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One Last Dump Before XRP Goes to the Moon: Analyst

Elendu Benedict
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One Last Dump Before XRP Goes to the Moon: Analyst

Analysts predict that the recent correctional momentum for XRP will continue, arguing that this represents a healthy retracement before XRP blasts off to greater heights.

One of those calling this move is pseudonymous market watcher “Bertrandtissotgm.” In a recent TradingView price outlook, he highlighted that XRP would see one final dump before ascending to the moon.

XRP Price Structure

The analyst dissected the XRP price, noting that certain things look so obvious, yet some fail to recognize them. Specifically, one thing that seems obvious about the high-caliber cryptocurrency is its price action between three distinct channels on the daily chart.

Notably, these channels, colored in red, green, and purple, have at one point suppressed bullish momentum for XRP or acted as a wedge for further price decline, establishing their importance in the asset’s future trend.

Currently, XRP trades within the purple channel. An accompanying chart shows it entered this wedge after its July 2025 peak price of $3.67 and has since made lower highs and lower lows within it.

XRP Channel Trend
XRP Channel Trend

Most recently, XRP revisited the upper trendline of this channel on the back of its rally to $2.41 on January 6. However, what followed was a higher price rejection, with the coin falling 12.8% to its current market price of $2.10

Why This Dip Occurred and Why It’s Important

Meanwhile, the analyst explained why XRP dropped from that zone. His analysis highlighted that the top of the purple channel aligned closely with the 200-day exponential moving average (EMA) at $2.33, which formed a “deadly combo” that proved hard to defend.

Besides this, he also noted that XRP has seen a notable price increase since the start of the year; hence, a correction was necessary. Moreover, the 20 EMA at $2.03 and the 66 EMA at $2.12 are below the 200 EMA, signaling bearish momentum.

Additionally, lower timeframe momentum indicators are showing divergence continuation. The diverging On-Balance Volume (OBV) also suggests XRP lacked the required strength to defy this crucial resistance area.

Nonetheless, he sees the current sideways trend as necessary for a broader bullish development. The analyst considers this dip crucial, so the chart looks good before XRP goes to the moon.

How Low Can XRP Go?

Interestingly, the commentary also identified key areas where XRP could retest during this last dip. Specifically, he noted that XRP could hit the lower support trendline of either the green or red channel.

The red support lies at $2.12, a level that XRP has already broken with its 7.5% correction in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, the green channel’s support lies around the psychological $2 price mark, which is just 5% below the current market price.

XRP Price Surged 7X the Last Time This Happened on a South Korean Exchange

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
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XRP Price Surged 7X the Last Time This Happened on a South Korean Exchange

The available supply of XRP on some crypto exchanges is starting to decline as the coin undergoes a major price surge.

This week, XRP’s price broke back above $2.4 for the first time since November 2024. The move was widely celebrated in the crypto community, especially since it came without any XRP-specific news, Ripple updates, or regulatory milestones. Market commentators have begun theorizing that a move to new peaks could be underway.

Amid the frenzy, widely followed market watcher Xaif tweeted that the XRP reserves of major South Korean exchange Upbit are declining, citing data from CryptoQuant.

Indeed, CryptoQuant’s data shows Upbit had an XRP reserve of 6.264 billion XRP as of January 1. As of today, the available balance is 6.233 billion, meaning 31 million XRP have been moved out of the exchange in just one week.

Xaif pointed out that when a larger volume of XRP flowed out of Upbit back in November 2024, it coincided with the token’s price moving from $0.5 to $3.34—a nearly 7X surge. With outflows resuming again, he suggests another repeat of history may be underway.

XRP on Upbit exchanges
XRP on Upbit exchanges

Other South Korean Exchanges See Dip in XRP Reserve

A similar trend is observable with Bithumb, another major South Korean cryptocurrency exchange. It had 1.818 billion XRP as of January 3 but currently holds 1.808 billion — a drop of 10 million XRP in five days.

