecosystem. One major issue is the shutdown of TapTools, a well-known analytics platform that has offered charts, wallet tracking, and API services since 2022.
The platform said it will close within two weeks, pointing to the loss of its fifth senior executive in a year, including key roles like CTO, COO, and co-founders, along with weak financial conditions and a difficult market environment.
Hoskinson stressed that TapTools was part of his daily routine and used its closure to warn that more projects could fail in the second half of 2026 as funding runs out.
This shutdown is the second major exit from the ecosystem in just six weeks. Earlier, NFT marketplace JPG.Store, which had been the leading platform for Cardano NFTs since 2021, entered restricted mode on April 23. It stopped new listings, offers, lending, and minting before shutting down on May 23.
Governance Tensions and ADA Price Decline
Meanwhile, governance issues have added to the strain. Specifically, the Cardano community rejected a treasury proposal worth about 7.8 million ADA meant to fund the Cardano Summit 2026 in Singapore.
The proposal needed a two-thirds majority under Voltaire governance but received only about 65% support from delegated representatives, which led to the event being canceled.
Another, larger research and development proposal from IOG faced more than 80% opposition. This indicated major disagreements over spending and financial priorities.
ADA’s price has also dropped. The token fell below $0.20 and reached a five-year low of around $0.18 shortly after Hoskinson’s post. This adds to the broader market decline, with ADA down 19.8% in June 2026 alone and more than 43% since the start of the year. Overall, it is now about 94% below its 2021 peak of $3.1.
Cardano Down from ATH
Hoskinson’s Personal Setbacks and History of Departures
Outside of crypto, Hoskinson has also faced business challenges. His health and wellness clinic in Wyoming, launched in 2022 with the goal of becoming the “Mayo Clinic of the West,” is set to close on July 31, 2026. The clinic had already cut about 40 jobs in January 2026 and was ultimately seen as financially unsustainable despite heavy investment.
This is not the first time Hoskinson has stepped back. On May 20, 2025, he announced a break from X and handed over responsibilities to others so he could rest.
Meanwhile, in early January 2026, he said his account would enter a “silence mode” for weeks or months, explaining that he had outgrown the platform and would uninstall the app while focusing on more important work. He also took a short break in July 2023 due to issues related to platform rate limits.
In the past, these breaks have been temporary and linked to rest, focus, or platform-related concerns. This latest pause follows a similar pattern, but it comes at a time when the ecosystem is under more pressure than usual.
The recent Bitcoin correction comes from a capital rotation into artificial intelligence, according to Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor.
Saylor took to X on Thursday to clarify that the Bitcoin dip is more an external problem than a structural issue. He noted that the capital market is investing in something else that is not the crypto leader, starving it of fresh capital.
Key Points
Michael Saylor has noted that the capital markets are funding AI infrastructures at a “historic scale.”
According to him, this has impacted the traction towards other financial vehicles, including Bitcoin.
Since May 14, the Bitcoin spot ETFs have seen outflows worth $4 billion, putting pressure on the asset’s price.
The Bitcoin products have seen net outflows in 17 of the last 19 days, with investor withdrawals totaling $5.6 billion.
Saylor sees the current volatile state of the market as another chance to buy at a discounted price.
AI Buildout Extracting Capital from Bitcoin
Artificial intelligence is the current buzzword in the global market. The technology is growing in strength, and investors are looking for ways to gain exposure, favoring startups and established entities building on the sector.
Saylor highlighted that the capital markets are funding AI infrastructures at a “historic scale.” Over the past 6 months, over $400 billion has flowed into the sector, with the largest institutions on Wall Street showing interest.
This has impacted the traction towards other financial vehicles, including Bitcoin, Saylor stated. He highlighted that products offering exposure to BTC have seen massive outflows, as capital appears to be rotating to AI.
$4 Billion Has Left Bitcoin ETFs in Weeks: Saylor
Since May 14, the Bitcoin spot ETFs have seen outflows worth $4 billion, putting pressure on the asset’s price. As such, Saylor concluded that this was the cause of the ongoing correction, not a Bitcoin impairment.
Notably, Bitcoin has dropped 22% from $82,035 on May 14 to its current price of near $64,000. Much of the drop has come following Strategy’s announcement that it sold 32 BTC worth $2.5 million. Despite that being a fraction of its large holdings, the negative sentiment from the drop rippled through the crypto market, sparking severe selloffs.
However, according to Saylor, the actual catalyst for the bearish trend is capital rotation to AI, not a structural weakness. Nonetheless, he sees the current volatile state of the market as another chance to buy at a discounted price.
“Volatility creates opportunity,” he concluded.
Bitcoin Spot ETFs on a Bad Form
Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart further confirmed this massive capital outflow from Bitcoin spot ETFs. In a parallel tweet, he highlighted that the products have been on a 13-day outflow streak, with $4.4 billion in BTC sold during this period.
Furthermore, the investment vehicles have seen net outflows in 17 of the last 19 days, with investor withdrawals totaling $5.6 billion. This clear exodus has taken the YTD flows for the US-traded ETFs to negative $2.17 billion.
However, there are still some silver linings. Amid the heavy selloffs, the BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), Garsycale’s Mini Bitcoin Trust (BTC), and a few other funds still have positive flows since January 1.
BAD TIMES: Bitcoin ETFs in a big step back mode.. $4.4b out over past month which sent the YTD number negative again (it had worked hard to get positive too). That said, some silver lining: $IBIT & a few others STILL positive YTD (unreal) and total net lifetime is still +$55b… pic.twitter.com/VzaijnWhx8
Additionally, the cumulative total net inflow stands at $54 billion, which remains a strong inflow, considering the Bitcoin products are just over two years old.
XRP price has fallen steadily from around $3.65 in July 2025 to about $1.20 in June 2026, leaving many investors pessimistic.
Some analysts believe this could be more than just a normal decline. They think XRP may be forming a bear trap — a situation where the price falls below an important support level, convincing traders it will keep dropping, only to suddenly reverse and move sharply higher.
If they are right, the recent sell-off could be trapping bearish traders before a major rally. The big question for XRP holders is: Is this a genuine breakdown or the final shakeout before a strong upward move?
The Market Is Pricing Fear, But XRP May Be Telling a Different Story
At first glance, XRP’s recent price action looks bearish. It ended May 2026 at $1.33, fell to $1.29 on June 1, dropped again to $1.21 on June 2, and slipped into the $1.18 range by June 4.
In less than a week, XRP lost about 11% of its value, while over $8 billion was wiped from its market capitalization during a crypto sell-off that also pushed Bitcoin to $61,300.
However, the activity behind the scenes tells a different story.
During the same period, more than 25 million XRP were moved off exchanges, often a sign that investors are holding rather than preparing to sell. At the same time, the number of “whale” wallets holding 10,000 XRP or more reached a record 332,230 addresses — the highest level ever recorded.
Institutional interest also remained strong. XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) attracted a record $131.94 million in inflows for the year during May 2026.
XRP ETF Data | SoSoValue
The contrast is hard to ignore: while many retail investors appear fearful, large holders and institutional investors are increasing their exposure.
