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Here’s Why XRP Price is up 8% Today, Outperforming the Broader Market

Mark Brennan
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Here’s Why XRP Price is up 8% Today, Outperforming the Broader Market

XRP roars back from the DeepSeek sell-off to outperform the broader crypto market.

After the DeepSeek market sell-off at the start of the week, most crypto assets have shown resilience with modest bounces to pare some of the losses, but not XRP. Interestingly, the asset has roared back with sizable gains to outperform the broader market, begging the question of why.

Key Ripple Strides

XRP has surged 18.5% from Monday, January 27, lows below $2.66 to highs of $3.20. At press time, the asset has relinquished some of these gains to change hands at the $3.15 price point. This represents an 8.59% increase over the past 24 hours, more than any other asset in the top 20 by market cap.

XRP’s recent gains appear to be tied to recent significant Ripple strides. On Monday, the firm disclosed that it had obtained Money Transmitter Licenses from New York and Texas, two regions known for stringent regulatory benchmarks.

This comes amid the firm’s fresh push to expand its reach in the U.S. as the crypto regulatory outlook brightens under the Donald Trump administration.

With the license, the company can offer banks in the region its real-time global payment services, which leverage XRP Ledger rails and XRP for liquidity.

With the New York and Texas MTLs, Ripple and its subsidiaries now hold a total of 55, the firm said. 

Amid XRP’s latest rally, prominent crypto analyst “EGRAG CRYPTO” has asserted that the asset is back in a short-term bull trend, citing a close above the 21-period exponential moving average. They also noted that the $3 price point was evolving into strong support as bulls have actively purchased dips below this level.

XRP 4h Chart EGRAG Crypto
XRP 4h Chart EGRAG Crypto

For context, fellow crypto analyst Ali Martinez on Monday disclosed that XRP whales with holdings between 100 million and 1 billion coins added another 120 million coins worth nearly $380 million.

VeChain Founder Shares the Team’s Ambitious Plan for 2025

Lele Jima
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VeChain Founder Shares the Team’s Ambitious Plan for 2025

VeChain (VET) co-founder Sunny Lu outlines an ambitious roadmap for 2025, focusing on three major components. 

Speaking in a recent interview on the Thinking Crypto podcast, Lu revealed the project’s primary focus this year. According to him, the plan for this year revolves around three strategy structures- top, middle, and bottom lines.

VeBetterDAO 

The VeBetterDAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) is at the Top Line of VeChain’s 2025 structure. This project represents the VeChain application ecosystem, encompassing more than 200 user-friendly applications for crypto and non-crypto users.  

According to Lu, VeBetterDAO aims to enhance VeChain’s adoption by developing real-world use cases through these applications. 

VeChain Renaissance 

The component in the second structure, or ‘Bottom Line,’ as Lu described it, is the VeChain Renaissance. The VeChain CEO recounted the launch of the VeChain Renaissance big plan last month. 

With the VeChain Renaissance plan already live, Lu disclosed that the ecosystem team will focus on upgrading its consensus mechanism, tokenomics, and increasing staking rewards to give users better incentives. 

Additionally, the team plans to enhance its EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) compatibility to facilitate future adoptions and integrations with different partners. 

VeWorld 

Lastly, the third major component the VeChain team plans to focus on this year is VeWorld. According to Lu, this project represents the super app of the ecosystem, making it a top priority for 2025. 

Given its position in the plan, it bridges VeChain’s infrastructure and application components.  

His comment suggests that the VeChain ecosystem team’s plan for the year revolves around creating a robust infrastructure, developing thriving applications, and integrating them into a centralized hub to foster mass adoption among crypto and non-crypto users. 

VeChain to Embark on Transformative Journey in 2025 

Lu’s ambitious goal aligns with a similar vision shared by the ecosystem team earlier this year. According to a blog post, the team revealed that it is embarking on a transformative journey this year through the VeChain Renaissance initiative. 

This initiative enhances the overall VeChain ecosystem through improved governance, tokenomics, and interoperability. The ambitious plan will unfold in three phases- Galactica, Hayabusa, and Intergalactic- each expected to introduce groundbreaking features. 