Likewise, Bitstamp held 20.19 million XRP as of January 5 but now holds 15.5 million—a 5 million XRP decline in three days. Other exchanges also seeing declines in XRP reserves in the first week of January include KuCoin and HTX Global.

Diverging Trends

Interestingly, during this time, exchanges like Binance, Bitfinex, and Bitget are all reporting a surge in XRP reserves over the last few days. For instance, Binance had 2.639 billion XRP as of December 29 but now holds 2.687 billion.

Similarly, Bitget had 2.705 million XRP as of December 18 but now controls more than twice that volume, with its XRP reserve now at 6.044 million.

XRP reserve on Binance over the past week
XRP reserve on Binance over the past week

Notably, exchanges that recorded surges in XRP reserves saw most of the increase occurring in January as XRP’s price rose. This suggests that while South Korean market participants likely moved their XRP to private wallets, other traders in international markets transferred theirs to liquid exchanges to capitalize on the rally.

This may explain why XRP’s price has dipped 7.34% in the last 24 hours to $2.1, just two days after trading at $2.41. Essentially, some traders have chosen to realize gains without waiting for a potential run to new all-time highs.

Emerging Trend in XRP ETFs

XRP ETFs have also started recording outflows. At the close of business on Wednesday, XRP ETFs recorded $40.8 million in outflows for the first time since inception. This was influenced by a massive $47.25 million sale by 21Shares XRP ETFs.

ETF data
ETF data

Other ETFs, like Canary, Bitwise, and Franklin, registered inflows, but these were far insufficient to counter the selling pressure from 21Shares. Meanwhile, XRP ETFs continue to boast $1.53 billion in total assets.

Despite ETF outflows and a massive spike in Binance’s reserves, optimism remains high for XRP’s price this year.

XRP Spot Trading Goes Live on Hyperliquid in First-Ever Listing

Lele Jima
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XRP Spot Trading Goes Live on Hyperliquid in First-Ever Listing

Flare has taken a major step toward expanding XRP’s reach across on-chain trading venues by enabling spot XRP trading on Hyperliquid for the first time.

In a blog post, Flare Networks announced the listing of FXRP, its wrapped version of XRP, on the Hyperliquid exchange. The move marks the first time traders can access the XRP spot market directly on the platform. 

With this launch, traders can now buy and sell XRP spot exposure through Hyperliquid’s on-chain order book. FXRP represents a fully collateralized form of XRP via Flare’s FAssets system. The system ensures that each token remains securely anchored to XRP on its native blockchain, the XRP Ledger (XRPL). 

Technology Behind Integration 

To enable this integration, Flare combined its FAssets framework with LayerZero’s Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) standard. Specifically, Flare deployed FXRP as a LayerZero OFT, enabling frictionless routing to Hyperliquid’s HyperEVM and subsequent representation as a HIP-1 asset on HyperCore for spot order book trading. 

As a result, FXRP can move seamlessly across blockchains, traveling from the XRPL to Flare, routing into Hyperliquid for trading, and returning to the ledger when needed. 

Looking ahead, Flare revealed plans to launch a dedicated FXRP Bridge powered by smart accounts in the coming weeks. This upgrade will enable one-click withdrawals back to the XRP Ledger while preserving FXRP’s anchor to XRPL. 

Throughout the entire process, which includes bridging, trading, and withdrawals, users remain fully on-chain and retain transparent custody at all times. 

Initial Support for FXRP/USDC Pair 

According to the announcement, trading initially launched with the FXRP/USDC pair, with additional stablecoin pairs expected to roll out over time.

Prior to this development, XRP exposure on Hyperliquid was limited to derivatives, often involving leveraged positions. Now that FXRP is live on spot markets, traders can finally spot-hedge XRP exposure, unlocking more advanced strategies such as hedging, arbitrage, and directional positioning across both spot and perpetual markets. 

The Gateway to DeFi 

Beyond trading, the FXRP spot listing acts as a direct gateway into Flare’s XRPFi ecosystem. Last year, Flare enabled XRP holders to bridge their assets to its blockchain and mint FXRP to unlock participation in DeFi.

