XRP slipped to $1.85 after breaking the $1.87 support zone, with heavier exchange inflows pointing to renewed distribution just as bitcoin’s rebound lost momentum and broader risk appetite stayed cautious.
News background
Institutional interest in XRP remains structurally supportive through ETFs, but near-term flows are telling a different story. On-chain data shows a sharp pickup in XRP deposits to major exchanges in recent weeks, suggesting holders are increasingly positioning to sell into rallies rather than accumulate.
Daily exchange inflows have ranged between roughly 35 million and 116 million XRP since mid-December, a notable shift from earlier periods of relative balance. Such behavior typically reflects profit-taking or defensive repositioning rather than speculative accumulation.
The move comes as bitcoin’s attempts to regain upside traction have struggled to hold during U.S. hours, keeping large-cap crypto locked in a risk-managed tape. With ether also failing to generate sustained momentum, secondary majors like XRP have been more exposed to supply-driven moves.
Technical analysis
XRP fell from $1.89 to $1.85, decisively breaking the $1.87 support area that had held through recent consolidation. Selling accelerated during the most active window, with volume reaching about 68 million XRP — roughly 77% above the 24-hour average — confirming that the move wasn’t a low-liquidity drift.
On shorter timeframes, price action formed a tentative double bottom near $1.846–$1.848, but rebounds repeatedly stalled near $1.85, turning that level into near-term resistance rather than support. The broader structure remains a descending channel, and failed bounce attempts suggest sellers are still active on minor strength.
Momentum indicators are beginning to show oversold conditions, but price has yet to reclaim any meaningful resistance. Until that happens, the technical bias remains defensive rather than reversal-ready.
Price action summary
- XRP slid from $1.89 to $1.85 over 24 hours, breaking $1.87 support
- Selling peaked during the breakdown with volume ~77% above average
- Price stabilized briefly near $1.846 but failed to regain $1.85 cleanly
- Rebounds have been capped, reinforcing a lower-high structure
What traders should know
This is a classic supply-versus-support setup.
Exchange inflows suggest more XRP is being made available to sell, which helps explain why rallies keep stalling even as longer-term ETF demand stays intact in the background.
The levels are clear:
- If $1.85 fails, downside opens toward $1.84 and then the $1.77–$1.80 demand zone, where buyers have previously stepped in.
- If XRP can reclaim $1.87, and especially close above $1.90, it would signal that selling pressure is easing and shift focus back toward $1.95–$2.00.
For now, the tape reads as consolidation with distribution overhead. ETF flows may cushion sharp downside, but unless bitcoin regains momentum, XRP is likely to remain vulnerable to further probing of support rather than staging a clean recovery.
Source: https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/12/30/xrp-price-slips-to-usd1-85-as-key-support-gives-way
