XRP's $1.45 Bottleneck: Can CLARITY Act Momentum and ETF Flows Force the Rally?

ETF Demand Has Built, But XRP Still Has Not Cleared $1.45

XRP is in a familiar tension: demand is building inside the product, but price still has not confirmed it.

XRP spot ETFs are seeing real inflows

XRP spot ETFs have accumulated $1.41 billion in cumulative net inflows since launch, posted a 2026 weekly record of $60.5 million, and added $25.8 million in Monday net inflows. That does not look like an ignored asset.

Price is still capped at resistance

Even with that demand, XRP is still struggling to clear $1.45. Bears still have an easy counterargument: XRP is down 64% from its July peak and continues to underperform Bitcoin and other crypto assets. In other words, buying interest is visible, but it has not yet forced a lasting rerating.

The missing piece still looks like institutional scale

Retail investors still dominate current demand, and the bigger institutional bucket may be waiting for a clearer regulatory path. JPMorgan says passage by mid-2026 could unlock institutional capital flows. If that happens, the existing flow momentum could finally push XRP through resistance. If it slips, the asset may keep flashing strength without delivering the breakout many investors are waiting for.

CLARITY Act Momentum Is the Catalyst Markets Are Trading

The bill has already moved past theoretical status

The CLARITY Act is no longer just another Washington proposal. It already cleared the House by a 294–134 vote last July and was received in the Senate in September 2025. That moves the issue from someday to next. JPMorgan's point is why traders care: passage by mid-2026 could unlock institutional capital flows.

Regulatory clarity could change how institutions approach XRP

The market question is straightforward. ETF flows show that interest exists; policy may determine whether that interest spreads from retail and trading desks into formal portfolios. That is why the bill matters more as a catalyst than as a headline.

Bulls and bears are still arguing about timing

Bulls see a pre-catalyst setup: a bill advancing in Congress and a market still waiting for proof the larger institutional capital needed still awaits the CLARITY Act. Bears are not wrong to be cautious. Markets have heard promises about regulatory clarity for years, and momentum in Washington does not guarantee a fast or clean path to enactment.

If the mid-2026 window slips, the setup may stay interesting without becoming decisive.

The Bull Case Still Requires Bigger, More Durable Demand

The bullish case still works, but the burden of proof has shifted. XRP has shown it can attract a real bid, yet 84% of XRP ETF inflows still come from retail. That means demand is real, but it is not yet clearly institutional-grade.

A retail-heavy bid can drive volatility. A more durable rerating usually needs larger, longer-duration capital. So the key test is no longer whether people care about XRP. It is whether the money gets bigger, stickier, and willing to hold through noise.

If that happens alongside continued policy momentum, the rally can extend. If not, the setup remains more narrative than proof.