Why This Pullback May Be More of a Shakeout Than a Breakdown
A true long-term decline usually happens when all types of investors are selling — especially those with the most conviction, the longest investment horizons, and the deepest market knowledge.
That is not what we are seeing with XRP right now.
Most of the selling appears to be coming from short-term traders reacting to falling prices and broader market weakness. Meanwhile, large holders, institutional investors, and ETF participants continue to accumulate or maintain their positions.
This distinction is important because it suggests the recent price drop may not be driven by weakening fundamentals.
In fact, XRP’s broader ecosystem has continued to grow. In early 2026, Ripple secured more institutional partnerships, while the XRP Ledger’s tokenized real-world asset market expanded to $3.5 billion, up from $991 million at the beginning of the year.
When prices fall despite improving adoption and continued institutional interest, it can indicate that the market is reacting more to short-term fear than to any meaningful deterioration in the asset’s long-term outlook. That is why some analysts view the current pullback as a strategic shakeout rather than the start of a deeper structural decline.
Selling Pressure Is Rising, Yet Support Refuses to Break
The $1.00–$1.20 range has now become the key support zone. XRP has tested this area several times, yet it has not produced a decisive daily or weekly close below it. This indicates that demand remains active at these levels.
Technical indicators also suggest the sell-off may be becoming overextended. XRP’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) has fallen to 27.55, an oversold level implying fading selling momentum. The Stochastic Oscillator is also deep in oversold territory.
Taken together, these signals suggest that while selling pressure remains strong, buyers are still defending critical support levels. This increases the likelihood of a relief rally if market sentiment improves.
The Disconnect Between Sentiment and Price Behaviour
One of the clearest signals right now is the difference between market sentiment and market positioning. Most traders are bearish, and short positions heavily outweigh long positions by about 9 to 1.
When so many people are on the same side of a trade, the risk of a short squeeze increases. If XRP starts to recover due to positive news or another catalyst, short sellers may rush to buy back their positions to limit losses. That buying can push prices up faster and further than normal market demand would.
What Makes This Correction Different From Previous Declines
XRP is down about 66% from its July 2025 peak, which looks similar to previous bear-market declines. However, the market around XRP has changed significantly.
Unlike past downturns:
Spot XRP ETFs now exist and have attracted about $1.43 billion in inflows since launching in November 2025.
Goldman Sachs has disclosed a $153.8 million position in XRP ETFs.
The CLARITY Act, which would formally classify most crypto assets as a digital commodity, has advanced through the Senate Banking Committee.
Ripple has received conditional approval for Ripple National Trust Bank and has applied for a Federal Reserve master account.
These developments were not present during earlier XRP crashes. As a result, the XRP ecosystem in June 2026 is much more developed and institutionally connected than in previous market cycles.
XRP’s Current Setup Resembles a Transfer of Conviction
Markets rarely move directly from a downtrend to an uptrend. Instead, there is usually a transition period in which investors who are losing confidence sell to those who are becoming more confident. This phase is often called accumulation, and current on-chain data suggests XRP may be in that stage.
Weak Holders Are Selling
Much of the recent selling comes from investors who bought XRP during the rally that peaked around $3.65. Earlier in 2026, data showed that about 60% of XRP’s circulating supply was held at prices above the current market value. This means many investors were holding losses and were likely to sell whenever the price approached their entry point.
As a result, every small price recovery tends to face selling pressure from holders trying to break even. This creates resistance and keeps the price from moving higher. The cycle usually continues until most of these sellers have exited the market.
Long-Term Investors Are Holding
While short-term traders are selling, larger and longer-term holders appear to be staying invested.
The number of whale wallets holding at least 10,000 XRP has reached a record high. At the same time, more than 2 billion XRP has been moved off exchanges since October 2025 into cold storage, making it less likely to be sold in the near term.
Institutional investors also seem to be accumulating. XRP ETFs recorded their strongest monthly inflows in May 2026 even as the token’s price was falling, suggesting steady buying rather than emotion-driven trading.
Signs That Often Appear Before Bigger Moves
Another important signal comes from the derivatives market. Open interest remains high, while funding rates have turned negative. This means short sellers are paying to keep their positions open, making bearish bets more expensive over time.
Meanwhile, whale withdrawals from Binance have fallen to their lowest level since 2021. In previous bull markets, large holders moved much larger amounts of XRP. The current low activity suggests they are not preparing to sell and are instead waiting for better market conditions.
In other words, weaker short-term holders are selling, while larger, longer-term investors continue to hold. If this continues and selling pressure fades, XRP could be building the foundation for its next major move higher.
The Hidden Battle Taking Place Around XRP’s Key Range
Every big price move starts with a fight between buyers and sellers. For XRP, that fight is happening between $1.20 and $1.34.
Buyers Are Holding the Line
The $1.20 level is the most important support right now. If XRP closes below it, many analysts believe the price could fall toward $1.00. So far, however, buyers have repeatedly stepped in to defend this area.
Analyst Crypto Patel considers $1.10–$1.30 a major accumulation zone. He believes a drop below it could eventually open the door to prices between $0.65 and $0.85, although that would likely require significant selling pressure.
Rejections Don’t Always Mean Weakness
XRP has struggled several times to move above $1.25–$1.30, with sellers pushing the price back down. At first glance, this looks bearish.
However, when a market remains in a tight range for a long time without breaking lower, it can mean that buyers are quietly absorbing selling pressure. Strong market bottoms are often formed during these uncertain periods rather than through a quick reversal.
Why This Tight Range Matters
XRP has been trading in a very narrow range for months. Around 60% of its 2026 trading activity has taken place between $1.30 and $1.50. Options data from Deribit also points to $1.40 as a key level for the June expiry.
When prices remain compressed for a long period, it often leads to a larger move later. XRP has formed patterns such as symmetrical triangles and falling wedges, which typically end with a strong breakout or breakdown.
The longer XRP stays trapped in this range, the bigger the eventual move is likely to be.
What Happens If Sellers Lose Control?
Bear markets do not usually end with a big announcement. They end when most people who wanted to sell have already sold, leaving mainly investors willing to hold.
Why Short Sellers Could Fuel a Rally
Current market data shows that short positions outnumber long positions by roughly 9 to 1.
Short sellers borrow XRP and sell it, hoping to buy it back later at a lower price. But if the price rises instead, they are forced to buy XRP back to limit losses.
With so many traders positioned short, a small positive catalyst could trigger a short squeeze — a rapid rise caused by short sellers rushing to buy back their positions. Historically, some of XRP’s sharpest rallies have been driven by this type of setup.
What XRP Needs for a Lasting Recovery
A short squeeze can create a quick price spike, but it does not guarantee a long-term uptrend. For a sustained recovery, three things need to happen:
Selling pressure from existing holders must continue to decline.
A positive catalyst must improve market sentiment.
Trading volume must increase, showing that real buyers are supporting the move.
One potential catalyst is progress on the CLARITY Act, which is moving toward a Senate vote before the August recess.
Until a clear catalyst emerges, the market may still test lower support levels, with $1.14 remaining an important area to watch.