With FXRP now live on Hyperliquid, native users can seamlessly move their holdings into Flare to access lending markets, staking, and other composable DeFi applications. This development reframes XRP not merely as a trading instrument, but as a yield-generating, programmable asset backed by deep on-chain liquidity.

Currently, FXRP has a circulating supply of 86.18 million tokens, giving it a market valuation of approximately $181.88 million. 

Expert Says It Is a Matter of Time Before Cardano Rallies to $10

Elendu Benedict
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Expert Says It Is a Matter of Time Before Cardano Rallies to $10

Experienced market analyst Quantum Ascend remains confident in his projection that Cardano has reached a bottom and will rally from here to a double-digit price.

According to him, it is only a matter of time before Cardano pumps aggressively. In his recent analysis, he further highlighted possible catalysts for this uptrend, including a bottoming in ADA prices.

Cardano Nears Bottom

His analysis featured ADA’s trend within a channel in the weekly timeframe. This structure has contained the coin’s price since 2018, with a trend in an ABCD pattern.

Notably, ADA currently trades within the D-wave, which is corrective, bringing the price to the lower support of the wedge. While Cardano briefly dropped below the trendline, the recent bullish price move has pushed it back into the wedge, signaling strength.

Quantum Ascend insisted that the corrective wave was nearing its end and that a blastoff would follow. He expects the E-wave to be super-bullish, taking the coin to the tip of the rising wedge, aligning with a 24x rise to a new all-time high of $10.4.

Even in a conservative scenario, ADA could rise to $5, representing a 12x, or 1,182%, increase from the current market price of $0.39.

Similarities With 2020 Correction

Further backing his belief that ADA may start its next impulsive move is its similarity to the 2020 correction. He pulled out the retracement structure to the channel’s lower support in 2020, when it reached a low of $0.017, and compared it to the current trend.

This showed an imperfect correlation between the two years, with the analyst stressing that ADA is about to reverse to the upside as it did after the 2020 low.

Cardano's Current Correction Shows Similarity With 2020
Cardano’s Current Correction Shows Similarity With 2020

Again, he identified that the current drawdown has completed an ABC correctional move, strengthening his conviction that the bottom is not far off. According to him, the ongoing rebound could be the start of the bullish push to new all-time highs.

Weekly Oscillator Look Juiced

Meanwhile, he identified another signal that ADA would reverse from here. Specifically, the weekly Stochastic RSI oscillator has formed a pattern that historically kick-started a price rally for the tenth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

The market watcher noted that the RSI is beginning to coil up as it did in 2020, which preceded the push to its current all-time high of $3.10. The Stoch RSI moved from under 25 to near 100 during the run, and a similar momentum is building currently.

Additionally, he noted that the MACD is signaling bearish exhaustion, as the red bars have been receding. A bullish crossover to the upside would also confirm the reversal momentum, spurring the E-wave rally to $10.4 in a bullish case and $5 in a conservative scenario.

Bitcoin Analysis for Jan 8: Can BTC Avoid a Close Below the Ichimoku Cloud Support?

Mark Brennan
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Bitcoin Analysis for Jan 8: Can BTC Avoid a Close Below the Ichimoku Cloud Support?

Bitcoin is testing key levels within the Ichimoku Cloud, and whether it can hold above this zone will determine its next major price direction.

Bitcoin’s strong start to 2026 saw it quickly recover from December 2025’s losses, reclaiming the $90,000 mark early in January. Despite external pressures, including geopolitical tensions like the U.S. targeting Venezuela, Bitcoin held above this critical level over the weekend. 

The bullish sentiment carried into the business week, with Bitcoin surging above $94,000 by Monday evening. The momentum continued on Tuesday, briefly pushing the crypto to a multi-week high just below $95,000.

However, the recent dip of 2.8% in the past 24 hours suggests some resistance as Bitcoin consolidates around the $90,000 to $92,500 range. Despite this short-term pullback, Bitcoin has remained resilient, and its medium term upward trend is intact. Where’s BTC headed?