Data Shows New Bitcoin Investors Control 50.2% of Market Wealth: What Does This Mean for the Current Bull Run?

Albert Brown
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Data Shows New Bitcoin Investors Control 50.2% of Market Wealth: What Does This Mean for the Current Bull Run?

Glassnode data shows that new Bitcoin investors, those holding for 24 hours to 3 months, now control 50.2% of the market’s wealth.

This figure is below the peak levels observed in previous cycles, specifically 85% in 2018 and 74% in 2021.

Notably, this latest figure comes at a time when Bitcoin is experiencing heightened volatility. After surging past $105,000 on Sunday, it declined to a multi-week low of under $98,000 on Monday.

On Tuesday, Bitcoin posted a modest recovery, rising 2.02% over the past 24 hours. Despite this short-term gain, the cryptocurrency saw a 1.76% drop over the past week.

Room For Bitcoin Accumulation Before Cycle Tops

Meanwhile, on-chain data suggested there is still room for further accumulation among new Bitcoin investors. Typically, when investors accumulate, it signals confidence in the asset’s future price appreciation.

The Realized Cap HODL Waves metric, which visualizes the distribution of Bitcoin’s realized capitalization across different age bands, indicated that the proportion of wealth held by new investors remains relatively low. 

Data from Glassnode showed that investors holding Bitcoin for 24 hours to three months controlled 50.2% of the market’s wealth. Historically, this figure has spiked during previous market cycle peaks, such as in 2018 and 2021. 

New investors held approximately 85% and 74% of the wealth during those periods, respectively. Essentially, the current levels suggest Bitcoin has not yet reached an accumulation peak comparable to previous cycles.

 

Moreover, a separate analysis also supports the view that Bitcoin still has room for growth before reaching overbought conditions. Specifically, Bitcoin would enter overbought territory or a market top at $181K, requiring an additional nearly 74% rally.

New Bitcoin Whale Holdings on the Rise

A separate metric suggested that new Bitcoin holders are increasing their market share. A report from CryptoQuant highlighted that the holdings of new Bitcoin whales, defined as entities controlling over 1,000 BTC for less than 155 days, have steadily risen.

These large investors tend to be more active in trading and responsive to market conditions.

The report noted that as of Monday, January 27, these new whales accounted for 60% of the realized cap of large market participants. This share has grown since July 2024, when Bitcoin traded at around $55,000. At that time, their market share stood at approximately 17%.

The rise in whale accumulation suggests that demand among major investors remains strong despite the recent volatility.

Key Resistance and Support for BTC Amid Market Uncertainty 

Meanwhile, an analysis by Ali Martinez indicated that Bitcoin remains in a heated zone but continues to hold structural support levels. According to Martinez, Bitcoin faced rejection at an upper pricing band, shown in red, which stood at $109,400. 

He noted that failure to break above this level will shift market focus toward the next critical support level.

The analysis identified this support currently sits at $91,700, providing a crucial threshold for Bitcoin’s price stability.

European Squash Federation Adopts Bitcoin as a Strategic Reserve Asset

Elendu Benedict
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European Squash Federation Adopts Bitcoin as a Strategic Reserve Asset

The European Squash Federation (ESF) is pioneering Bitcoin adoption in the region after becoming the first major sports agency to create a strategic reserve.

After conquering the United States, the Bitcoin adoption wave is slowly moving into Europe. With European Union lawmakers already considering creating a strategic Bitcoin reserve, corporate firms have started adopting the idea of holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets.

The European Squash Federation, a sporting firm that promotes squash games in the bloc, recently announced that it is adopting Bitcoin. Notably, the private corporation disclosed it would use the pioneering cryptocurrency in different capacities, including as a strategic reserve asset.

First Sporting Organization to Hold Bitcoin

In a blog post yesterday, the squash gaming federation announced that it has embraced Bitcoin, becoming the first major sports federation to do so in Europe. The agency noted that this move demonstrates its openness to digital financial innovations.

Notably, the ESF revealed that as part of the innovation, it will create a strategic Bitcoin reserve, holding the asset in its balance sheet. Furthermore, it will leverage Bitcoin’s transactional capabilities to facilitate inward and outward transfers, where feasible.