XRP’s Path to Liftoff Depends on More Than Price Alone
Price charts only show the result of what is happening behind the scenes. To understand XRP’s long-term potential, it is important to look at network growth, institutional adoption, and major regulatory developments.
Network Activity Trends Worth Monitoring
The XRP Ledger’s tokenized real-world assets grew from $991 million at the start of 2026 to $3.5 billion by early June — more than tripling in six months. This makes XRPL one of the leading platforms for institutional tokenization outside of Ethereum.
As more assets are tokenized on the network, demand for XRP increases because it is used to move value across the ledger.
Another major development was the launch of CME’s 24/7 XRP futures market in June, with Ripple Prime as a key partner.
Around-the-clock regulated futures trading gives institutions easier access to XRP, improves price discovery, and strengthens XRP’s position as a recognized financial asset.
Institutional Payment Narratives and Market Attention
Ripple continued to build momentum in 2026. The company expanded its policy efforts in Washington, D.C., as lawmakers considered new crypto legislation. It also completed a tokenized U.S. Treasury pilot with J.P. Morgan, Mastercard, and Ondo Finance on the XRP Ledger.
Meanwhile, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin reached $1.8 billion in market value after expanding to Ethereum Layer-2 networks.
Together, these developments support XRP’s role in payments and settlement. Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick has maintained an $8 year-end target for XRP, assuming the CLARITY Act passes and ETF inflows continue to grow.
Catalysts That Could Change Everything
The biggest near-term catalyst is the CLARITY Act. If passed, it would officially classify XRP as a digital commodity rather than a security. This could remove a major barrier that has kept many institutions from investing directly in XRP.
The bill passed the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support in May 2026, and a Senate vote before the August recess could be a pivotal moment.
Another important factor is Ripple’s application for a Federal Reserve master account. Approval would give Ripple direct access to the Fed’s payment infrastructure, potentially making XRP part of the financial system itself rather than simply connected to it. While timing remains uncertain, the implications could be significant.
Three Outcomes That Could Define XRP’s Next Chapter
Markets eventually resolve uncertainty, and XRP currently has three realistic paths ahead.
Scenario 1: A False Breakdown Followed by a Strong Recovery
In this scenario, XRP briefly falls below $1.20, possibly reaching $1.13 to $1.00, before buyers step in and drive the price higher. As short sellers rush to cover their positions, XRP could reclaim $1.25 and then $1.30, shifting market sentiment back to bullish.
A Senate vote on the CLARITY Act during this period could act as a major catalyst, helping XRP move toward the $1.56 target suggested by Monte Carlo models, with even greater upside possible if ETF inflows increase.
This is the outcome supporters of the “bear trap” theory expect. The setup may already be in place; the key question is whether a catalyst arrives.
Scenario 2: Sideways Trading Continues
The most likely outcome, according to simulation models, is that XRP remains stuck in a range between $1.20 and $1.46 throughout June. In this scenario, buying and selling pressure stay balanced, preventing a clear breakout or breakdown.
Since June has historically been a weak month for XRP, the price could simply move sideways until a stronger catalyst emerges.
This outcome does not confirm or disprove the bear trap theory. It simply delays the answer. The longer XRP consolidates, the more significant the eventual move could be.
XRP Monthly Returns Chart | CryptoRank
Scenario 3: Bears Take Control
If XRP closes below $1.20 with strong selling volume, it would signal a more serious breakdown. The next downside targets would be around $1.00 and then the important psychological level at $0.90.
If the CLARITY Act loses momentum or institutional demand weakens, models estimate about a 35% chance of this bearish outcome.
In this case, recent buying by whales and ETF investors may prove to have come too early. Some analysts believe a stronger long-term buying opportunity could emerge in the $0.65 to $0.85 range. While this is not the most likely scenario, it remains a risk investors should consider.
Why the Next Few Weeks May Matter More Than the Last Few Months
The next three to four weeks may be more important for XRP than the last several months. By then, investors should have a much clearer picture of the CLARITY Act’s progress in the Senate.
At the same time, a large number of options contracts expire on June 26, with the “max pain” level around $1.40. This could create pressure for XRP’s price to move toward that level as the expiration date approaches.
History also offers a reason for optimism. Similar market setups in 2020, 2023, and 2024 were followed by XRP forming a bottom and beginning a recovery. Today’s conditions closely resemble those earlier periods.
Another positive sign is that selling pressure from investors who bought XRP at higher prices between $1.50 and $3.65 is gradually easing.
The longer XRP avoids a major breakdown, the less impact these sellers are likely to have on the market, making it easier for new demand to push prices higher.
Is This Just Another Dip or the Last Pullback Before a Bigger Move?
No one can answer that with certainty.
Major turning points in markets are often unclear in real time. If everyone knew what would happen next, the opportunity would already be reflected in the price.
What investors can evaluate is the overall setup. Right now, XRP has several factors working in its favor: growing institutional infrastructure, significant whale accumulation, heavy short interest, upcoming regulatory catalysts, and strong business progress from Ripple despite a roughly 66% decline from previous highs.
None of these factors guarantee a rally. However, they suggest that the potential upside may be significantly larger than the downside risk. While a bear trap is far from certain, the odds appear higher than they typically are in most market conditions.
Key Takeaways From XRP’s Current Market Position
XRP is trading near $1.20 in early June 2026, down about 66% from its July 2025 high of $3.65 as the broader crypto market remains under pressure. Despite the decline, on-chain data shows growing investor interest.
Whale wallets holding at least 10,000 XRP have reached a record 332,230 addresses, more than 25 million XRP have recently left exchanges, and XRP ETFs attracted a record $131.94 million in inflows during May.
Many traders are betting against XRP, with short positions outnumbering longs by about 9 to 1. This raises the risk of a short squeeze if the price moves higher. XRP’s RSI is around 27, indicating oversold conditions. The $1.20 level is a key support area. A daily close below it could open the door to declines toward $1.14 and potentially $1.00.
One of the biggest near-term catalysts is the CLARITY Act. The bill passed the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support in May 2026. A Senate floor vote before August could have a major impact on XRP’s price and market sentiment.
Meanwhile, the XRP Ledger’s tokenized real-world asset market has grown to $3.5 billion. CME launched 24/7 XRP futures on June 3, and Ripple continues to expand its institutional partnerships.
So far, these developments have not led to a lasting price rally. Some analysts view this disconnect as a sign that the market may be underestimating XRP’s long-term potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are traders talking about an XRP bear trap?
XRP dropped below key support levels in early June 2026, which encouraged many traders to open short positions. However, on-chain data shows large investors are still accumulating XRP, ETF inflows remain strong, and the derivatives market is heavily skewed toward shorts. When price falls but underlying data stays positive, traders often view it as a potential bear trap that could trigger a sharp rebound.
What would invalidate the bear trap theory?
The bear trap idea would weaken if XRP closes below $1.20 on strong selling volume. It would also be a negative sign if whale accumulation slows or XRP ETFs start seeing outflows. Delays to the CLARITY Act or a broader crypto market decline, such as Bitcoin dropping well below $60,000, could further reduce the chances of a recovery.
