XRP News Today: Whales Sell, ETF Hype Fuels XRP's High-Stakes Balancing Act

XRP, the digital asset issued by Ripple, has seen renewed speculative interest as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approaches a key decision window on October 18 regarding potential cryptocurrency ETF approvals. According to recent market data, XRP experienced a 3% price increase on September 7, emerging as one of the top-performing cryptocurrencies during the session [1]. Analysts attribute this movement to heightened speculation around upcoming regulatory developments, particularly for XRP, which has seven ETF filings under review by asset managers expected to be submitted between October 18 and October 25 [1]. Derivatives data from Coinglass further reinforces this trend, showing a 17% increase in XRP futures trading volume and a 3% rise in open interest, indicating heightened trader positioning [1].

While speculative demand is currently the primary driver, XRP’s price action has also been influenced by a decline in spot market activity. CoinMarketCap data reveals that the 3% price surge on September 7 was accompanied by a 10.3% drop in 24-hour trading volume. This divergence suggests that the rally is being fueled largely by leveraged traders anticipating future events, rather than broad-based retail or institutional demand [1]. Technical analysis of XRP shows the price consolidating near $2.88, with Bollinger Bands narrowing around $2.70 support and $3.07 resistance. A breakout above the $3.07 level could signal stronger bullish momentum, especially if ETF speculation intensifies [1].

However, the market faces potential headwinds. With leveraged bull traders overexposed, a negative macroeconomic catalyst could trigger a sharp sell-off, dragging the price closer to the $2.70 support level. If XRP breaks below this threshold, a further decline toward $2.50 could follow. Analysts caution that the current RSI reading, while showing moderate momentum at 48.3, lacks the support of sustained spot demand, making a range-bound trading pattern likely until new catalysts emerge [1].

Amid this uncertainty, long-term projections for XRP remain ambitious. Analyst Paul Barron outlined a scenario where a combination of ETF approvals, regulatory clarity, and institutional partnerships could send XRP’s price toward $50 or even $100 [2]. Another analyst, Costa, proposed a more extreme scenario: if 10% of global assets were tokenized on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), the price could theoretically reach $473,214. Though this is a purely hypothetical calculation and not guaranteed, it underscores the potential impact of broader blockchain adoption on XRP’s valuation [3].

Despite these bullish forecasts, market dynamics remain volatile. On-chain data from Santiment reveals a significant selloff by large holders (wallets holding between 10 million and 100 million XRP) at the start of September, reversing a prior accumulation trend. Whale holdings, which had risen to 12.19% of the circulating supply by August 31, dropped to 11.77% by September 3, raising concerns about the token’s price sustainability [5]. Such behavior could introduce further downside pressure and reinforce the risks for short-term traders [5].

With the regulatory landscape evolving and speculative demand at a high, XRP remains a focal point for both institutional and retail investors. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the price can break through the $3.07 resistance level and sustain a meaningful upward trajectory. As the market navigates this pivotal period, the interplay between ETF speculation, macroeconomic factors, and investor sentiment will shape XRP’s near-term outlook.

Source:

[1] Ripple (XRP) Price Moves Toward $3 as Community ... (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ripple-xrp-price-moves-toward-215804400.html)

[2] XRP Price Prediction: Is Triple-Digit Target Incoming? (https://coinpedia.org/news/xrp-price-prediction-is-triple-digit-target-incoming/)

[3] Analyst Predicts The XRP Price If 10% Of Global Assets ... (https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1100234-20250905)

[4] XRP Price Prediction: Why an ETF Could Spark a Bitcoin- ... (https://cryptonews.com/news/xrp-price-prediction-why-an-etf-could-spark-a-bitcoin-like-60-jump/)

[5] XRP Millionaires Dump After Major Accumulation Trend ... (https://www.mitrade.com/insights/news/live-news/article-3-1096688-20250905)

[6] XRP Price News: Token Holds $2.88 as ETF Hype Fuels ... (https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/xrp-price-news-token-holds-2-88-as-etf-hype-fuels-push-toward-3-00-1546776)