XRP's Critical Support and Resistance Dynamics Amid Whale Activity: A Technical and On-Chain Analysis

Generated by AI AgentCarina RivasReviewed byAInvest News Editorial Team
Tuesday, Dec 16, 2025 4:39 pm ET3min read
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- XRP's November 2025 price action shows a death cross below $2.20 support, triggering bearish momentum toward $1.25 as technical indicators confirm.

- Whale activity reveals 340M

accumulation (Sep-Nov) followed by 13B XRP distribution in late November, correlating with a 6% price drop to $2.02.

- ETF inflows into XRP-focused funds offset whale selling pressure, suggesting institutional confidence despite retail participation decline to 20,000 active addresses.

- Historical on-chain patterns indicate market reset potential, with plummeting supply in profit mirroring pre-rebound cycles from 2018-2022.

The

price action in November 2025 has painted a complex picture of market dynamics, where technical levels and whale behavior are inextricably linked. As the token grapples with key support and resistance zones, on-chain data reveals a tug-of-war between institutional accumulation and large-holder distribution. This analysis dissects how these forces are shaping short-term sentiment and positioning, offering insights for investors navigating XRP's volatile landscape.

Technical Analysis: A Bearish Cross and Fractured Support

XRP's recent breakdown below the $2.20 support level has triggered a cascade of bearish signals. A confirmed death cross on the daily chart-where the 50-day EMA crossed below the 200-day EMA-has amplified downward momentum, pushing the price to $2.14 and testing the psychological $2.00 threshold

. This level, which has rejected price action three times with elevated volume, now serves as a critical battleground . If $2.00 fails to hold, the next support targets are the June 2025 lows at $1.90, followed by the April 2025 lows at $1.61, with a bearish terminal at $1.25 .

Conversely, a sustained break above $2.01 could reignite bullish momentum, targeting $2.15–$2.20

. Pivot point analysis further underscores this tension, with a support level at $2.0904 and resistance at $2.1008 .
Meanwhile, technical indicators like RSI and MACD remain neutral-to-bearish, contingent on a sustained move above $2.01 . The $2.00 level, therefore, is not just a technical milestone but a psychological linchpin for market sentiment.

Whale Activity: Accumulation, Distribution, and Market Pressure

On-chain data reveals a stark shift in whale behavior. Between September and November 2025, large holders accumulated 340 million XRP, with balances

. However, this accumulation phase abruptly reversed in late November, as whales offloaded 13 billion XRP within a week, reducing their holdings from 70 billion to 57 billion tokens . This distribution coincided with a 6% price drop to $2.02 on December 1, 2025 .

The intensity of whale activity is further highlighted by 716 transactions exceeding $1 million in November, signaling both strategic accumulation and aggressive profit-taking

. Despite this, ETF inflows into XRP-focused funds like Bitwise and Franklin absorbed much of the selling pressure, suggesting institutional confidence in long-term fundamentals . This divergence between retail and institutional behavior underscores a market in transition, where ETFs act as a stabilizing force amid whale-driven volatility.

Interplay of Technical Levels and Whale Behavior

The correlation between whale transactions and key price levels is particularly striking. For instance, the breakdown below $2.20 in late November coincided with a surge in whale selling, as large holders liquidated $28 million worth of XRP daily over a 90-day period

. Similarly, the failed breakout attempt from the $2.67 resistance zone in November saw a 658% spike in volume, attributed to profit-taking by whales . These events illustrate how whale activity can amplify or mitigate technical signals, creating a feedback loop between on-chain behavior and price action.

A critical example is the $2.00 level, which has become a focal point for both technical and whale-driven dynamics. While ETF inflows and declining exchange reserves suggest accumulation

, the repeated rejection at $2.01–$2.05 indicates lingering bearish sentiment. If whales continue to offload tokens, the $2.00 support could crumble, accelerating a slide toward $1.90–$1.92 . Conversely, a coordinated accumulation effort by whales might reinforce this level, triggering a rebound toward $2.15–$2.20 .

Market Reset or Prolonged Downtrend?

On-chain metrics suggest a market reset rather than a prolonged breakdown. XRP's percent supply in profit has plummeted, mirroring historical patterns from 2018, 2020, and 2022, which preceded major rebounds

. This implies that the current correction is weeding out weaker participants, potentially setting the stage for a recovery. However, retail participation has waned, with active addresses on the XRP Ledger declining to 20,000 from 25,000 in late November . Meanwhile, open interest in XRP futures remains subdued at $3.72 billion, far below October's $9 billion peak, signaling reduced leveraged exposure .

Conclusion: Navigating the Crossroads

XRP's near-term trajectory hinges on the interplay between technical levels and whale behavior. While the breakdown below $2.00 and the death cross signal bearish momentum, ETF inflows and historical on-chain patterns hint at a potential rebound. Investors must monitor whale activity closely, as large-holder decisions could either reinforce support levels or exacerbate declines. A daily close above $2.30 could trigger a bullish breakout, but this remains contingent on liquidity developments and institutional positioning. For now, XRP remains in a precarious consolidation phase, where every move above or below $2.00 could redefine its short-term narrative.

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Carina Rivas

AI Writing Agent which balances accessibility with analytical depth. It frequently relies on on-chain metrics such as TVL and lending rates, occasionally adding simple trendline analysis. Its approachable style makes decentralized finance clearer for retail investors and everyday crypto users.