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Shiba Inu Shows Early Signs of Supply Exhaustion as Fresh Wallets Gulp 82T SHIB in 60 Days

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A new on-chain analysis from TKResearch Trading indicates that large holders are steadily gaining strong control over Shiba Inu available liquidity on centralized exchanges. 

In its report, TKResearch stressed that Shiba Inu is entering a tightening supply phase, driven by a sharp decline in the number of tokens held on exchanges.

Massive Exchange Outflows Since December 5

According to the analysis, SHIB has recorded persistent net outflows from centralized exchanges since December 5. Over this period, investors have withdrawn roughly 80 trillion SHIB tokens, causing total exchange balances to plunge from about 370.3 trillion to nearly 290.3 trillion SHIB.

As a result, sell-side liquidity has contracted significantly. Typically, when tokens leave exchanges and move into private wallets, they become less readily available for trading. This behavior signals accumulation ahead of the next potential rebound.

Fresh Wallets Absorb Majority 

Adding further context, TKResearch revealed that several newly created wallets have withdrawn approximately 82 trillion SHIB from major centralized exchanges over the past 60 days. 

Notably, the data shows that precisely 82,043,494,321,205 (82.04 trillion) SHIB exited exchanges during this timeframe, with Coinbase accounting for a substantial share of these outflows. The report indicated that the accumulation occurred at around the $0.0000085 price level. 

Shiba Inu Fresh Wallet Balance
Shiba Inu Fresh Wallet Balance

Notably, the analysis also dissects Shiba Inu’s supply structure, highlighting how increasingly constrained SHIB’s liquid supply has become. Of the 589.24 trillion SHIB in circulation, only about 290.4 trillion tokens remain on centralized exchanges. Consequently, less than half of the total circulating supply is readily available for trading.

Shiba Inu Distribution Data Reinforces Major Players’ Dominance

In addition, wallet distribution metrics from TKResearch reinforce the view that supply control is steadily consolidating among major players. Specifically, the top 100 wallets now hold 57% of the total supply, amounting to roughly 831.8 trillion SHIB. This figure represents a 15.11% increase over the past 180 days. 

Further, so-called “smart money” wallets have expanded their holdings by 68.27% over the past six months to 10.01 billion, signaling growing interest from more sophisticated investors. Meanwhile, whale holdings have surged by 428% over the last 180 days, reaching 1.3 billion SHIB tokens.

Conversely, exchange-held SHIB has dropped by 23.91% during the same period, further strengthening the accumulation narrative. Moreover, SHIB balances linked to public figures have declined by 4.88% to approximately 399.92 billion tokens. 

Shiba Inu Exchange Reserve
Shiba Inu Exchange Reserve

Based on this analysis, TKResearch concludes that Shiba Inu is exhibiting early signs of supply exhaustion. As investors continue to withdraw tokens from exchanges and consolidate them into large wallets, the available float for open-market trading continues to shrink. If this pattern continues, SHIB’s price dynamics could become sensitive to demand surges, as reduced liquidity often magnifies volatility.

Meanwhile, Shiba Inu is trading at $0.00000860, down 0.49% over the past 24 hours and extending its seven-day decline to 1.24%. 

Hoskinson Calls 2026 a Do-or-Die Year for Cardano to Supercharge Its DeFi Ecosystem

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Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has called 2026 a “do or die” year for the Cardano ecosystem to boost its DeFi presence in the crypto space.

Notably, he appeared on the Wolf of All Street show on Sunday, and the roadmap for Cardano in 2026 was one of the topics he discussed with host Scott Melker. He reiterated the sentiment that this year would be decisive for ADA, providing context for the belief.

Huge Mismatch in Cardano Value and DeFi Presence

Cardano ranks as the 10th largest cryptocurrency by market cap, with a valuation of over $14 billion. However, on the DeFi side, the chain has not only failed to compete with its peers but has also fallen behind newer, less valuable networks by a wide margin.

Hoskinson acknowledged this “mismatch” in the interview, blaming it on Cardano’s late DeFi adoption curve. The founder noted that they did not arrive early enough in the smart contract scene, hampering user traction. This has impacted several metrics, such as monthly active users (MAU), total value locked (TVL), and transaction volume.

Again, he highlighted that Cardano has not yet bridged to other top DeFi ecosystems in the crypto space or brought major stablecoins to the network.