Meanwhile, the European squash agency has also created a platform that enables Bitcoin donations. The protocol allows enthusiasts and companies to make Bitcoin-only payments to the ESF to support its sporting activities.

Reacting to the announcement, Otto Kalvo, the president of the ESF, said that the new embrace would pave the way for technological innovation to thrive in Europe. It also aims to encourage other sports federations to adopt Bitcoin.

MiCA Regulation Steers Crypto Adoption

Moreover, the easing regulatory regime in Europe follows the inception of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. The new dispensation fully started on December 30, providing a clear regulatory framework for crypto companies in the bloc.

The new regulation will introduce stringent customer protection requirements for crypto firms. Virtual operators in Europe will complete thorough KYCs and obtain credibility licenses.

Nonetheless, a liberal disposition towards cryptocurrencies in the United States may have forced the paradigm shift. For context, Donald Trump’s crypto embrace spurred a global FOMO, with countries like Russia and Brazil already contemplating adopting the pioneering cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin Holds Steady as NASDAQ Slides Signals Strong Bullish Momentum

Mark Brennan
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Bitcoin Holds Steady as NASDAQ Slides Signals Strong Bullish Momentum

Bitcoin is now witnessing a slowdown in the ongoing correction campaign as it gradually decouples from the bleeding U.S. stock market.

For context, Bitcoin faced a tumultuous start to the week, dropping alongside U.S. stocks amid market uncertainty. The decline followed the launch of DeepSeek by China, which raised concerns about overvaluation in the AI sector, leading to a sell-off across major markets. 

However, Bitcoin appears to be recovering more effectively than traditional equities. This has prompted analysts to suggest it may be stabilizing and showing signs of resilience.  

André Dragosch, European Head of Research at Bitwise, observed that Bitcoin’s gradual stabilization while the Nasdaq continued to slide is an encouraging sign. He pointed out that Bitcoin outperformed the Nasdaq over the past two trading days, and this showed limited downside. 

For context, after recording a 2.07% slump on Sunday, Jan. 26, and a subsequent 0.47% drop on Monday, Bitcoin appears to be recovering from the recent selloff spree. It has since recovered the $100,000 mark, having gained 0.62% today.

Bitcoin Has Room for Growth

Meanwhile, on-chain data suggests the Bitcoin market still has more room to grow despite the prevalent uncertainties. In a recent report, Glassnode revealed that new Bitcoin investors, who have held the cryptocurrency for less than three months, currently control 50.2% of its wealth. 

Realized Cap HODL Waves Glassnode
Realized Cap HODL Waves | Glassnode

This figure is significantly below the levels seen during previous market peaks—85% in 2018 and 74% in 2021. Analysts believe this indicates the market still has room to grow before reaching speculative extremes.  

In addition, market watcher IT Tech highlighted Bitcoin’s realized cap and UTXO (unspent transaction output) age bands, which track coin movement across different holding periods, in an analysis on CryptoQuant. 

Historically, market tops align with a high proportion of younger UTXOs (held for one day to three months), as seen in the 2013, 2017, and 2021 peaks. 

Bitcoin Realized Cap UTXO Age Bands CryptoQuant
Bitcoin Realized Cap UTXO Age Bands | CryptoQuant

While younger UTXOs have been increasing recently, their levels remain below those of previous cycle tops. IT Tech suggested this could signal that Bitcoin has further upside potential before reaching the distribution phase.

Analysts Remain Bullish  

Moreover, most analysts remain bullish on Bitcoin. Michaël van de Poppe, a seasoned market veteran, commented on Bitcoin’s recent gains, describing its daily recovery as impressive. 

He argued that Bitcoin’s trajectory will likely depend on the outcome of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming meeting. While markets do not anticipate a rate cut, van de Poppe suggested such a move would be a positive surprise and could fuel further gains for Bitcoin.  

Meanwhile, Rekt Capital, another analyst, believes Bitcoin has completed its initial price discovery correction. Citing historical data, the analyst suggested that Bitcoin may soon begin its second price discovery uptrend. He believes this could possibly lead to new all-time highs within the next two weeks.  