Which price levels matter most right now?
The key level to watch is $1.20. A daily close below it could send XRP toward $1.00 and then $0.90. On the upside, XRP needs to reclaim $1.25 first, as that level recently turned from support into resistance. A move above $1.34 with strong volume would increase the chances of a rally toward $1.45.
Can XRP rally without major news?
Yes. A short squeeze can push prices higher even without a major catalyst. Since short positions currently far outweigh long positions and funding rates are negative, the conditions for a squeeze exist. However, for any rally to last, XRP will likely need stronger demand or a positive catalyst, such as progress on the CLARITY Act.
Why do failed breakdowns often lead to strong rebounds?
When traders short an asset expecting further declines and the price suddenly reverses, they are forced to buy back their positions. This buying can accelerate the rally, especially when many traders are caught on the wrong side of the move. As a result, rebounds after failed breakdowns are often faster and stronger than the initial decline.
ChangeNOW, a non-custodial crypto management platform extending beyond exchange services with a full suite of B2B solutions for businesses in the digital asset space, is pleased to announce that it has been named “Best Digital Assets Fintech” at the BeInCrypto x Proof of Talk Institutional 100 Awards 2026. The award, which honors the businesses influencing institutional cryptocurrency adoption worldwide, was given out at the actual ceremony, which took place live at Proof of Talk, the Louvre Palace in Paris.
About the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 Awards
The BeInCrypto x Proof of Talk Institutional 100 is one of the most credible and rigorous independent media award programmes in the digital assets space. The awards, which cover 24 competitive categories across six pillars: Regulation & Governance, Capital Markets & Infrastructure, Retail to Crypto Bridge, Digital Assets, Tokenization & On-Chain Finance, and Enterprise Blockchain, are assessed using a two-stage process that includes blind scoring by an independent Expert Council of leaders in traditional finance and digital assets after proprietary quantitative screening using on-chain data and company disclosures.
With a global audience of 7–11 million monthly readers across 26 languages and a B2B community of over 20,000 verified professionals (70% of whom operate at C-level) a win at the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 carries significant weight across the digital finance industry.
ChangeNOW received the Best Digital Assets Fintech nomination in the Retail to Crypto Bridge category alongside Revolut, a European neobank. This award recognizes platforms that provide exceptional service at the intersection of traditional finance and the crypto economy.
ChangeNOW the Best Digital Assets Fintech Winner
ChangeNOW is the winner of the Best Digital Assets Award, represented by Elena Dali Bey
ChangeNOW initially is a non-custodial cryptocurrency exchange that was established in 2017 with the goal of making it easy and accessible for everyone to trade digital assets. It serves eight million people globally and supports over 1500 digital assets.
Today its robust infrastructure spans both retail and business use cases. Alongside its web platform, iOS and Android apps, and NOW Wallet for self-custody, ChangeNOW offers a range of B2B products including NOWPayments for crypto payment processing, NOWNodes for blockchain infrastructure access, NOW Custody for digital asset storage, and a business API that enables wallets, fintech platforms, and financial services to integrate exchange functionality directly into their products.
Over the years, ChangeNOW has processed millions of transactions and built a client base that includes both individual clients and commercial partners across the digital asset space.
Why This Recognition Matters
Winning the Best Digital Assets Fintech Award goes way beyond just picking up a new industry title. Getting this nod from BeInCrypto matters immensely to the team. The BeInCrypto team’s endorsement indicates that the ChangeNOW platform’s speed and institutional standing truly stand out in a competitive market because of their robust reputation for editorial independence and strict grading.
These kinds of milestones don’t happen by coincidence. This win is the direct result of serious work from the whole ChangeNOW crew, alongside the trust of millions of clients who choose the platform over the alternatives. It keeps them right where they want to be: acting as a reliable fintech bridge connecting regular folks to the wider digital asset economy.
“This recognition means a lot to our team because it reflects the trust our clients place in us every day. From the beginning, our goal has been to make crypto simple, accessible, and reliable for everyone, regardless of their experience level. We’re honoured to be recognised by BeInCrypto and see this award as both a celebration of what we’ve achieved and a motivation to keep raising the standard for the industry,” says Elena Dali Bey, Senior Business Development Manager at ChangeNOW.
What Does the Future Hold for ChangeNOW?
Rather than pause to applaud, ChangeNOW is taking advantage of this momentum to accelerate the extension and improvement of its service offerings. The organization intends to outperform the changing needs of both regular traders and institutional clients. In the following months, work will focus on several key initiatives:
Leading the way with RWA Integration and Asset Expansion: The platform is rapidly expanding its listings of supported assets and market pairs, with a strong strategic focus on the growing Real-World Assets (RWAs) sector, as well as new networks and tokens. This expansion is intended to provide maximum trading flexibility and deep liquidity for highly sought-after, tokenized physical assets that are difficult to access through traditional centralized channels.
Strategic Ecosystem Activation via the Fast-Track Program: Moving far beyond standard API infrastructure, the Fast-Track program is designed to enhance marketing strategy and visibility. It helps wallets start monetizing from day one. This proven framework includes pre-built infrastructure and comprehensive marketing support, such as targeted placement in crypto media outlets, partner posts on ChangeNOW’s social media channels, and participation in Tier-1 conferences with more than fifteen thousand attendees.
Elevating the Client Experience: A number of product improvements, including more advanced trading tools, personalization features, and interface redesigns, are in the works. Reducing the gap between what a client wants to achieve and what the platform makes simple is the same objective shared by all of them. Depending on who is using it, that matters in different ways. It implies less guessing in the beginning for someone who is new to cryptocurrency. It implies fewer stages between concept and execution for seasoned traders.
ChangeNOW views this award not as a destination, but as a benchmark. The team remains committed to the values that earned this recognition: transparency, accessibility, and relentless improvement.
About ChangeNOW
Founded in 2017,ChangeNOW is a non-custodial crypto management platform that makes it easy to swap more than 1500 digital assets quickly and without unnecessary complexity. The platform is used by over eight million people globally. ChangeNOW has a robust B2B infrastructure that includes NOWPayments for crypto payment processing, NOWNodes for access to blockchain infrastructure, NOW Custody for institutional-grade digital asset storage, and a business API that lets wallets, fintech platforms, and exchanges plug swap functionality directly into their own products. The intent behind the suite is practical: most companies building in crypto share a common problem, they need core infrastructure that would take years to develop independently. ChangeNOW’s B2B offering is designed to remove that constraint.
Disclaimer: This Press release article is provided by the Client. The Client is solely responsible for this page’s content, quality, accuracy, products, advertising, or other materials. Readers should conduct their own research before taking any actions related to the material available on this page. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for the accuracy of info and any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned in this press release article.
Please note that The Crypto Basic does not endorse or support any content or product on this page. We strongly advise readers to conduct their own research before acting on any information presented here and assume full responsibility for their decisions. This article should not be considered investment advice.
Buried deep within Ripple’s developer documentation sits a page that, until recently, drew little attention outside engineering and payments compliance circles. The page lists bank identifiers, featuring short numeric codes used to route international payments, organized by country and, in some cases, by individual financial institutions.