Gradual Growth and 2026 as a Decisive Year

Nonetheless, Hoskinson noted that ADA was slowly coming to the scene. Gradually, the Cardano team has implemented the necessary roadmap to solve this long-standing issue.

Specifically, he noted that Bitcoin and XRP DeFi are on the way, bringing more users to the network. The Midnight mainnet launch is also on the horizon, connecting Cardano to other chains while adding a touch of privacy.

Furthermore, he noted that Cardano has proven it is scalable, with Hydra’s 1 million TPS showing and the Ouroborous Leios upgrade. Hoskinson stated that this brings a 60x improvement to the chain’s throughput.

Additionally, with decentralization and governance in place, Hoskinson stated that 2026 is a make-or-break year for Cardano to supercharge its DeFi. Notably, this builds on his earlier comments that it would be a great year for ADA.

Huge Growth Incoming for Cardano DeFi

Aside from the technology, Cardano is also laying the groundwork in other areas to ensure its DeFi grows this year. Notably, the required funding to do this is already in place, as the community approved 1.5 million ADA to invest into the network’s DeFi ecosystem.

Hoskinson noted that critical integrations like the Pyth Oracle, the ploy to bring established stablecoins like USDT and USDC to Cardano, and the building of bridges connecting to other chains would significantly improve user traction and liquidity.

Meanwhile, while he does not see Cardano eclipsing Ethereum’s DeFi by the end of the year, the Cardano founder insisted that there would be significant growth in that part of the ADA ecosystem.

CZ Sees Bitcoin ‘Super Cycle’ as SEC Shifts 2026 Priorities

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Binance founder Changpeng Zhao suggested that Bitcoin and crypto markets could be entering a prolonged expansion.

The discussion gained momentum after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its 2026 priority risk list. Crypto was notably absent.

Meanwhile, the agency confirmed that it will continue to review registered firms that provide digital asset services when circumstances warrant. The absence of crypto as a named inspection priority sparked notable reactions across the industry.

Super Cycle is Coming, CZ Says

Against this backdrop, Changpeng Zhao, commonly known as CZ, shared his perspective in a post on X on Saturday. Zhao said Bitcoin and the broader crypto market could be approaching a “super cycle ” based on the development.

Separately, CZ also highlighted a divergence in market behavior. He noted that while U.S. banks are increasing their exposure to Bitcoin, retail investors continue to reduce their holdings.

Zhao’s remarks align with recent disclosures from major financial institutions. For instance, Wells Fargo reportedly purchased approximately $383 million in Bitcoin ETF shares.

Similarly, Morgan Stanley filed documentation related to a Bitcoin ETF earlier this week. Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas attributed the move to rising demand from the firm’s wealth management clients.

Taken together, these filings suggest institutional participation remains robust despite broader market uncertainty.

Analysts Outline Strong Bitcoin Price Expectations

Beyond institutional activity, several industry figures have issued ambitious projections for Bitcoin’s future valuation.

Charles Hoskinson, co-founder of Cardano, said Bitcoin could reach $250,000 by 2026. He also highlighted the emergence of non-custodial credit systems, which he believes could allow altcoins to decouple from Bitcoin’s price movements.

Meanwhile, crypto analyst ShieldedMonk, an early contributor to Zcash, projected Bitcoin to trade between $175,000 and $200,000 by mid-2026. His forecast assumes a gradual reallocation of capital from precious metals into digital assets.

BTC Price Predictions from Asset Managers

Grayscale, a digital asset management firm, projects that Bitcoin may attain new all-time highs in the first half of 2026. Looking further ahead, VanEck published projections stretching to 2050. Its base-case scenario places Bitcoin at $2.9 million, with estimates ranging from $130,000 to as high as $53.4 million.

VanEck analysts Matthew Sigel and Patrick Bush linked these outcomes to varying degrees of global adoption. In the most optimistic scenario, Bitcoin would rival or surpass gold as a global reserve asset, capturing a meaningful share of international trade and domestic economic activity.

Moreover, policy considerations are also shaping expectations. Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood recently said the United States could begin purchasing Bitcoin for a strategic reserve as early as this year.

Consequently, as regulatory signals continue to evolve and institutional participation expands, discussion remains active over Bitcoin’s long-term role within the global financial system.

XRP Price Prediction: Likely XRP Price by 2030 Based on Market Trends

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The XRP price predictions for the next few years have improved, considering recent market trends and XRP’s current position.