Bitcoin Price Analysis

Bitcoin’s current price action on the daily chart shows it trading within the Ichimoku Cloud, which provides key insights into potential future price movements. The price is hovering around the $90,000 mark, facing immediate resistance at the upper cloud boundary near $93,997. 

Bitcoin Price Analysis
Bitcoin Price Analysis

If Bitcoin manages to break above this resistance, it could potentially target higher levels, such as the $94,000 to $95,000 range. On the other hand, support rests near $88,300, where the lower cloud boundary provides additional cushion. A breakdown below this support could lead to further declines, potentially revisiting the $87,650 level.

Meanwhile, the Average True Range (ATR) indicator on the chart is currently at 2,511.89, which measures the volatility of Bitcoin. A higher ATR value indicates increased volatility, suggesting that the market could experience larger price swings in either direction. In the context of the current chart, the ATR is falling gradually, which may suggest a period of decreasing volatility.

Bitcoin Liquidation Data

Moreover, the Bitcoin liquidation data from CoinGlass shows significant market activity, indicating heightened volatility and potential risk for traders. Over the past 24 hours, a total of $145 million worth of liquidations have occurred, with the majority of this coming from long positions ($134.48 million).

Bitcoin Liquidation
Bitcoin Liquidation

Looking at shorter timeframes, the liquidation data shows that the 12-hour and 4-hour periods also saw substantial liquidation volumes, with $80 million and $68.47 million liquidated, respectively. Long positions dominated these liquidations, with $75.99 million and $66.84 million in long positions being wiped out.

The relatively small amount of short liquidations across all timeframes, particularly in the 1-hour ($1.24 million) and 4-hour ($1.62 million) periods, suggest that short sellers have not been under as much pressure.

XRP Whale Activity Spikes as $100K+ Transactions Hit Three-Month High

Elendu Benedict
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XRP Whale Activity Spikes as $100K+ Transactions Hit Three-Month High

Whales are moving XRP in large numbers amid its price resurgence, pushing large transactions on the XRP Ledger to levels last seen in October.

XRP whale activity has exploded, according to data from the market intelligence firm Santiment. The firm highlighted a rise in transactions by large XRP whales amid XRP’s price resurgence.

For context, XRP bounced from under $2 at the start of the year to a high of $2.41 this week, bringing its YTD performance to approximately 31%. However, its price has pulled back in the past two days, correcting to $2.14 at the time of writing.

Whales Move XRP Aggressively

Following the positive price action, whales renewed interest in the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Santiment’s on-chain analysis shows a spike in whale transactions on the XRP Ledger, boosting network activity.

Specifically, transactions exceeding $100,000 in XRP spiked to a three-month high on January 6, with 2,802 different transactions moving that much in value. Interestingly, this trend has been persistent this week, Santiment highlighted.

On Jan 5th, whales made 2,170 transactions, each worth $100,000 or more, on the Ledger. On Tuesday, they doubled down on their interest in XRP, moving the coin at a rate last seen in October 2025.

Notably, whale transactions exceeding $1 million also increased considerably. From lows around 1,914, it surged past 2,400, reestablishing renewed whale interest in XRP.

XRP Whale Activity Spike per Santiment
XRP Whale Activity Spike per Santiment

Volatility Ahead

However, the direction of these transactions remains unclear, but the coming days will tell. Whale activities of this magnitude suggest they are either relocating, moving to centralized exchanges or trading platforms for sales, or accumulating massively.

As a result, Santiment warned of higher-than-usual volatility in XRP’s price in the coming days. Specifically, prices might move in the direction of the whale transactions’ bias. If large holders sold, prices might correct further; however, XRP could continue to rally if they accumulated.

For further context, whale transactions exceeding $100,000 surged to nearly 3,000 in early October. This turned out to be a sell-off and coincided with the historic XRP crash from $2.80 to a low of $0.77 on Binance before a strong rebound.

Meanwhile, analysts continue to monitor the price of XRP, which is down 5.7% in the past 24 hours, the largest decline among the top 15 cryptocurrencies by market cap. Notably, the token surged the most when the market rebounded earlier and is now correcting harder than other major digital assets.

