XRP News Today: Regulators and Whales Hold the Keys as XRP Dances at the $3.00 Crossroads

Ripple’s XRP price recently experienced significant volatility, reaching $3.10 before stalling at the $3.00 level, a key psychological barrier for traders. During the August 18–19 trading session, the token fluctuated within a 5% range, peaking at $3.10 and then retreating toward $3.00 amid heavy trading activity. The final hour of the session saw intense price swings between $3.01 and $2.99 before an abrupt freeze occurred at 08:19 with no recorded volume, raising questions about potential technical disruptions or liquidity issues at major exchanges [1].

A sharp volume spike of 3.26 million in a single minute pointed to possible institutional or algorithmic trading activity, reinforcing speculation that large-scale participants were influencing the market. Despite this, the zero-volume print at 08:19–08:20 indicated a structural anomaly, whether due to an exchange-level glitch or a liquidity vacuum. The session range of $0.15 defined a short-term trading band, with support at $3.00 and resistance at $3.08–$3.10. Analysts noted that the token’s inability to sustain a breakout above $3.10 may signal ongoing challenges in building momentum [1].

The broader market environment also saw regulatory developments. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) delayed its decision on Nasdaq’s listing and trading proposal for the Coinshares XRP ETF, pushing the final decision date from August 24 to October 23, 2025. The SEC cited the need for additional time to evaluate the rule change and process new public comments. The delay also affected two other XRP ETF applications from Bitwise and Canary, suggesting a cautious regulatory approach to spot XRP ETFs [2].

The regulatory uncertainty has not dissipated the pressure on XRP’s price action. Although it has managed to stay slightly above $3.00, it has struggled to regain broader market confidence. The token recently followed a market-wide correction, dipping below $3.00 at one point. Analysts have warned that a breakdown below this level could lead to further declines, potentially as low as $2.10, as traders closely watch for signs of institutional support or additional regulatory clarity [2].

Traders are also analyzing whale movements and large-volume spikes to gauge near-term sentiment. The high-volume activity observed on August 19 suggests that significant positioning occurred at key inflection points, which could influence future price behavior. A sustained move above $3.10 would be necessary to unlock further upside, potentially leading to a test of $3.25–$3.30. However, until the regulatory uncertainty is resolved and XRP can demonstrate consistent strength above critical levels, the market remains in a state of flux [1].

Source:

[1] XRP Spikes, Then Stalls, as Traders Face Decisive $3 Mark (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/08/19/xrp-spikes-then-stalls-as-traders-face-decisive-usd3-mark)

[2] Breaking Update on Several Spot Ripple (XRP) ETF Filings (https://cryptopotato.com/breaking-update-on-several-spot-ripple-xrp-etf-filings/)