While XRP currently trades for $2.1, recent developments have bolstered optimism around its future prospects. However, amid the recent ambitious predictions, it still remains unclear how high XRP could go from here. As a result, we turned to Grok from xAI to present its XRP price prediction for 2030 based on current market trends.

In its response, Grok suggested that XRP could soar to $50 by 2030 based on Ripple’s progress and broader market conditions. According to the chatbot, this could materialize if XRP sees steady institutional adoption, supportive regulation, and growing use in cross-border payments. 

XRP Price Prediction for 2030 Grok AI
XRP Price Prediction for 2030 | Grok AI

Success of XRP ETFs

Notably, one of the primary reasons behind Grok’s projection is the performance of XRP ETFs. These products launched in November 2025 and have already attracted more than $1.3 billion in assets. Interestingly, these funds recorded about $1.18 billion in net inflows within their first 50 days, and have only seen one day of net outflow since launch.

Grok suggested that this strong demand contributed to XRP’s roughly 25% spike earlier this month, allowing it to outperform Bitcoin and Ethereum during that period. The AI chatbot expects ETF growth to continue. Interestingly, Canary Capital CEO Steven McClurg expects XRP ETFs to cross $5 billion in net inflows.

As institutions increasingly view XRP as a liquidity bridge, analysts at firms like Standard Chartered expect XRP to trade between $7 and $8 by the end of 2026. Grok believes this range is a foundation for larger gains later in the decade if inflows remain strong.

Ripple’s Expansion

For its second reason, Grok highlighted Ripple’s business expansion. For context, in 2025, Ripple completed major acquisitions, including the $1 billion purchase of GTreasury and the $1.25 billion acquisition of Ripple Prime, formerly Hidden Road. 

These deals strengthened Ripple’s infrastructure and improved its ability to handle large-scale payments. This year, Ripple has secured an Electronic Money Institution approval in the United Kingdom, and expanded partnerships, including Evernorth’s work with Doppler on treasury management. Also, last year, Ripple gained conditional approval to operate a bank charter.

Speaking on the bullish traction, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse called 2025 a foundation year and said 2026 would mark a turning point, with greater focus on XRP adoption and the growth of the RLUSD stablecoin. 

Grok added that even capturing a small share of the estimated $120 trillion global cross-border payments market could significantly boost XRP demand, supporting a possible $50 price by 2030. This aligns with optimistic models that place XRP between $35 and $50 based on adoption growth.

Broader Market Growth

Meanwhile, for the third factor, Grok looked at the wider crypto market. The sector appears to be entering a more mature phase in 2026, with stablecoins projected to reach a combined market value of $500 billion and real-world asset tokenization gaining pace. 

Notably, XRP’s fast and low-cost settlement system fits well within these trends. Grok also highlighted rising institutional investment, increased merger activity, and supportive macro conditions, including potential Federal Reserve easing. 

If Bitcoin climbs toward $150,000 by year-end, altcoins could benefit, with XRP potentially outperforming due to its regulatory clarity following the SEC case resolution in 2025. Grok also highlighted strong bullish sentiment across social platforms, where long-term price targets range from $15 to $100 by 2030. In a full bull cycle, Grok suggested XRP could deliver annual gains of 100% to 200% from current levels, making a $50 price achievable.

Here’s How High XRP Can Reach After Recording This Similar Bullish Formation

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A recent XRP price analysis has identified the emergence of an exceptionally bullish formation, potentially signaling a price surge.

XRP started 2026 with an impressive recovery run, soaring more than 31% from $1.83 on Jan. 1 to a peak of $2.41 by Jan. 6, as it erased the losses incurred in Q4 2025. However, XRP faced resistance at the $2.41 mark and has since corrected, down by more than 13% from this peak. 

Amid the current price condition, market analyst CryptoWZRD called attention to a structure similar to what XRP observed a year ago, before it witnessed a massive upward push. His recent commentary implied that, with a similar pattern playing out again for the altcoin, XRP could be on the verge of another explosive surge.

Consolidation Phase Builds Toward Breakout

For context, this pattern involves an extensive consolidation phase, which keeps prices muted for months, as XRP builds up momentum to record a massive rally. The pattern also features a falling wedge structure, which emerges when the consolidation phase comes close to an end, marking an impending breakout.