Recent analysis framed the earlier pump as part of a broader correctional move. Specifically, Blockchain Backer noted that the 30% surge could be a relief rally before a steeper downtrend in XRP, highlighting that longer-term structures remain bearish despite the price recovery.

However, a move to between $3.2 and $3.30 would change XRP’s structure and confirm a bullish reversal from late 2025’s woes.

U.S. Congress Sets January 15 Markups for Competing Crypto Market Structure Bills

Zabi
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U.S. Congress Sets January 15 Markups for Competing Crypto Market Structure Bills

Washington is approaching a pivotal moment for U.S. digital asset policy, as Congress prepares to revive long-stalled efforts to regulate the crypto sector.

After months of negotiation setbacks, lawmakers are signaling renewed momentum, with key legislative action expected next week.

Two Senate committees are moving forward at the same time with competing crypto bills. The Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Banking Committee have both scheduled markup hearings for January 15.

The Agriculture Committee, which oversees the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, will begin formal review of its proposal, putting market oversight front and center. Meanwhile, Senate Banking Chair Tim Scott plans to mark up his committee’s bill the same day, highlighting growing pressure to bring regulatory clarity to the crypto industry.

Competing Approaches to Crypto Oversight

While both committees aim to close long-standing regulatory gaps, they take very different approaches, especially in dividing authority between the CFTC and the SEC.

The Banking Committee’s bill proposes a new category called “ancillary assets” to clarify which cryptocurrencies would not be treated as securities under SEC rules.

The Agriculture Committee, by contrast, focuses on expanding the CFTC’s authority over crypto markets. However, as of November, its draft still included many unresolved sections, signaling ongoing disagreement over key policy issues.

If both committees pass their bills, lawmakers would then need to merge them into a single Senate proposal. That unified bill would have to pass the full Senate before moving to the House.

The House has already passed its own crypto framework—the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act—last summer. Final approval would require both chambers to agree on a common version before sending the bill to President Donald Trump for signature.

Stablecoins Emerge as a Flashpoint

Beyond questions of regulatory authority and political ethics, stablecoin oversight is likely to be a major source of contention during the markups.

For context, earlier this week, the American Bankers Association’s Community Bankers Council urged senators to revisit provisions in the GENIUS Act — stablecoin bill passed last summer.

Banking groups contend that loopholes in the bill could enable crypto firms to offer rewards linked to stablecoin holdings. They warn that this practice could draw deposits away from community banks. According to the council, shrinking deposits could limit banks’ ability to lend locally, therefore affecting small businesses and households.

The crypto industry has pushed back against those claims. Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad argued that banks’ opposition is rooted in competitive concerns rather than genuine financial risk.

In a post on X, Shirzad said warnings about financial instability are being overstated. Moreover, he maintained that preserving the GENIUS Act would lower costs and expand consumer choice. In addition, he emphasized that it would help create a more efficient U.S. payments system.

As Congress moves toward critical votes, the coming weeks are likely to determine whether long-sought crypto regulation can finally clear Washington—or remain mired in competing priorities and political tension.

Ripple President Says No IPO We Still Plan to Remain Private 

Abdulkarim Abdulwahab
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Ripple President Says No IPO We Still Plan to Remain Private 

Ripple President Monica Long has said the firm has no plans to go public, even after completing a $500 million share sale that valued it at around $40 billion.

Speaking in a recent interview on Bloomberg Crypto, Long explained that Ripple is in a strong financial position and does not need an IPO to fund its next phase of growth.

$500M Raise Fuels Acquisitions and Expansion

Long said Ripple was pleased with the Q4 fundraise and highlighted that 2025 marked a major year for the company’s growth. The capital has already supported the acquisition of four companies. Ripple is now focusing on integrating those businesses and scaling operations.

She noted that the structure and terms of the raise were highly favorable. The company welcomed major institutional names such as Citadel and Fortress onto its cap table. 

According to Long, these investors were drawn to Ripple’s working business model and its growing role in digital asset infrastructure for enterprises and financial institutions.

