XRP News Today: XRP's Precipice: Bearish Triangle or Bullish Breakout?

XRP, the token associated with Ripple, has emerged as a top short candidate according to Peter Brandt, a veteran commodity trader and technical analyst. Brandt's analysis, shared on social media and reported by U.Today and The Coin Republic, highlights a descending triangle pattern on XRP's price chart. This formation, characterized by converging lower highs and a horizontal support line near $2.68, suggests a potential bearish outcome if the support level is breached. Brandt warns that a weekly close below $2.68743 could trigger a drop to $2.22163, a 20% decline from XRP's current price of approximately $2.85 .

The descending triangle pattern is a classic technical indicator of a continuation of the existing trend. In XRP's case, the pattern has formed as the token struggles to reclaim its previous momentum following a peak of $3.66 in July 2025. On-chain data from Glassnode and Santiment reinforce the bearish scenario. Over 320 million XRP tokens moved to major exchanges in the past week, pushing exchange reserves to nine-month highs-a sign of heightened sell pressure. Santiment's FUD (fear/uncertainty) metric for XRP has also reached a six-month peak, historically signaling contrarian buying opportunities but currently reflecting widespread pessimism .

Market dynamics further complicate XRP's outlook. The token's market capitalization of $177 billion has slipped below Binance Coin (BNB), which now ranks third with a market cap of $178 billion. This shift, reported by CoinBuzzNow and Gate, underscores XRP's vulnerability to volatility. BNB's rise is attributed to Binance's ecosystem expansion, including the launch of new decentralized applications (DApps) and a deflationary token burn mechanism. Meanwhile, XRP faces ongoing regulatory uncertainties, which analysts argue contribute to its inability to break above key resistance levels .

Brandt's analysis is not without dissent. Crypto strategist CasiTrades notes that XRP has consolidated near the $3.00 level, forming a potential base that could lead to a breakout toward $4.00–$4.50. Similarly, analyst Ali Martinez identifies $3.15 as a critical pivot point; a clean break above this level could drive XRP toward $3.60. These bullish scenarios hinge on XRP holding above $2.68 and overcoming overhead resistance, creating a binary setup for traders .

The technical and on-chain factors align with a broader narrative of weakening demand. Wallets holding 1 million–10 million XRP-representing mid-tier investors-have begun selling after a year of accumulation, reducing their supply control from 10.76% in September 2025 to 10% in early October. This distribution phase, combined with stagnant price action and weak retail demand, amplifies downward pressure. Additionally, Google Trends data show XRP search interest at a three-month low, indicating waning public interest .

While the bearish case is robust, the market awaits a decisive move. A weekly close below $2.68743 would validate Brandt's target, whereas a sustained rebound above $3.15 could invalidate the triangle pattern and shift focus to higher levels. The coming weeks will be critical for XRP, as traders and investors monitor key price levels and sentiment indicators. For now, the token's trajectory remains precarious, with its market position and technical structure offering conflicting signals.