Before now, the document served a narrow purpose. Notably, it helps payment operators configure beneficiary details correctly when sending cross-border transactions.
Then the XRP community discovered it. Soon after, screenshots spread rapidly across social media. Commentators pointed to the sheer size of the list as evidence of something much larger.
WOW! 💥
RIPPLE has assigned BANK IDs to over 500 BANKS! 🏦🔥
And some people still think #XRP won’t be used?! 🤡
Discussions exploded across forums and XRP community channels, with many users interpreting the document as proof of massive XRP adoption, widespread bank integration, and future price acceleration. However, the document itself had not changed. Only the audience reading it had.
This article examines what Ripple’s bank identifier list actually contains, why the company created it, and where the line sits between legitimate insight and speculative overreach. For investors, fintech professionals, and curious observers alike, understanding that distinction matters.
A Ripple Document Few People Noticed Is Now Drawing Industry Attention
Most technical documentation exists quietly in the background. API references, routing tables, and configuration guides are written for engineers and compliance teams who need operational precision rather than headlines. Ripple’s bank identifier page was no different. The company placed it within its Payments ODL documentation as a reference tool for operators configuring beneficiary payouts in different markets.
Notably, Ripple never presented the page as a major announcement. The company issued no press release, executives made no public statements about it, and investor briefings never highlighted its contents. By all appearances, it functioned as a technical appendix.
Nonetheless, once members of the XRP community began circulating screenshots online this month, the reaction became immediate and widespread. The apparent scale of the document, covering dozens of countries and hundreds of institutions, seemed to provide concrete evidence of Ripple’s global network reach. For a community that has spent years searching for proof of institutional adoption, the document felt significant.
As interest grew, attention expanded beyond retail crypto circles into fintech media and institutional analyst discussions. Those observers began asking a more precise question: What exactly does this bank ID list represent, and do its contents support the conclusions many people are drawing from it?
Why Do More Than 500 Financial Institutions Appear in One Place?
The first thing most readers will notice about Ripple’s bank identifier documentation is the sheer volume of institutions listed across multiple regions. For the uninitiated, the document can resemble a roster of Ripple partners or XRP adopters. In reality, the reason so many names appear in one place is more procedural than strategic.
The Numbers Behind the Discussion
Ripple’s bank identifier document covers several regions, including Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Oceania. The European Economic Area (EEA) section lists 26 countries, each assigned a country-level identifier. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom section includes the mainland alongside overseas territories such as Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man, with identifiers varying by territory and payout currency.
In Asia, several countries were included, such as Vietnam, China, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia. Specifically, Vietnam appears far more granular. The documentation lists more than 50 individual banks by name, each assigned its own unique numeric identifier.
When combined, these entries extend well above 500 banks. To readers expecting a curated partnership directory, the numbers appear striking. Yet for payments engineers familiar with routing infrastructure, the list simply reflects the large number of institutions operating within the payment corridors Ripple’s infrastructure supports.
Regions Represented in the Records
The document spans several of the world’s most active cross-border payment corridors. Europe processes enormous volumes of international transfers through the SEPA framework, while the United Kingdom continues handling substantial EUR- and GBP-denominated payment activity after Brexit.
These are not random markets. Instead, they represent regions where legacy payment systems remain costly and inefficient, making them attractive targets for fintech innovation and blockchain-based payment infrastructure. Consequently, Ripple’s documentation reflects deliberate strategic focus rather than accidental expansion.
Why the List Appears Larger Than Expected
One major reason the document appears so extensive is the difference in how regions structure their routing systems.
Within Europe, a single identifier covers all banks inside a country. For example, a payment to France uses one country-level code regardless of whether the recipient banks with BNP Paribas, Société Générale, or a regional institution.
Ripple Bank IDs
Vietnam, for instance, operates differently. There, routing architecture works at the institutional level. BIDV has its own identifier. Techcombank has another. HSBC Vietnam also uses a separate code.
Ripple Vietnam Bank ID
Importantly, this structure is not unique to Ripple. It mirrors Vietnam’s domestic banking conventions. However, it also creates the visual impression that Ripple maintains dozens of separate banking relationships in Vietnam, when in reality the system simply uses a more granular technical structure than Europe’s country-wide approach.
Understanding this distinction is essential before drawing broader conclusions.
What Ripple Intended These Identifiers to Accomplish
Every piece of payment infrastructure exists to solve an operational problem. Ripple’s bank identifiers are no exception.
Beneficiaries are not abstract entities. They hold accounts at specific banks operating within specific regulatory and settlement systems. Consequently, Ripple’s infrastructure needs a reliable way to identify those institutions.
The bank identifier acts as that routing key. It maps a beneficiary institution to the correct settlement pathway. Without accurate identifiers, payments can fail, become delayed, or land in the wrong account. In other words, the identifiers form part of Ripple’s operational configuration layer rather than a public registry of partnerships.
How Payment Networks Organize Institution Data
Every major cross-border payment network relies on institutional identifiers in some form. For instance, SEPA depends on IBAN structures. The UK’s Faster Payments network uses sort codes, while India’s IMPS system relies on IFSC identifiers.
Ripple’s bank ID list follows the same principle. It functions as a structured routing reference that allows payment software to direct funds correctly across different markets and banking systems.
As a result, the existence of such a list demonstrates that Ripple has built operational payment infrastructure. However, it does not prove that every listed institution actively uses Ripple’s network or XRP itself.
Why Accuracy Matters in Cross-Border Transfers
In cross-border payments, routing accuracy is critical. Misrouted funds can take days or even weeks to recover. In some jurisdictions, recovery may not happen at all.
Additionally, regulators require financial institutions to maintain precise transaction records identifying both the sending and receiving institutions. Compliance teams therefore treat routing data as a core risk-management function rather than a technical afterthought.
For that reason, Ripple’s documentation must remain highly detailed and comprehensive. The thoroughness of the list reflects operational necessity, not necessarily widespread adoption.
The Assumption Driving Many XRP Headlines
Misinterpreting technical documentation is not unique to Ripple. However, within the XRP community, evidence of institutional connectivity often becomes closely linked to expectations of future price appreciation.
Sources for the Adoption Narrative
Many XRP supporters believe Ripple’s payment network will eventually onboard large numbers of financial institutions. Under that thesis, banks using Ripple infrastructure could create sustained demand for XRP as a bridge asset in cross-border settlements.
Viewed through that lens, the bank identifier document appears highly significant. If Ripple maintains routing identifiers for dozens of countries and financial institutions, some observers naturally assume those entities already participate in the network. Consequently, the adoption narrative develops quickly.
Therefore, the identifier list did not emerge in isolation. It reflects infrastructure built for genuine payment corridors and real-world operational use. However, it becomes problematic when observers confuse active commercial participation with technical reachability. Those are fundamentally different concepts.
The Missing Piece in Many Interpretations
What the bank identifier list cannot reveal is whether a specific institution actively uses Ripple’s platform, processes ODL transactions, or utilizes XRP as a liquidity asset.