The last time this played out was in 2024, when XRP traded way below the $1 mark. Specifically, throughout 2024, XRP moved within a consolidation trend, locked between a $0.40 low and a peak of $0.75. All attempts at a breakout met resistance around $0.7, while the $0.4 region held as support, cushioning steeper declines.

This consolidation held for nearly a year, keeping momentum muted. However, in Q4 2024, XRP slipped into a falling wedge within the consolidation when it dropped from the $0.66 high in September. The falling wedge, which represents a bullish setup, endured until early November 2024, when XRP exploded on the back of the U.S. elections.

XRP 1D Chart CryptoWZRD
XRP 1D Chart | CryptoWZRD

Following this explosion, XRP rose to a peak of $3.4 by January 2025. This represented a massive 580% rise from the breakout price of $0.5, making XRP one of the best-performing assets during the Trump-led market upsurge. 

XRP Repeating the Same Pattern 

CryptoWZRD believes the same consolidation pattern may now be playing out. Data from his chart shows that XRP has been consolidating between $3.6 and $1.6 since 2025. Interestingly, as the consolidation held, XRP entered another falling wedge structure after dropping from the $2.7 high in late October 2025. 

This falling wedge led to the consistent price collapse that XRP faced in Q4 2025, dropping 35% during this period. Notably, citing data from the previous consolidation phase, the appearance of the falling wedge structure suggested that the consolidation was coming to an end. 

This appears to now be playing out, as XRP recovered massively from the Q4 2025 downtrend, now up nearly 14% this year. Considering this pattern, CryptoWZRD questioned if history could repeat, leading to XRP replicating the November 2024 explosive run.

At press time, XRP currently changes hands at $2.1, looking to hedge against any steeper drop below the $2 psychological mark. If XRP replicated the 580% rally from the current price of $2.1, its value would skyrocket to $14.28. 

Crypto Founder Says Tokenized Gold Is Coming to the XRP Ledger — and It’s Going to Be Epic

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As interest in tokenizing real-world assets resurges, the XRP community is debating whether gold and silver could soon be brought onto the XRP Ledger.

In a tweet, X user Tyson Weller asked whether gold and silver would ever be tokenized on the XRP Ledger. Phil Kwok, co-founder of EasyA, gave a clear and confident response.

“Tokenized Gold Is Coming to the XRPL”

According to Kwok, tokenized gold is coming to the XRPL, stressing that the impact will be massive. “Tokenized gold is coming to the XRP Ledger, and it’s going to be epic,” he replied.

Meanwhile, Vet, an XRPL validator, pointed out that the technology is already well-suited for tokenized gold and silver. Accordingly, he raised questions about why adoption hasn’t happened at scale yet.

Vet highlighted several advantages of using the XRP Ledger for tokenized metals. These include 24/7 access, fast transfers, and integration with DeFi tools such as automated market makers (AMMs).

He also noted that future features, such as lending and escrow, could make tokenized gold on the XRPL even more attractive.

Market Demand Already Exists

Meanwhile, skeptics questioned whether there is enough demand for tokenized gold and silver. In response, Vet pointed to existing examples in the market. Firms like Paxos and Tether already manage billions of dollars’ worth of tokenized gold and silver, showing that investor interest is real and well established.

From this perspective, the challenge may not be demand, but rather execution and incentives on the XRPL itself.

Incentives May Be the Missing Piece

Adding to the discussion, Anodos Finance co-founder and CEO Pano Mekras suggested that incentives are a major hurdle. He argued that large players may be hesitant to launch tokenized gold on the XRPL unless Ripple actively brings them in.

Mekras noted that attracting projects with high activity and volume requires strong economic incentives. Still, he acknowledged that having products like Paxos Gold or Tether Gold on the XRP Ledger would be a major win for the ecosystem.

What This Could Mean for XRP

Ultimately, tokenized gold on the XRP Ledger could significantly expand the XRPL’s role in real-world asset tokenization. Beyond payments, XRP and the XRPL could become hubs for trading, settling, and using tokenized commodities within DeFi.

Meanwhile, in June 2024, Meld Gold partnered with Ripple to bring tokenized gold and silver to the XRP Ledger (XRPL). In Q3 2024, Meld Gold launched gold and silver tokens on the XRPL, with each token backed by one gram of physical metal held by trusted providers.

