NEW YORK / LONDON — December 23, 2025 (10:46 a.m. ET / 15:46 UTC): XRP (Ripple) traded around $1.88 on Tuesday morning, extending a late-December pullback as broader crypto markets leaned “risk-off” into the holiday week. [1]
XRP’s intraday tape has been choppy but contained, with the market repeatedly probing the high-$1.80s after failing to hold above $2.00. On Investing.com’s feed earlier in the session, XRP printed $1.8855 with a day range of $1.8662 to $1.9095, reflecting the tight battle between dip buyers and short-term sellers. [2]
Below is what the major December 23, 2025 headlines, technical notes, and market commentaries are emphasizing today—plus the key levels traders and longer-term holders are watching into year-end and early 2026.
XRP price today: the key numbers traders are watching
As of 10:46 a.m. ET, XRP was hovering near $1.88, with multiple price feeds clustering in the $1.87–$1.90 zone. [3]
A daily snapshot from Investing.com for Dec. 23 showed:
- Price: $1.8717
- Open: $1.9032
- High: $1.9095
- Low: $1.8662
- Volume: 310.85M
- Change: -1.66% [4]
Meanwhile, Myfxbook’s daily print for Dec. 23 also reflected a similar structure, with an open near $1.903 and lows in the $1.86s, reinforcing the idea that the market is repeatedly defending that lower band. [5]
Why XRP is down today: year-end “risk-off” meets a fragile chart
1) Crypto market pressure is broad, not just XRP-specific
Several analysts frame Tuesday’s weakness as part of a wider pullback across majors. FXStreet described continued selling pressure spilling from Bitcoin into altcoins, noting BTC testing support around $87,000 while ETH and XRP remained under pressure. [6]
Finance Magnates also pointed to broader market softness, citing a dip in total crypto market capitalization and a risk-off tone where large caps were red—an environment where XRP often amplifies moves because of its higher “beta” behavior. [7]
2) Technical momentum has deteriorated into late December
Finance Magnates’ December 23 technical read is blunt: XRP has fallen back below $1.90, printed multi-month lows, and remains pressured after a bearish moving-average setup—including a “death cross” referenced as forming in early November. [8]
FXStreet’s technical framing is similarly cautious, describing sellers “largely in control” and highlighting key moving averages overhead (with $2.00 acting as a psychological ceiling and EMAs above price reinforcing the bearish structure). [9]
XRP technical analysis today: support and resistance levels to watch
Across the day’s coverage, a few levels show up repeatedly—either explicitly or implicitly—because they represent where positioning could flip quickly if liquidity thins into the holiday period.
Key support zones
- $1.90 (psychological): XRP has repeatedly gravitated around this level and struggled to reclaim it with conviction. [10]
- $1.86–$1.87 (intraday base): This has been the day’s lower boundary on multiple feeds, and it’s where dip-buying has shown up. [11]
- $1.80 (local structure support): Finance Magnates flags ~$1.80 as an important local support area that has been tested recently and historically. [12]
- $1.77 (recent floor per FXStreet): FXStreet notes XRP holding above Friday’s support near $1.77 while upside remains capped under $2.00. [13]
Key resistance zones
- $2.00 (round-number resistance): Multiple outlets frame $2 as the line bulls need back to shift the tone from “sell rallies” to “buy dips.” [14]
- $2.12–$2.40 (moving-average supply): FXStreet highlights overhead EMA levels that keep the broader structure bearish unless reclaimed. [15]
- $2.28–$2.44 (trend-shift zone in sentiment-driven analysis): CCN argues a sustained break above this area could signal a broader trend change—though it stresses the need for confirmation. [16]
Bear-case targets traders are citing today
Finance Magnates outlines two downside levels as “targets” within a bearish regression-channel framework:
- $1.62 as a first major bearish objective
- $1.25 as a deeper downside scenario (referencing prior “flash crash” lows) [17]
Those are not forecasts in the sense of a guaranteed path—rather, they’re levels technical traders may watch if $1.80 fails and selling accelerates in thin liquidity.
XRP ETFs: strong inflows, but derivatives appetite is fading
One of the most important “push-pull” narratives in today’s coverage is that spot ETF demand appears resilient, while derivatives activity looks softer.
FXStreet’s data point: inflows continue
FXStreet reported that XRP spot ETFs extended an inflow streak, drawing nearly $44 million on Monday, with cumulative net inflow around $1.12 billion and net assets around $1.25 billion since debut in mid-November. [18]
But futures open interest is slipping
In the same FXStreet update, XRP futures open interest was described as declining to about $3.46 billion, down from $3.54 billion the prior day—often interpreted as traders reducing leverage exposure or conviction. [19]
The “$5 in 2026” narrative is increasingly ETF-driven
A separate December 23 analysis from 24/7 Wall St. argues that ETF inflows are a central catalyst for any major 2026 upside scenario. It claims spot XRP ETFs have attracted over $1 billion in cumulative inflows since mid-November, while also emphasizing that “BlackRock XRP ETF” chatter remains speculative and contingent on regulatory and demand dynamics. [20]
Sentiment and on-chain activity: “fear zone” talk vs network fundamentals
Social sentiment is ugly—some see that as a contrarian signal
CCN’s December 23 piece focuses on the idea that XRP is sitting in a “deep fear” sentiment pocket, arguing that extreme negativity can sometimes coincide with stabilization or rebounds in certain cycles. [21]
This is a narrative traders should treat carefully: contrarian signals can work—until they don’t. But it’s notable how often “sentiment extremes” show up in crypto market turning points simply because positioning becomes one-sided.