Instead, the document reflects addressability — the technical ability to route payments to those institutions if needed.
That distinction matters enormously. A logistics company may have the infrastructure to deliver packages to several addresses. However, it does not mean every address actively ships packages through that network every day.
Reading the List Through a More Accurate Lens
Once readers understand the operational purpose behind the identifiers, the document becomes easier to interpret realistically.
Network Access Versus Network Activity
The identifiers define reachable endpoints within Ripple’s infrastructure. They show where payments can potentially go. However, they do not show which institutions actively process payments through the network on a regular basis.
Modern payment infrastructure always maintains routing data that exceeds current transaction activity. Networks build ahead of demand so clients can access destinations when needed. Therefore, measuring network activity by counting routing endpoints would be like measuring highway traffic by counting highway exits.
Infrastructure Presence Versus Product Usage
Ripple operates several products. Notably, RippleNet functions primarily as a messaging and settlement layer, while Ripple Payments uses XRP and RLUSD as a bridge asset.
An institution may appear within Ripple’s broader infrastructure without ever using XRP directly. Even within the payment solution itself, inclusion in routing documentation does not automatically confirm active transaction activity or liquidity usage.
Visibility Versus Verification
Since the document appears within Ripple’s official materials, many observers treat it as verified proof of institutional adoption. While official documentation certainly carries more credibility than rumors, visibility still does not equal confirmation of commercial activity.
Investors seeking to evaluate Ripple’s true market penetration must rely on additional evidence such as partnership announcements, transaction volumes, quarterly reports, and independent blockchain analytics.
What the Records Actually Suggest About Ripple’s Global Footprint
The regions covered, including Asia, the EEA, and the UK, represent commercially important payment corridors with large remittance flows and strong demand for faster settlement infrastructure.
Europe-to-Vietnam remittance activity remains particularly significant due to Vietnamese diaspora communities across Germany, France, and other European markets. Ripple’s infrastructure presence in these regions aligns with a company pursuing valuable payment lanes rather than speculative expansion.
International Coverage Across Markets
The breadth of Ripple’s EEA coverage also stands out. Beyond major economies like Germany and France, the documentation includes smaller jurisdictions such as Malta, Monaco, and Iceland.
That level of regional completeness suggests Ripple designed its infrastructure for comprehensive operational coverage rather than selective market participation.
Signs of Long-Term Infrastructure Development
The institution-level detail within Vietnam’s banking system especially suggests sustained investment and long-term planning.
Building that kind of granular routing architecture requires local regulatory understanding, integration work, and deep familiarity with domestic banking networks. Consequently, the documentation reflects serious infrastructure development rather than superficial market exploration.
The Limits of What the Data Can Prove
Meanwhile, the identifier list leaves many critical questions unanswered.
What Remains Unconfirmed
The document does not confirm that the listed institutions have signed agreements with Ripple. Nor does it verify active use of Ripple Payments or XRP liquidity services.
Additionally, the records provide no transaction volumes, revenue figures, or details about which institutions actively operate within Ripple’s ecosystem.
Questions the List Cannot Answer
The document does not reveal how many Vietnamese banks actively process Ripple transactions, what percentage of EEA institutions engage with Ripple infrastructure, or whether listed banks participate operationally beyond basic reachability.
While Ripple periodically discloses partnerships and network developments elsewhere, those answers do not exist within the routing documentation itself.
Why Context Matters More Than Headlines
In today’s information environment, headlines often prioritize engagement over context. As a result, claims such as “Ripple Connected to Over 500 Banks” may sound technically defensible while still creating misleading impressions.
The responsible approach requires understanding the purpose of technical documentation and resisting the temptation to equate infrastructure breadth with verified commercial adoption.
That approach produces a more balanced picture — one that acknowledges Ripple’s legitimate achievements without overstating them.
Final Thoughts on Ripple’s Banking Connections
Ripple has spent years building payment infrastructure across several important international corridors. The bank identifier list offers a genuine glimpse into that effort, revealing detailed routing architecture spanning Europe, the United Kingdom, and Asia.
However, the document does not prove mass XRP adoption, confirm hundreds of active banking partnerships, or reveal large-scale transaction activity.
What it does demonstrate is operational seriousness. Ripple has clearly invested in detailed infrastructure capable of supporting real-world payment professionals across multiple jurisdictions.
That may sound less dramatic than many viral XRP narratives. Yet it is also a more sustainable and defensible conclusion. The gap between what the evidence proves and what online speculation often claims should not diminish Ripple’s accomplishments. Instead, it should encourage investors and observers to evaluate those accomplishments carefully, and to seek stronger evidence where stronger claims are made.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ripple’s bank identifier list?
Ripple’s bank identifier list is part of the company’s technical documentation. The document provides numeric routing codes that can be used to identify destination institutions when configuring beneficiary payments through Ripple’s payment infrastructure.
Why are banks included in the list?
Banks appear because Ripple’s routing infrastructure needs standardized identifiers to direct payments accurately. Inclusion reflects payment reachability, not necessarily a commercial partnership.
Does the list confirm XRP adoption?
No. The document does not confirm active XRP usage, signed agreements, or institutional adoption. It only shows that Ripple’s infrastructure can theoretically route payments to those institutions.
How does Ripple use bank identifiers?
Ripple uses bank identifiers as routing references that connect payments to the correct settlement pathways, banking systems, and jurisdictions during cross-border transfers.
Why has the document become controversial?
Many XRP investors interpreted the large number of listed institutions as proof of widespread banking adoption. However, that interpretation often confuses technical routing capability with verified commercial activity.
XRP has broken down and finally started a much-expected move lower after months of consolidation within a symmetrical triangle.
At the time of writing, XRP trades at $1.14, down 4% since the start of today. The trend follows a string of sustained price declines that have seen it drop 14% this week alone.
This drop has kickstarted a bearish trend, long predicted by prominent market analyst CasiTrades. In her recent XRP price analysis, she highlighted this trend and possible price levels to watch closely following the breakdown.
Key Points
XRP has dropped below a very important support level, aligning with the bottom of a multi-month symmetrical triangle.
XRP has started a new 5-wave sub structure, targeting the ultimate support at $0.87.
Currently, the third wave is in play, heading toward $0.92 before a relief pump to $1.20.
The $0.87 support is the next buy zone, representing an area XRP could finally find stability.
The XRP Move We’ve Been Waiting For
Her X post emphasized that the broader crypto selloff is breaking fresh selling pressure on XRP. Consequently, the asset has dropped below a very important support level.
This demand zone aligns with the lower boundary of a multi-month symmetrical triangle on the 4-hour chart. Notably, this structure had contained the price since the late February dip to $1.12. The price found support within this range and has formed higher lows and lower highs.
For months, CasiTrades has been predicting that XRP would eventually break downwards from this triangle. Recent price action has brought this to fruition, with the coin dropping below the support near $1.35 to the current market price.
XRP Price Expectations
Meanwhile, the analyst noted that she has been observing the market to find out key levels to watch following the breakdown. With the aid of a new subwave colored yellow in her accompanying chart. CasiTrades highlighted how XRP could trend lower to the next major support zone.