Meld Gold aims to grow the XRPL DeFi ecosystem and enable new financial products built around tokenized precious metals.

Can XRP Replace Bitcoin as Digital Gold? Here is How High XRP Must Rise to Turn the Tables

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Assessing whether XRP can eventually replace Bitcoin as digital gold requires evaluating multiple factors, including the growth requirement.

The idea of “digital gold” has long been synonymous with Bitcoin. Its fixed supply, first-mover advantage, and dominance in market valuation have positioned BTC as the primary store of value in the crypto market. 

However, as the market matures, questions are increasingly emerging about whether other assets, most notably XRP, could challenge Bitcoin’s long-standing dominance over time. These discussions have gained momentum in recent months, driven by XRP’s strong performance and renewed market interest. 

Debate Over Whether XRP Can Replace Bitcoin as Digital Gold 

Like Bitcoin, XRP has a fixed supply of 100 billion tokens, with approximately 60.69 billion currently in circulation. Although XRP lacks Bitcoin’s first-mover advantage, it has still reached notable milestones, including outperforming BTC during recent market rallies. 

For instance, XRP is already up 11.6% year-to-date, while Bitcoin has posted a comparatively modest 2.34% gain over the same period. Despite growing efforts by some members of the XRP community to position the token as digital gold, critics remain unconvinced. 

They argue that XRP is ill-suited as a primary store of value, pointing to Ripple’s substantial influence over the asset. Notably, Ripple still controls roughly 34.18 billion XRP held in escrow. In addition, the company releases at least 200 million XRP into the market each month, a practice that critics say fuels concerns about potential price suppression.

Can XRP Replace Bitcoin as Digital Gold? 

To determine whether XRP can realistically replace Bitcoin as digital gold, it is essential to move beyond narratives and examine the underlying data, specifically the numbers, market structure, and real-world use cases that define each asset. 

Market Cap Reality 

At current levels, Bitcoin trades at $90,468 per token, giving it a market capitalization of approximately $1.80 trillion. XRP, by contrast, trades at $2.08, with a total market cap of $126.75 billion. This means Bitcoin’s market capitalization is more than 14 times that of XRP’s. 

For XRP to replace Bitcoin as digital gold, it would need to surpass Bitcoin’s market cap, assuming BTC’s valuation remains constant.

How High Would XRP Need to Rise to Become Crypto’s Digital Gold?

As mentioned earlier, while Bitcoin is valued at $1.8 trillion, XRP has a market cap of $126.75 billion. To surpass Bitcoin’s valuation, XRP’s market cap would need to reach a market cap of at least $1.85 trillion. 

This represents an increase of 1,359% from its current valuation. Applying the same percentage growth to XRP’s price will elevate it from the current level of $2.08 to $30.34, marking a new all-time high for the token. The $30 target aligns with analysts’ projections, including Mason Versluis, who recently described the price as realistic. 

It is important to note that this scenario assumes Bitcoin’s price remains flat. If Bitcoin continues to grow, XRP’s required price to “turn the tables” would move even higher. 

Digital Gold vs Utility Asset 

Beyond valuation, the comparison also raises a deeper structural issue. Bitcoin’s digital gold narrative is rooted in scarcity and passive value storage. XRP, on the other hand, is primarily a utility-driven asset that facilitates liquidity and settlement across the global payment infrastructure. 

It is essential to understand the difference between utility-driven assets and digital gold. Investors typically view digital gold as something held rather than used frequently. XRP’s strength lies in integration with financial systems, not long-term idle storage. 

Therefore, the possibility of XRP replacing Bitcoin as digital gold would require a fundamental shift in how the market perceives value, utility, and monetary role. 

This Is How High XRP Could Go If It Takes Just 5% of SWIFT’s Daily Volume

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XRP could see an explosive price expansion if it were to capture even a small slice of SWIFT’s daily transaction flow. 

Recent discussions within the crypto community have increasingly focused on how XRP and the XRP Ledger (XRPL) might fit into the global payments landscape alongside SWIFT, the world’s largest financial messaging network.

While a complete replacement of SWIFT remains unlikely in the near term, many believe XRP could serve as a powerful settlement layer that enhances speed, liquidity, and cost efficiency.

XRP and SWIFT: Competition or Complement?

Ripple executives have long argued that XRP is designed to improve cross-border payments rather than outright dismantle existing systems. 