Meanwhile, the XRP Ledger hit a major milestone
On the fundamentals side, CCN notes the XRP Ledger has processed more than 4 billion transactions, averaging roughly 1.5 million transactions per day (with peaks above 5 million), and cites Ripple CTO David Schwartz emphasizing that network activity matters more than short-term price fluctuations. [22]
Whether that network usage translates into price support is a separate debate—but it’s part of why XRP remains a heavily watched “utility + liquidity” asset even in downswings.
XRP forecast and outlook: what today’s analysts are projecting into 2026
Crypto forecasting is inherently uncertain—especially on specific price levels—so it helps to focus on catalysts and conditions rather than point targets.
1) RLUSD in Japan: a concrete 2026 timeline
Ripple’s own press release (August 22, 2025) states that Ripple and SBI Holdings signed an MOU for SBI VC Trade to distribute Ripple USD (RLUSD) in Japan, and that SBI VC Trade aims to make RLUSD available in Japan during the first quarter of 2026. The release also positions RLUSD as fully backed by reserves (including USD deposits and short-term U.S. government bonds) with monthly attestations. [23]
That earlier announcement is being pulled into today’s market narratives because it offers something traders crave: a dated catalyst.
A December 23 commentary piece distributed by MarketMinute likewise frames the Japan rollout as a major 2026 “utility era” driver—though parts of its broader claims (especially around legal timelines and ETF speculation) should be read as opinion rather than confirmed reporting. [24]
2) ETF growth as a “structural demand” thesis
FXStreet’s numbers (inflows, net assets) support the idea that ETF demand has become a meaningful part of the XRP story in late 2025. If that flow remains steady—or accelerates—analysts argue it could reduce the boom-bust character of purely retail-driven rallies. [25]
24/7 Wall St. takes the stronger stance: ETF access and institutional scale are the most direct path toward a higher 2026 trading range, even floating “$5 in 2026” as plausible if multiple catalysts align. [26]
3) Macro conditions still matter (rates, liquidity, “risk-on” returns)
24/7 Wall St. also highlights the classic macro setup: if rate cuts materialize and liquidity conditions improve, risk assets can benefit—crypto included. [27]
FXStreet’s “risk-off sentiment escalates” framing is the mirror image: when the tape is defensive, even strong token-specific narratives can struggle to overpower macro selling pressure. [28]
The big question into year-end: can XRP reclaim $2, or does $1.80 break first?
Here’s the cleanest way to frame the next move based on today’s coverage:
Bull case (near-term)
- XRP holds $1.86–$1.80 support, liquidity returns after the holiday lull, and spot ETF inflows remain constructive. [29]
- A sustained move back above $2.00 reduces sell-pressure and forces short-term bears to reassess. [30]
Bear case (near-term)
- Continued “risk-off” conditions keep pressure on BTC/ETH and suppress altcoin bids; XRP fails to reclaim $2.00 and loses $1.80, opening the door to deeper technical targets that some analysts highlight at $1.62 and $1.25. [31]
Bottom line
At 10:46 a.m. ET on December 23, 2025, XRP is trading near $1.88, trapped between a fragile technical structure and a set of narratives that are unusually split: spot ETF inflows and long-term utility catalysts on one side, and risk-off macro pressure plus bearish momentum indicators on the other. [32]
For traders, it’s a market of levels first, stories second: watch $2.00 overhead and $1.80 below. For longer-term investors, the conversation is drifting toward 2026’s “utility catalysts,” especially the Japan RLUSD timeline—but price still has to survive the year-end tape.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile, and prices can change rapidly.
References
1. www.financemagnates.com, 2. www.investing.com, 3. www.investing.com, 4. www.investing.com, 5. www.myfxbook.com, 6. www.fxstreet.com, 7. www.financemagnates.com, 8. www.financemagnates.com, 9. www.fxstreet.com, 10. www.financemagnates.com, 11. www.investing.com, 12. www.financemagnates.com, 13. www.fxstreet.com, 14. www.fxstreet.com, 15. www.fxstreet.com, 16. www.ccn.com, 17. www.financemagnates.com, 18. www.fxstreet.com, 19. www.fxstreet.com, 20. 247wallst.com, 21. www.ccn.com, 22. www.ccn.com, 23. ripple.com, 24. markets.financialcontent.com, 25. www.fxstreet.com, 26. 247wallst.com, 27. 247wallst.com, 28. www.fxstreet.com, 29. www.investing.com, 30. www.fxstreet.com, 31. www.fxstreet.com, 32. www.fxstreet.com