XRP Subwave Target/CasiTrades
The 5-wave sub-structure started from the last lower high at $1.55 on May 14. So far, the first and second waves have been completed following the drop to $1.26 on May 28 and the quick rebound to $1.36 on May 30.
Currently, the third wave is in play. The experienced market analyst expects this wave to end at the 1.618 Fibonacci level at $0.92. Notably, she expects this 19% drop from the current market price to be a sharp downward move.
Relief, Then Ultimate Downward Target
After the rapid move, a relief bounce could follow. This aligns with the fourth wave of the sub-structure targeting $1.20. Ultimately, the bearish target for the symmetrical triangle breakdown is the support at $0.87, representing a 23% drop from here.
CasiTrades had earlier called this the next buy zone, an area she expects XRP to finally find stability. She sees this point as a good area to buy the coin, in anticipation of the next measured move upwards. Interestingly, she does not expect XRP to remain around this support for long, predicting a quick price rebound to higher prices after shaking off weak hands.
In the meantime, XRP remains in a clear downtrend, with prices on track for the fifth consecutive red daily candlestick. Nonetheless, it remains above the February 6 low of $1.12, a level that market analysts will closely watch.
XRP liquidation data continues to surge, with $24.24 million in longs wiped out of the market in the past 24 hours. This is out of the $25.05 million in total liquidations during this period. Open interest has dropped 9%, and futures outflows have also increased, reflecting a cautious market environment.
Grayscale’s Head of Research, Zach Pandl, recently suggested that XRP ETFs could take up about 5% to 6% of XRP’s circulating supply in the near future.
He made this projection during a recent appearance on the Paul Barron Podcast, where both speakers discussed the impressive rise of XRP-based investment products.
Key Points
Grayscale’s Zach Pandl says ETFs could hold 5-6% of XRP’s circulating supply over time.
XRP ETFs have attracted $1.42 billion in total cumulative inflows since launching in Q4 2025.
Current ETF holdings represent about 1.4% of XRP’s $71.2 billion market cap.
If these products capture 5-6% of the circulating XRP supply, it could push their holdings to $3.5-$4.2 billion.
ETF Inflows and Market Standing
During the podcast, Paul Barron pointed out that XRP ETFs are gaining momentum in the market. He mentioned that Bitwise currently holds the largest XRP ETF position, while Grayscale ranks fourth among issuers.
Barron also called attention to the continued growth in the sector, mentioning that the ETF products have since hit $1.1 billion in net assets. Current data shows that this figure has dropped to $1.03 billion due to XRP’s recent price drop to $1.15 at press time.
Despite the decline, XRP ETFs have recorded a combined net inflow of $1.42 billion since they launched in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Of this figure, Bitwise leads with $467.3 million in net inflows. Canary Capital’s XRPC follows closely with $458 million, while Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ holds the third position with $392.18 million. Grayscale’s GXRP comes in fourth, with $129 million in inflows.
Considering the impressive momentum, Barron asked Pandl where he believes these ETF holdings could reach by the end of the year and how much XRP these funds might eventually control.
Pandl’s 5–6% Supply Outlook
In response, Pandl said XRP ETFs have recently attracted strong interest from investors, especially at a time when some other crypto products are seeing outflows. Notably, earlier this week, the products saw the largest inflows for any crypto asset, while Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded outflows.
Pandl explained that one of XRP’s key strengths is its ability to add balance to a crypto portfolio, since its price movement often differs from that of Bitcoin and Ethereum, which tend to move in similar ways. According to him, XRP moves differently, which makes it useful for diversification.
Pandl then compared XRP ETFs with Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, saying those products hold around 5% to 6% of their respective assets at any given time. Considering this, he said XRP ETFs could move in a similar direction in the short term, with room for more growth over time.
Barron asked whether the 5% to 6% estimate applies to each ETF or the total across all funds. Pandl clarified that he was referring to the combined holdings of all XRP ETFs. He explained that, as a starting estimate, these funds could together hold about 5% to 6% of XRP’s circulating supply.
However, the Grayscale executive clarified that this figure is a broad estimate, not a fixed target. According to him, current demand suggests this level is achievable, and possibly even higher, depending on how investor interest develops.
What This Means for XRP ETFs
Right now, XRP ETFs hold about $1.03 billion in total net assets. This represents roughly 1.4% of XRP’s circulating market cap, which stands at $71.2 billion. These figures show that ETF exposure is still at an early stage compared to Pandl’s projection.
If XRP ETFs grow to hold 5% to 6% of the circulating supply, which is currently 61.97 billion XRP tokens, their holdings would increase sharply. In this case, ETF holdings would rise to between 3.1 billion and 3.7 billion XRP tokens. At current prices, this would be worth between $3.5 billion and $4.2 billion.
An XRP community figure and XRPL builder recently rejected public XRP price predictions, choosing instead to focus on ecosystem development.
Amid XRP’s current price struggles and the growing number of bold forecasts from influencers, community figure Mr. Cauliman has taken a different approach.
He recently clarified that his attention remains on building products and tools on the XRP Ledger instead of discussing where XRP’s price could go next.
Key Points
XRP has faced price struggles this year, but some analysts expect an imminent recovery.
Cauliman said he avoids public XRP price predictions, noting that he chooses to build products on XRPL.
He suggested that his daily work on XRPL shows stronger conviction.
House of Cauliman, launched in 2023, now includes roughly 11 active or developing XRPL projects.
“My Silence About XRP Price Should Speak Volumes”
Cauliman made the recent commentary in a post on X. The community figure stressed that he does not make public predictions about XRP’s future value. This comes amid projections such as a possible XRP run to $1,000by EasyA founders Phil and Dom Kwok.
Cauliman argued that instead of presenting similar predictions, he chose to remain a lead builder behind what he called one of the largest ecosystems on the XRP Ledger.
According to him, he regularly studies ledger activity, uses XRP in practice, and spends his time building on XRPL. “My silence about the price of $XRP should speak volumes,” the community figure concluded.
Community Response
The post triggered varied responses from the broader XRP community, largely because of its intentionally vague and provocative tone.
The message suggested that despite not presenting public price predictions, if Cauliman did not believe in XRP’s long-term potential and the future of the XRP Ledger, he likely would not spend so much time, effort, and resources building on the network every day.
However, the commentary did not resonate well with a section of the community. Notably, some critics insisted that the post was vague, self-righteous, and unnecessarily provocative.
A Growing XRPL Ecosystem
For context, Cauliman founded the House of Cauliman ecosystem in 2023. The project includes roughly 11 active or in-development initiatives surrounding utilities, infrastructure, education, collectibles, and culture, all built directly on the XRP Ledger.
The ecosystem focuses on activity that takes place on the ledger itself. Its projects cover permanent data storage, wallet intelligence, trading tools, educational resources, and collectible-based experiences.
MONOLITH is currently the ecosystem’s flagship project and is already live. The platform functions as an on-chain Wall of Record and graffiti wall where users spend XRP to claim permanent coordinates on a public grid.