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has previously stated that SWIFT’s infrastructure works but remains slow and expensive, especially for international transfers.

Similarly, Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz has highlighted how blockchain-based settlement can reduce intermediaries, shorten settlement times, and unlock liquidity trapped in traditional banking rails. 

These views have fueled speculation that XRP could eventually handle a portion of SWIFT-related flows, even if SWIFT itself remains the primary messaging layer.

Understanding SWIFT’s Enormous Scale

SWIFT processes tens of millions of financial messages every day. As of late 2022, the network averaged roughly 44.8 million messages daily, a figure that continues to grow year over year.

Although SWIFT does not disclose the exact value transferred daily, historical data offers useful context. In the mid-2000s, SWIFT was already processing around $5 trillion per day, based on average transaction sizes at the time. Today, that figure is widely believed to be even higher.

For this analysis, we use the conservative $5 trillion daily volume estimate to explore what XRP’s valuation might look like if it handled 5% of that flow.

What If XRP Processes 5% of SWIFT’s Daily Volume?

Five percent of $5 trillion equals $250 billion in daily transaction volume flowing through XRP.

At the time of this analysis, XRP is trading around $2.08, with an average daily trading volume of approximately $3 billion. If XRP’s daily volume were to rise from $3 billion to $250 billion, that would represent an increase of roughly 83 times current levels.

Using a simple proportional model that links trading volume growth to price appreciation, XRP’s price under this scenario could theoretically rise to around $173 per XRP.

That would represent an increase of more than 8,200% from current levels and push XRP’s market capitalization well into the multi-trillion-dollar range.

Important Reality Check

It’s crucial to stress that this estimate is purely hypothetical. Price does not move in perfect proportion to transaction volume, especially at scale. A large share of increased volume would likely come from institutional settlements, arbitrage, and liquidity cycling rather than pure buying pressure.

Still, the scenario highlights why XRP’s potential role in global payments continues to attract attention. Even a small percentage of SWIFT-level activity could dramatically change XRP’s long-term valuation profile.

Ripple CEO Says Company Prioritizes Long-Term Value Creation for XRP Over Speculative Cycles

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Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse expresses optimism as the company heads into 2026, emphasizing long-term value creation for XRP and RLUSD over short-term market cycles in the crypto industry. 

The company’s CEO made this known in his 2026 New Year commentary to members of the crypto community, particularly XRP. Sharing a New Year message alongside Ripple’s quarterly shareholder update, Garlinghouse highlighted 2025 as a landmark year for the company. 

He indicated that 2025 was marked by strategic expansion, regulatory progress, and a renewed focus on building durable financial infrastructure. The CEO likened Ripple’s 2025 performance to the legendary career of NFL icon Tom Brady, underscoring how decisive and impactful the year had been. 

Factors Behind Ripple’s 2025 Success 

According to him, the company’s momentum did not happen by chance. Instead, it reflects deliberate, multi-year investments designed to bring its vision of the “Internet of Value” to life.

Acquisitions 

He pointed to the completion of two major acquisitions—Ripple Prime (formerly Hidden Road) and GTreasury—as a key driver of the company’s progress in 2025. 

Notably, Ripple acquired GTreasury for $1 billion, while Ripple Prime stands as its largest acquisition to date, costing approximately $1.25 billion.

Building on these moves, Garlinghouse emphasized that both deals significantly accelerate Ripple’s ability to deliver on its core mission of modernizing how value moves across borders. 

At the center of this strategy is XRP. He reaffirmed that XRP is, and will remain, the “heartbeat” of Ripple’s vision, playing a foundational role in enabling fast, efficient, and low-cost value transfers across global markets.

Regulatory Progress 

Beyond acquisitions, Garlinghouse highlighted Ripple’s growing regulatory footprint as another major advantage heading into 2026. 

He argued that the company now holds one of the industry’s most comprehensive licensing portfolios, reinforced by the recent addition of a UK Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license. With this expanding regulatory footprint, he emphasized that Ripple is well-positioned to “make 2026 even more consequential.” 

Ripple Focuses on the Long-Term Potential of XRP and RLUSD

At the core of his message is Ripple’s commitment to patience and long-term thinking in an industry often driven by hype and short-lived cycles.

He underscored that transforming global finance, through building crypto infrastructure, modernizing legacy payment systems, and overhauling decades-old financial plumbing, cannot happen overnight.