Reducing Reliance on XRP Through Product Strategy

Addressing concerns that much of Ripple’s perceived value is tied to XRP, Long stressed that the company’s strategy focuses on building products rather than relying on a single asset.

Ripple is positioning itself as the “connective tissue” between traditional finance and blockchain by offering secure digital asset custody, compliant on- and off-ramps, and regulated infrastructure. 

Long added that compliance has been a core focus, with Ripple holding more than 70 licenses globally to support cross-border and institutional use cases.

No IPO Plans as Ripple Stays Private

When asked directly about an IPO, Long clarified that Ripple still intends to remain private. She explained that companies typically go public to access liquidity and capital markets. Meanwhile, Ripple’s strong balance sheet and continued interest from strategic investors make an IPO unnecessary at this stage.

Notably, the question follows a widely circulated report predicting firms likely to go public in 2026, which included Ripple and projected a $50 billion valuation.

With ample capital and backing from large institutions, Ripple believes it can continue funding growth and acquisitions without listing on public markets.

Banking Charter and Stablecoin Focus in 2026

Long also discussed Ripple’s progress toward deeper integration with the traditional financial system. Following the passage of the Genius Act, Ripple is seeking federal-level regulation through the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. 

This builds on its existing New York DFS trust license used to launch RLUSD, Ripple’s U.S. dollar stablecoin. She said the goal is to manage and operate RLUSD under the highest regulatory standards.

Looking ahead, Ripple’s priorities include expanding RLUSD, growing its payments business, and successfully integrating recent acquisitions, rather than rolling out entirely new products in the near term.

Cardano Shines in Grayscale Smart Contract Fund as ADA Claims 18.55% Allocation

Lele Jima
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Cardano Shines in Grayscale Smart Contract Fund as ADA Claims 18.55% Allocation

Leading digital asset manager Grayscale has positioned Cardano (ADA) as a major component in the updated Grayscale Smart Contract Fund. 

Grayscale disclosed this update in its latest report detailing the results of its quarterly rebalancing across digital asset investment products. Following its Q4 2025 review, the firm confirmed new component weightings for three funds, such as the Grayscale Smart Contract Fund, the Grayscale Decentralized Finance Fund, and the Grayscale Decentralized AI Fund.

Moreover, the firm clarified that the changes reflect routine portfolio adjustments executed in accordance with each fund’s underlying index methodology. 

Cardano Secures Third-Largest Position

Following the rebalance completed at the close of trading on January 6, 2026, Cardano has emerged as the third-largest asset in the Grayscale Smart Contract Fund (GSC). The cryptocurrency now accounts for 18.55% of the portfolio. 

Only Solana and Ethereum hold larger weightings, at 29.55% and 29%, respectively, making them the fund’s first- and second-largest assets. Nonetheless, Cardano’s allocation places it ahead of several other prominent smart contract platforms. Sui, Avalanche, and Hedera trail behind with weightings of 8.55%, 7.66%, and 6.69%, respectively. 

Grayscale Smart Contract Fund
Grayscale Smart Contract Fund

According to Grayscale, the fund’s rebalance followed the methodology of the CoinDesk Smart Contract Platform Select Capped Index. This process involved proportionally selling existing holdings and reallocating capital to align the portfolio with updated target weightings across eligible assets.

Growing Confidence in Cardano’s Smart Contract Infrastructure

Cardano’s 18.55% weighting signals sustained confidence in its smart contract infrastructure. By ranking just behind Ethereum and Solana, ADA’s allocation underscores its position as one of the most established alternatives in the smart contract ecosystem, particularly for investors seeking diversified exposure beyond the two dominant platforms. 

Although Cardano launched in 2017, the network waited four years before introducing smart contract functionality. The team delivered this milestone through the Alonzo hard fork in September 2021, a move that helped propel ADA to an all-time high of $3.10.

Since then, Cardano’s developers have rolled out additional upgrades, including the Vasil hard fork, to enhance smart contract efficiency and performance. While the network still trails Solana and Ethereum in overall adoption, it remains a major smart contract platform. 

