NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 02:55 ET — Market closed.
- XRP was up about 0.5% at around $1.87 in early trading, tracking a modest uptick in bitcoin and ether.
- Data showed U.S. spot XRP ETFs kept pulling in fresh money even as broader crypto positioning stayed cautious into year-end.
- Traders are watching whether XRP can reclaim the $2 level as holiday-thinned liquidity keeps price moves jumpy.
XRP held near $1.87 early on Wednesday, up about 0.5% from its previous close. Bitcoin rose about 1.3% and ether gained roughly 0.8%, according to market data.
The move matters because XRP has struggled to break out of a narrow range even as fresh vehicles have broadened access for traditional investors. ETFs, or exchange-traded funds, trade like stocks and can offer exposure to an asset without requiring investors to hold the underlying token directly.
Traders have been leaning on flow data for clues into year-end, when liquidity is thin and price moves can exaggerate shifts in sentiment. That has put attention on whether steady buying through funds is translating into sustained demand in the spot market.
U.S. spot XRP ETFs extended their inflow streak to 29 straight sessions, with data provider SoSoValue showing $8.44 million of net inflows on Monday and $1.15 billion since launch. “XRP inflows are a function of regulatory clarity and steady accumulation into a less crowded trade than BTC/ETH,” Vincent Liu, chief investment officer at Kronos Research, told Cointelegraph. 1
That stands in contrast to bitcoin and ether funds, which saw net outflows over December in the same data set, a sign of year-end repositioning. The divergence has helped keep XRP on traders’ screens even as the broader crypto market focuses on macro signals and liquidity.
Regulatory filings also show parts of the U.S. ETF market for XRP have moved beyond proposals. A Securities and Exchange Commission notice showed the registration statement for the 21Shares XRP ETF became effective on Dec. 10. 2
Macro cross-currents remain in the mix. The dollar was steady into the last trading day of the year but is set for its biggest annual drop since 2017, Reuters reported, with most markets shut on Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday and volumes expected to be “razor-thin.” 3
Technical traders have zero romance about narratives: they care where bids and offers sit. Market analyst Itai Smidt wrote on Investing.com that $1.98–$2.00 is immediate resistance for XRP, while $1.79 is an initial support level to watch on the downside. 4
The $2 handle has become the line in the sand because it is both a round number and a level where selling has repeatedly capped rebounds. In plain English, it’s a crowded spot on the chart where many traders place orders.
Before the next U.S. regular session opens later on Wednesday, traders will keep a close eye on whether ETF inflows hold up as liquidity thins further into the holiday. Any break in the inflow streak would test the view that fund demand is providing a floor under the spot price.
Market participants are also watching whether bitcoin’s direction dictates the next move in high-beta tokens like XRP. In thin conditions, the big coins often act like the tide; smaller boats can get tossed around.
