XRP News Today: Ripple's 20% Ownership Test: XRP's Regulatory Make-or-Break Moment

XRP, Ripple's native token, continues to struggle against bearish pressure despite the anticipation of the Ripple Swell 2025 conference, where the company aims to showcase innovations like its RLUSD stablecoin, as noted in a Coinpedia preview. At $2.65 as of late October 2025, XRP has underperformed many altcoins that surged post-ETF approvals, such as Hedera (HBAR) and Litecoin (LTC), which saw double-digit gains, according to a Coinpedia analysis. Analysts attribute the token's muted performance to lingering uncertainty around regulatory hurdles and macroeconomic factors, including the U.S. Federal Reserve's upcoming rate decision, a point covered by the same Coinpedia analysis.

The FOMC meeting on October 28 has become a focal point for XRP traders. While markets expect a 25-basis-point rate cut—a move already priced in—experts caution that the Fed's tone could dictate short-term liquidity flows, and a dovish outcome might indirectly benefit XRP by encouraging risk-on sentiment and institutional capital inflows, particularly if a spot XRP ETF receives regulatory greenlight, as discussed in a Coinpedia report. However, Ripple's legal battles and the delayed SEC approval of ETFs remain headwinds, noted in a LiveBitcoinNews analysis.

Long-term optimism persists, fueled by bullish predictions from figures like YouTuber Jake Claver, who forecasts XRP hitting $100 by 2025 and $1,500 by early 2026, according to a Bitcoinsistemi article. Claver's thesis hinges on a "supply shock" from ETF approvals, institutional adoption, and Ripple's $1.25 billion acquisition of prime brokerage Hidden Road, which grants major firms like BlackRock access to the XRP Ledger, as reported in the Coinpedia report. The company's institutional expansion, including its RLUSD stablecoin for cross-border payments, has also drawn $11 billion in global investments, per a FinanceFeeds report.

Retail and institutional demand are gradually rekindling. Open Interest (OI) for XRP futures rose to $4.51 billion in late October, signaling a return of risk appetite after a post-October 10 deleveraging slump, according to an FXStreet report. Meanwhile, Evernorth, a firm co-founded by former Ripple executive Asheesh Birla, plans a SPAC merger to raise over $1 billion for an XRP treasury, offering indirect exposure via a Nasdaq-listed stock—a move covered by FinanceFeeds that could catalyze broader adoption by bridging traditional finance and crypto markets.

Technical indicators paint a mixed picture. XRP faces resistance near $2.75–$2.80 and support at $2.55, with a potential rebound toward $3.00 contingent on market stabilization, as the earlier Coinpedia analysis noted. The Fear & Greed Index remains in "Fear" territory, and the 14-day RSI at 62 suggests weakening bullish momentum, an observation also reflected in FinanceFeeds coverage. However, analysts remain cautiously optimistic, citing XRP's role in modernizing global payments and its potential as a regulated settlement tool, as outlined in the Coinpedia report.

Regulatory clarity could be a game-changer. The CLARITY Act, which passed in July 2025, mandates that no entity hold more than 20% of a digital asset's supply to qualify as a commodity, according to CoinEdition coverage. Ripple currently controls 42–50% of XRP's 100 billion tokens, a figure detailed in the CoinEdition article. If the company reduces holdings below 20%, XRP could gain IMF recognition as an electronic Special Drawing Right (E-SDR), a scenario some analysts predict would trigger explosive price growth, as the CoinEdition article explains.

As Ripple Swell 2025 approaches, the company's focus on real-world use cases—such as RLUSD's instant cross-border transactions—highlights its broader vision, a theme covered in the Coinpedia preview. Yet, XRP's path remains fraught with challenges, from legal uncertainties to macroeconomic volatility. While the token's long-term potential is bolstered by institutional adoption and regulatory progress, near-term price action will likely depend on the Fed's decision, ETF approvals, and Ripple's ability to navigate the CLARITY Act's requirements, as discussed in CoinEdition coverage.