Every claimed coordinate comes with a dedicated profile page that can contain text, images, links, and tags. Users also receive a Coordinate Deed NFT in their wallet, with ownership permanently recorded and verified on the XRP Ledger.
Another major project is AUGUR, a non-custodial wallet intelligence and chain-oracle tool. Users can enter a public XRPL wallet address and receive easy-to-read summaries covering inflows, outflows, fees, token activity, NFT activity, AMM transactions, and net balance changes.
A discussion on whether XRP will benefit from a multi-asset XRP Ledger has reemerged, drawing strong criticism from prominent community figures.
Specifically, Panos, the CEO of Anados Finance, reacted to an obvious misconception rattling the XRP community. He expressed displeasure that many still don’t understand what XRP and the XRP Ledger actually represent. Instead, they have believed the false narratives and exaggerated price predictions from influencers pushing clickbait content.
Key Points
A debate on whether XRP will benefit from a multi-asset XRP Ledger has reemerged, drawing strong criticism from prominent community figures.
The discussion began after XRP Ledger dUNL validator Vet argued that assets such as RLUSD and USDC are not competitors to XRP.
Panos, the CEO of Anados Finance, noted that many still don’t understand what XRP and the XRP Ledger actually represent.
Debate on Perks of a Multi-Asset XRP Ledger Saddening
The discussion began after XRP Ledger dUNL validator Vet argued that assets such as RLUSD and USDC are not competitors to XRP. He pointed out that the XRP Ledger was designed as a multi-asset network where different forms of value can coexist.
You have it completely wrong if you think issued assets on the XRP Ledger like RLUSD or USDC are in competition with XRP.
The XRP Ledger is a multi asset ledger and in itself a decentralized exchange.
Predictable fees and XRP aggregating liquidity via auto bridging.
While XRP serves a unique role in facilitating liquidity and settlement across the ecosystem, constraining the Ledger to only the asset negates its core functionality as a decentralized exchange in itself.
Vet also added that XRP may not be suitable in cases where institutions don’t want volatility. The crypto asset often experiences price changes and fits well where users need profit. Other than that, he noted that stablecoins best fit transactions that require moving value without fear of a valuation change.
In response, Panos suggested that some of the comments on Vet’s post are saddening. He noted that this reflects the knowledge gap among some XRP community members, who still have not had a grasp of what the technology represents.
Furthermore, his criticism centered on what he sees as an unhealthy obsession with speculative narratives while more important conversations around ecosystem development remain overlooked.
The Internet of Value Vision Versus Community Reality
For years, proponents have described the XRP Ledger as a foundation for the “Internet of Value,” a system where assets can move across borders and platforms as seamlessly as information moves across the internet.
Panos’ analysis suggests that a network designed to move value efficiently requires value to exist on the network in the first place. Stablecoins, tokenized assets, commodities, stocks, lending protocols, decentralized applications, and liquidity pools all contribute to creating an active economic environment.
Rather than keying into expanding these use cases for the XRP Ledger in 2026, he stated that some parts of the community still view ecosystem expansion as somehow threatening to XRP itself.
Network Effects Matter More for XRP Than Headlines
Panos argues that successful Layer-1 ecosystems have followed a similar path over the years, and XRP should not be different from them.
First, they build liquidity, which attracts applications. Consequently, it brings users and developers, who create more products. Those products bring even more liquidity into the ecosystem, resulting in a self-reinforcing cycle driven by network effects.
According to him, none of these significant events is happening for XRP at the moment. Rather than tackle this problem, the community is getting brainwashed with “nonsense theory” by “scamfluencers.”
His central point is that price increases cannot be separated from real utility. Without meaningful liquidity, active applications, consumer adoption, and builders creating products people want to use, it becomes difficult for any network to generate long-term demand.
Notably, Panos’ view aligns with the growing concerns among prominent community members that enthusiasts are focusing too much on price without a clear understanding of what XRP stands for. Recently, analyst Zach Rector crashed out at influencers predicting ridiculous prices for XRP, noting that it triggers “secondhand embarrassment.”
XRP is approaching a technical level that has appeared only a handful of times in its history, each preceding a strong upside move.
This signal is a combination of strong support and a key momentum indicator. Specifically, the XRP RSI has dropped to an extreme low level, which historically aligns with a strong price recovery higher. At the same time, it has held above key support levels.
Key Points
On the latest monthly chart, the XRP relative strength index (RSI) has fallen back into an extremely low level, trending at 42.7.
Such a low monthly RSI reading has occurred three times in its history, each preceding a strong upside move.
What makes this particularly interesting is that it arrives while XRP trades near the support of a long-term ascending channel.
This combination is fueling optimism that the coin could rebound considerably in 2026.
XRP RSI Falls to Extreme Levels
Analyst Celal Kucuker highlighted this trend in a recent X post amid strong downward price momentum. For context, XRP is down over 10% in June despite being just four days in. This comes on the back of a 5% drop in the past 24 hours to multi-month lows of $1.19.
Meanwhile, Kucuker’s XRP price analysis shows that on the latest monthly chart, the asset’s relative strength index (RSI) has fallen back into an extremely low level. Currently, the momentum indicator stands at 42.7, slowly drifting towards the oversold territory.
While this might reflect the current market weakness, past events show this is historically positive for prices. The commentator noted that every major XRP rally has come after the monthly RSI dropped to these extremely low levels.
A Pattern That Has Repeated Across Multiple Cycles
An accompanying chart sheds more light on this recurring pattern. It highlighted a recurring relationship between deeply oversold monthly RSI readings and subsequent recoveries in the XRP price.
The first notable example appeared in November 2015. At the time, XRP was trading within a symmetrical triangle and had retraced from the structure’s upper resistance near $0.028 to $0.0040.
Following the sharp decline, the monthly RSI dropped to 46.7. That dip ultimately laid the foundation for the powerful move that extended into the 2017 cycle.
A similar setup emerged in March 2020 during the broader market panic. XRP’s monthly RSI once again dropped to 43.7, with the price reaching a low of $0.104. The coin rebounded on this signal to reach the April 2021 high of $1.97.
The pattern appeared again during August 2022 when prices dropped to $0.31. After a prolonged correction, the monthly RSI returned to a historically depressed level near 43.9. This formed a bottom, with XRP rebounding in the following years to January 2025’s high of $3.39.
Today, the RSI is once again approaching the same area.
XRP’s Long-Term Structure Still Intact
What makes this particularly interesting is that the current reading arrives while XRP continues to trade inside a long-term ascending channel that has guided price action since 2017.
XRP has spent years building a higher low structure, shuffling between the structure’s upper resistance and lower support. Now, XRP is once again approaching the support of the long-term channel. Despite the current weak price action, it has held above this level.
What makes the current setup more notable is the relationship between price and momentum. XRP remains above long-term support, while momentum has already fallen back to levels that historically precede a price rebound. This combination is fueling Kucuker’s optimism that the coin could rebound considerably in 2026.
Should a rebound occur, the chart shows that the first target is near the channel’s upper resistance, as XRP has done in previous visits to the support. Interestingly, this could place XRP near $25, representing a 2,000% surge from the current price.