Cardano’s strong reputation in the sector led Grayscale to include ADA in the Grayscale Smart Contract (GSC) Fund in March 2022. At launch, Cardano carried a weighting of 24.63%, which has since declined to 18.55%.

Beyond the GSC Fund, Cardano remains a component of other Grayscale investment products, including the Digital Large Cap (GDLC) ETF. Additionally, the digital asset manager is actively pursuing the launch of a spot ETF for Cardano. 

Finance Coach Says Big Money Is Moving Into XRP

Mark Brennan
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Finance Coach Says Big Money Is Moving Into XRP

Finance coach and market commentator Coach JV recently said big money is moving into XRP, calling it the asset he believes will stand out in 2026. 

In his latest video commentary, Coach JV suggested that XRP has begun attracting institutional interest, presenting mainstream financial media coverage as evidence. According to him, discussions on CNBC show that large investors have already started paying attention.

Coach JV explained that a recent post he shared gained wide attention online. This post, which spotlighted the CNBC coverage on XRP, spread quickly because it aligned with what many investors already sensed about XRP’s new position in the market.

The market pundit emphasized that when major financial networks focus on an asset, the attention usually comes due to institutional activity, or “big money” interest, not short-term retail hype. To buttress his point, he played a segment from CNBC’s Power Lunch, which he called a signal that XRP has entered a new phase.

CNBC Power Lunch Calls XRP the Top Crypto Trade for 2026

In the CNBC Power Lunch segment, the host, Dominic Chu, called XRP the strongest crypto trade of the year. According to Chu, XRP had outperformed both Bitcoin and Ether, gaining more than 20% early in the year and growing into the third-largest cryptocurrency by market value.

Chu pointed out that large capital backed this move, introducing CNBC reporter Mackenzie Sigalos to explain what drove interest in XRP. Responding, Sigalos explained that during the market slowdown in Q4 2025, many investors moved into XRP ETFs. 

This behavior contrasts with what Bitcoin and Ether ETFs witness, which often see inflows and outflows move directly with price. According to her, investors saw XRP as a less crowded trade with more upside potential.

Sigalos added that many investors bought XRP during the Q4 dip, expecting stronger percentage gains compared to Bitcoin and Ether. She said those expectations quickly proved correct during the first six trading days of January, when XRP delivered solid returns.

However, when the discussion turned to fundamentals, the CNBC host asked what practical use case supports XRP, noting that investors already understand Bitcoin’s and Ethereum’s ecosystems.

Coach JV stopped the video before the full response aired, but explained that the commentary pointed out cross-border payments as XRP’s main function. He highlighted this use case as a major reason institutions continue to show interest in the asset.

Coinbase Executive Says Institutions Progressed While Retail Panicked

Coach JV then shared a second CNBC clip featuring John D’Agostino of Coinbase. Notably, during the interview, D’Agostino discussed the gap between retail sentiment and institutional behavior in crypto markets. According to D’Agostino, retail investors have remained pessimistic while institutions and regulators continue to make steady progress.

D’Agostino explained that this has frustrated professionals working on the institutional side of crypto. He said regulatory developments and institutional adoption have moved ahead quietly over the past several months despite negative retail sentiment.

Speaking on this, Coach JV stressed that crypto now operates largely as an institutional market. He warned that retail investors often lose focus by chasing hype instead of recognizing how large institutions move capital.

Coach JV Shares His Investment Approach

The finance coach then advised investors to avoid emotional trading and ignore influencer-driven hype cycles. He warned that influencers often return during market upswings to promote new tokens, urging investors to stay away from those trends. According to him, lasting success does not come from chasing the next big idea.

Speaking on the approach he uses, Coach JV noted that it is similar to strategies used by Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham. Specifically, the market pundit encouraged investors to study long-term value investing principles and apply them to crypto by focusing on strong technologies with fair prices, not weak ones with good prices.

Coach JV said XRP is his largest holding, confirming that he continued accumulating it while others sold. He said that the decision massively improved his family’s financial position.

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