Despite this, a few analysts remain cautious. Trader Daink noted concerns about Bitcoin, pointing to resistance near December’s high at $108,000. He noted that the asset is trading below this high and must surpass this level to confirm bullish momentum. 

Bitcoin 1D Chart Trader Daink
Bitcoin 1D Chart | Trader Daink

Daink warned that if Bitcoin fails to clear this resistance, it could drop to December lows of $91,000. However, a breakout above $108,000 could set the stage for a rally toward $121,900. At press time, Bitcoin currently trades for $102,683.

XRP Ledger Welcomes Ondo Finance’s Tokenized US Treasury Fund Backed by BlackRock’s BUIDL

Mark Brennan
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XRP Ledger Welcomes Ondo Finance’s Tokenized US Treasury Fund Backed by BlackRock’s BUIDL

The XRP Ledger is set to welcome an institutional-grade financial solution with the deployment of Ondo Finance’s tokenized U.S. Treasury fund.

Today, Ondo Finance disclosed plans to launch its Ondo Short-Term US Government Treasuries (OUSG) on XRPL. The company disclosed this move in a tweet today, revealing that the tokenized fund will launch on XRPL within the next six months. 

 

According to the notification, this move will give institutional investors on XRPL access to a secure, compliant, and yield-bearing asset backed by high-quality U.S. Treasuries. 

With rigorous KYC/AML standards in place, OUSG promises to bring institutional-grade finance to the blockchain scene, allowing users to invest in tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) in a compliant manner.

Key Features of OUSG on XRPL

The integration of OUSG on the XRP Ledger introduces several advanced features to support institutional adoption of tokenized assets.

Notably, Ondo and Ripple have entered a partnership, committing to providing initial liquidity for OUSG to ensure its adoption on the XRPL. A key feature is the 24/7 minting and redemption of OUSG via Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin.

Specifically, minting and redeeming OUSG with RLUSD will be seamless on XRPL. It would provide users with continuous liquidity and enhanced financial flexibility without traditional trading hours limitations.

Notably, XRPL’s low fees, high throughput, and deep institutional ties make it an ideal platform for integrating tokenized RWAs like OUSG. Moreover, its native compliance features, including Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and on-chain credential management, provide robust regulatory adherence.

As part of its offerings, OUSG ensures institutional investors can access a safe, low-risk investment option. It boasts backing from the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL).

Other tokenized Funds on XRPL

Recall that in August 2024, OpenEden launched tokenized U.S. Treasury bills on XRPL, which marked a major step in integrating traditional financial assets with blockchain.

These tokens are backed by short-dated U.S. T-bills and reverse repurchase agreements and adhere to strict KYC and AML standards. Notably, Ripple invested $10 million in OpenEden’s TBILL tokens as part of its broader strategy to support tokenized assets.

Now, Ondo Finance has disclosed plans to pursue a similar initiative. According to the announcement, by bringing OUSG to XRPL, Ondo Finance is further pushing the boundaries of institutional DeFi and shaping the future of treasury management on the blockchain.

Ripple vs. SEC: Here’s Why Speculation About an Imminent Settlement Is Rising

Lele Jima
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Ripple vs. SEC: Here’s Why Speculation About an Imminent Settlement Is Rising

The upcoming appearance of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse on an X Space has sparked speculation of an imminent settlement of the SEC lawsuit.

This rumor gained momentum after the official X account of the XRPL developer community platform, RippleX, announced that Garlinghouse would speak at the XRP Community Day event.

For context, the event will be on an X Space today, January 28, 2025. During his speech, Garlinghouse will highlight XRP’s biggest milestones, the state of the crypto market, and his 2025 vision for the industry. 

Speculations about Imminent SEC v. Ripple Resolution 

In anticipation, some XRP proponents took to X to reflect on the events that followed Garlinghouse’s previous appearance on X Spaces. 

Specifically, pro-XRP expert Zach Rector noted that the last time Garlinghouse participated in such an event was after Judge Analisa Torres ruled on the SEC v. Ripple case on July 13, 2023. Recall that Judge Torres issued the summary judgment decision in the lawsuit, granting Ripple a partial victory. 