Instead of chasing speculative trends, he stressed that Ripple will continue focusing on what crypto-based assets such as XRP and RLUSD can achieve in real-world use cases. This stance signals that Ripple prioritizes sustainable, long-term progress over short-term market success for both tokens. 

Ultimately, the company’s long-view strategy reflects its belief that lasting impact in finance comes from utility and deep integration, rather than market exuberance.

Meanwhile, XRP entered 2026 with strong bullish momentum, surging more than 20% in the first few days of the year and reaching $2.41. Although the token has since pulled back, it is currently trading at $2.08, up 11.6% year-to-date. 

Additionally, RLUSD—Ripple’s native stablecoin—continues to gain traction, surpassing a $1 billion market cap within a year of launch and reaching approximately $1.3 billion in the hours leading up to press time. 

XRP 2026 Price Prediction: Analyst Identifies 2026 Bottom XRP May Drop to Before Explosive Run

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In his XRP 2026 price prediction, a known market technician identified the 2026 bottom XRP could drop to before finally seeing an explosive run.

After starting the year with an aggressive bullish momentum, XRP now faces intense bearish pressure. Notably, during the first five days of 2026, XRP recorded consecutive green candles, eventually recovering above $2 and hitting $2.41 on Jan. 6. However, the resistance at $2.41 has since led to four intraday losses in a row, with XRP now trading for $2.08, retesting the $2 support.

While most market commentators believe the correction could be short-lived, expecting a rebound push soon, CoinsKid, a prominent market technician, recently suggested that XRP may not have reached its bottom for 2026 yet, predicting a deeper correction before an eventual explosive surge.

In his video commentary, CoinsKid first called attention to a Discord post through which he shared XRP’s bottom prices since 2020. According to the analyst, XRP’s bottom for the 2020 cycle stood at $0.21, and by 2021, the bottom rose to $0.55 due to the bull market that year.

XRP 2026 Price Prediction Puts Bottom at $1.14

For 2022, the bottom dropped to $0.29 as a result of the Terra and FTX implosions, which marked the bear market then. In 2023, while prices improved, the bull market did not officially kick in, leaving XRP with a bottom of $0.30. For 2024, the bottom had improved to $0.388, but still much lower than expected, as XRP underperformed.

XRP 2026 Price Prediction CoinsKid
XRP 2026 Price Prediction | CoinsKid

Things took a turn for the better when XRP recovered considerably in November 2024, soaring past the $1 and $2 milestones by 2025. As a result, the bottom for 2025 stood at an impressive $1.64, which XRP reached during the correction in April 2025. 

Now, CoinsKid believes this year, 2026, could feature a lower bottom of $1.14, and the current retracement may lead to this low price. In the Discord post, the analyst stressed that these bottom prices represent his bidding zones. However, when he called the $1.64 bottom last year at a time when XRP changed hands above $3, he faced criticism and intense pushback.

During the video commentary, he shared technical reasons behind the $1.14 bottom call for 2026. Specifically, CoinsKid presented a 5-day XRP chart indicating that XRP broke above a 7-year symmetrical triangle during the November 2024 upsurge. 

XRP Could Drop to Fib. 1.414 Before Recovery to $27

After the breakout, the rally to $3.4 in January 2025 marked the first wave of an Elliott Wave structure, and the ongoing correction after XRP hit resistance above $3 now represents Wave 2. According to CoinsKid, XRP is now exhibiting signs of an ABC correction within the corrective Wave 2. 

XRP 5D Chart CoinsKid
XRP 5D Chart | CoinsKid

Despite the ongoing weakness, the analyst admitted that XRP’s macro setup currently looks “pretty tasty for continuation.” However, he stressed that such a bullish continuation would occur after the correction ends. “So, really, the question is, where does the correction end?” CoinsKid said. He believes this could be the Fib. 1.414 level.

According to him, if XRP loses its current structure with a drop below $1.9, a steeper correction is in the works. Meanwhile, he noted that in such situations, XRP always drops to the 1.414 Fibonacci level during corrections. This happened in 2015 and 2021. 

However, after the correction concludes, CoinsKid expects the next recovery wave to push prices to $27. This would represent a 1,198% rise from the current price of $2.08. Nonetheless, CoinsKid admitted that this was all guesswork, and he’s not sure any of the projections, whether the bottom or the top, would play out.