XRP News Today: Cardano's Bull Flag Rises Amid ETF Hopes and TVL Surge

ADA, XRP struggle to rebound, but this $0.09 crypto is tipped to 50x before 2026

Cardano (ADA) has faced mixed performance in recent months, with analysts and market data suggesting both challenges and opportunities. The ADA token, which operates on a proof-of-stake model, has been a subject of renewed interest as bullish technical indicators emerge. Analysts have noted the formation of a bull flag pattern on the ADA/USD pair, which historically has led to significant price movements following a breakout. According to technical analyst Clifton Fx, a confirmation of the pattern’s breakout above $1 could potentially propel the token toward $1.80, with a target of $2.12 identified on the weekly chart as the price continues to trade above a symmetrical triangle [2]. The relative strength index (RSI) for ADA has also shown an upward trend, rising to 59 from 41 in mid-June, indicating increased bullish momentum [2].

Market liquidity and institutional interest appear to be strengthening for ADA, as evidenced by the recent rise in futures trading volume to a five-month high of $7 billion across exchanges [2]. This surge reflects growing confidence among both institutional and retail investors. In addition, the likelihood of a spot Cardano ETF has increased significantly, with approval odds jumping to 81% as of late August from 59% earlier in the month [2]. The total value locked (TVL) in Cardano’s DeFi protocols has also seen a notable rise, climbing to $423.6 million as of early September from $271 million in mid-July [2]. Historical data shows that such TVL growth has often coincided with substantial price rallies, such as the 300% ADA surge observed in late 2024 following a 271% TVL increase.

However, ADA faces stiff competition in the smart contract space, with slower development timelines compared to competitors like Solana and Tezos [1]. Cardano’s smart contract capabilities were launched in 2021, several years after many of its rivals, which has left it with a relatively smaller ecosystem of applications. Despite this, the project’s long-term vision and emphasis on academic peer review and real-world use cases remain central to its appeal. Cardano has also been involved in blockchain-based initiatives aimed at financial inclusion in Africa and Asia, including a failed but impactful attempt to digitize education records in Ethiopia [1]. The project’s decentralized identity solutions are now seen as potentially valuable in an era of increasing data security concerns.

Meanwhile, XRP has experienced a more bearish trend, with a 6% drop in price in late August as large investors offloaded 460 million tokens. This activity reflects a broader trend of profit-taking, as over 93% of XRP’s circulating supply has been in profit since mid-July [3]. The decline in price has pushed XRP below key technical indicators, including the 50-day simple moving average, with analysts identifying $2.78 as the next critical support level [3]. The token’s recent movement also aligns with expectations around Ripple’s strategic shifts, including the launch of Ripple USD and a partnership with stablecoin giant Circle to bring USDC onto the XRP Ledger [4]. These moves could increase transactional activity on the XRP blockchain but may also reduce the token’s role as a bridge currency.

The broader crypto market remains cautious ahead of key macroeconomic events, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at Jackson Hole. As investors await further clarity on monetary policy, ADA and XRP continue to face diverging trajectories. While ADA benefits from growing institutional participation and regulatory optimism, XRP grapples with profit-taking and market uncertainty. The coming months will likely test the resilience of both tokens, with ADA’s technical outlook suggesting a potential breakout that could see its price rise significantly by late 2026.

Source:

[1] 1 Reason to Buy Cardano (ADA) (https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/08/20/1-reason-to-buy-cardano-ada/)

[2] How High Can Cardano Price Go Beyond $1? (https://cointelegraph.com/news/cardano-massive-rally-one-dollar-breaks-how-high-can-ada-price-go)

[3] XRP Price Forecast: Large holders offload 460 million (https://www.fxstreet.com/cryptocurrencies/news/ripple-price-prediction-xrp-falls-6-as-large-scale-wallets-offload-tokens-202508200055)

[4] Ripple (XRP) and Stablecoins: 4 Things Investors Need to Know (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ripple-xrp-stablecoins-4-things-110000919.html)