Notably, she declared that XRP is not a security in itself and that transactions relating to Ripple’s other distribution and programmatic sales of the coin do not constitute investment contracts. According to Rector, Garlinghouse participated in an X Space hosted by XRP community members after the court ruling. 

Interestingly, Rector asserted that Garlinghouse will soon be returning to an X Space, calling on XRP proponents to look out for updates relating to the SEC lawsuit.

Meanwhile, other XRP community members, including Edo Farina, speculated that the multi-year lawsuit is nearing its conclusion. However, Farina did not provide details about the rumor, including its source or when the resolution will likely occur. 

A notable figure in the XRP community, Mr. Intuitive, has raised speculation about whether Brad will announce the resolution of the lawsuit during the XRP Community Day event today.

 

Current Status of the Case 

In the meantime, the Ripple case is still ongoing in the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The SEC filed its opening appeal brief earlier this month, and Ripple will respond soon.  

Last week, the crypto payments company asked the court to set April 16, 2025, as the deadline for filing its cross-appeal brief. The court has yet to issue a decision on the request. 

Meanwhile, Garlinghouse and other Ripple executives, like CLO Stuart Alderoty, are confident that the SEC will ‘abandon’ the lawsuit under new leadership. The SEC is currently being led by pro-crypto commissioner Mark Uyeda, who is serving as acting chairman. 

Despite Uyeda’s enthusiasm for crypto, many believe the SEC cannot dismiss the lawsuit under his leadership until Paul Atkins becomes the permanent chair. It remains to be seen whether Atkins will drop the Ripple lawsuit, as Alderoty predicted. 

Currently, Ripple is engaging with U.S. lawmakers, with rumors suggesting the company is pushing for a resolution of the case and including XRP in the country’s proposed digital asset reserve. 

VanEck to Increase Bitcoin Miner Investments Amid Trump’s Pro-Crypto Push

Mark Brennan
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VanEck to Increase Bitcoin Miner Investments Amid Trump’s Pro-Crypto Push

Leading asset manager VanEck plans to boost its investments into Bitcoin miners amid President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto push.

Throughout the run-up to the 2024 presidential elections and the days that have followed, President Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear that he intends to prioritize the U.S.’s competitive edge in technology, with a particular focus on crypto and artificial intelligence.  

Unsurprisingly, investment firms are taking note.

VanEck Eyes Bitcoin Mining Equities

Amid President Donald Trump’s pro-crypto and AI push, $114 billion global asset manager VanEck is looking to invest more in Bitcoin miners.

The firm recently disclosed this, highlighting that Bitcoin mining firms occupied a unique position as a converging point for crypto and AI amid the energy demands of both industries and miners’ ability to repurpose energy from Bitcoin mining to AI computing.

As the AI industry grows, they expect miners towing this line to benefit significantly.

As highlighted by VanEck, the broader market also appears to share this perception as players like Core Scientific, Terawulf, and Hut 8, that have signaled pivots to offer compute power for AI, have generally outperformed players like Cleanspark and Marathon Digital, who have not signaled such pivots over the past year.

For example, Core Scientific stock posted a staggering 302% gain in the past year, while Marathon Digital’s shares saw a 28% decline.

Table showing returns of Bitcoin mining firms
Table showing returns of Bitcoin mining firms. Source: VanEck

Still, VanEck cautions that this market trend remains largely speculative, as most of these firms signaling AI expansions are only in the early stages of doing so.

VanEck has recently sounded significantly bullish on Bitcoin and crypto, predicting that the leading digital asset will one-day rival gold as a global monetary standard.  

In the near term, the firm has tipped the asset to continue recording price gains as adoption grows, setting a price target of $170,000 for 2025.

Dogecoin Price Prediction: Historical Patterns Suggest DOGE Could Rally 600% to $2.28

Albert Brown
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Dogecoin Price Prediction: Historical Patterns Suggest DOGE Could Rally 600% to $2.28

Analyst Javon Marks has updated his outlook for Dogecoin, predicting a potential 600% surge to $2.28 based on historical price patterns.

Dogecoin experienced a major price decline on Monday, dropping below the $0.31 level as tech stocks tumbled. However, the meme coin regained ground on Tuesday, rising back to $0.3345. This recovery marked a 5.85% increase in 24 hours, though the cryptocurrency remained down by 2.33% over the past week. 

Amid this fluctuation, analyst Javon Marks highlighted Dogecoin’s historical price trends, pointing to its recurring market cycles. His analysis outlined three distinct phases, each involving accumulation, a breakout, a surge in price, and a subsequent correction.

Based on these patterns, Marks suggested that Dogecoin remains on track for another bullish move.

Dogecoin Road to $2.28

According to Marks, historical price movements indicate the potential for a rally exceeding 600%, pushing Dogecoin to approximately $2.28. 

Image
Dogecoin chart by Marks

Marks previously noted that Dogecoin’s 1.618 Fibonacci extension level aligns with this target. His past projection on January 17 suggested that a 432% increase could be the minimum gain for the crypto if past trends repeat. This increase could have pushed Dogecoin to $2.28758.

Meanwhile, another analyst, Balo, compared Dogecoin’s current position to its 2017 and 2021 bull runs. He observed that during the last two cycles, the 20-week exponential moving average (EMA) was a critical support level throughout the bull market.

Additionally, he pointed out that Dogecoin never dipped below the 0.618 Fibonacci retracement level after surpassing it. Currently, the cryptocurrency is positioned at the 20-week EMA and the 0.618 Fibonacci level, suggesting strong support for higher levels.

Whale Accumulation Surges Over 90 Days

Elsewhere, recent data tracking large holders’ inflows into Dogecoin wallets shows a significant increase in whale accumulation. Over the past seven days, inflows rose by 5.33%, marking a moderate weekly uptick. 

Dogecoin Large Holders Inflow
Dogecoin Large Holders Inflow

However, the past 30 days saw a much larger surge of 323.86%, reflecting growing interest from high-net-worth investors. More notably, inflows over the last 90 days skyrocketed by 3,722.46%.

When whales accumulate, the supply in circulation decreases, often leading to upward price pressure. This accumulation trend suggests that major investors continue to build their positions in Dogecoin despite recent market volatility.

SUI Analysis: Price Reversal Hints at Potential $5 Comeback

Albert Brown
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SUI Analysis: Price Reversal Hints at Potential $5 Comeback

Following a recovery wave after Monday’s crypto market bloodbath, SUI is seeing a price reversal that now signals a potential recovery run toward $5.

As the total crypto market cap, excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum, reclaims a $1 trillion valuation, altcoins, including SUI, show signs of a V-shaped recovery. In this recovery, SUI has demonstrated a strong lower price rejection, indicating a return of bullish momentum.

Can this recovery overcome the recently heightened bearish pressure on its daily price trend? Let’s dive in.

SUI Price Trend 

On the daily chart, SUI’s price trend shows five consecutive bearish candles, marking a price drop of nearly 17%, from $4.65 to $3.87. However, the sixth bearish attempt failed after a low of $3.49.

SUI Price Chart
SUI Price Chart

As the broader market bounced back, SUI’s price closed at $3.94, showing a 1.94% surge. The hammer candle now suggests the formation of a potential morning star pattern.

Currently, SUI is trading at $3.958 and looks ready to overcome the short-term pullback. The lower price rejection has managed to hold above the 100 EMA line, bouncing from the 61.8% Fibonacci level near $3.46.

The intraday recovery halted the decline in the RSI line before it reached the oversold zone. As the daily RSI takes a sideways shift, the recovery aims to delay a bearish crossover between the 20 and 50 EMA lines.

Therefore, the potential Morningstar pattern could prevent a sell signal from technical indicators.

SUI Price Targets

For the SUI rally to sustain, the Morning Star pattern must hold with a closing price above the 78.6% Fibonacci level at $4.19. If so, a retest of the previously broken trendline near the $5 psychological level is possible for SUI.

On the downside, a continuation of the bearish trend could place further pressure on the 61.8% Fibonacci level at $3.46.

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