NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 07:06 ET — Market closed
- XRP rose about 5.8% to around $2.00 as traders digested U.S. strikes on Venezuela. 1
- President Donald Trump said Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro was captured; Venezuela called the action “military aggression,” and sources said PDVSA operations were unaffected. 1
- Next week, traders are watching Venezuela headlines, oil sensitivity and U.S. data led by ISM on Monday and the jobs report on Friday. 2
XRP held near the $2 level on Saturday, up about 5.8%, after the United States launched military strikes on Venezuela and President Donald Trump said Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro had been captured. 1
The move matters now because crypto trades around the clock, giving investors a read on risk appetite while U.S. stock markets are shut for the weekend. It also lands at the start of a new month and a new year, when positioning can be thin and headlines can move prices quickly.
For the week ahead, traders are weighing whether the Venezuela shock stays contained or spills into energy and broader “risk” trades like stocks and smaller cryptocurrencies. Macro data that can shift U.S. interest-rate expectations is due through the week, starting Monday. 2
A U.S. official said Washington was carrying out strikes inside Venezuela. Venezuela’s government said it rejected what it described as U.S. “military aggression” and declared a national emergency. 3
Initial assessments showed Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA suffered no damage to oil production or refining operations, two sources familiar with its activities said, though the port of La Guaira was reported severely damaged. “Oil prices are likely to jump on near-term risk to supply,” Saul Kavonic, an analyst at MST Marquee, said. 4
Bitcoin was up about 0.4% at $89,657 and ether rose about 1.7% to $3,093, suggesting no broad panic in the biggest tokens. XRP traded between roughly $1.89 and $2.05 on the day.
XRP has moved sharply since the turn of the year, including a roughly 6.8% rise on Friday, according to daily pricing data. Over the past week, it has traded between about $1.81 and $2.05. 5
Beyond geopolitics, XRP traders keep a close eye on U.S. regulation because it shapes where and how institutions can buy exposure. Reuters’ Practical Law journal noted the SEC and Ripple moved in 2025 to dismiss their respective appeals, following a court decision that drew a distinction between exchange trading and certain institutional sales. 6
In a Dec. 30 SEC filing, Roundhill ETF Trust said it was seeking to delay effectiveness of a proposed XRP covered call strategy ETF — a fund that aims to generate income by selling options — until Jan. 29. An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a listed vehicle that trades like a stock. 7
XRP’s next-week forecast hinges on whether weekend headlines deepen a risk-off turn once global markets reopen, or fade into the background. In past shocks, bitcoin has often acted as crypto’s liquidity anchor, while smaller tokens tend to see larger swings in both directions.
Technically, traders are treating “support” — an area where buyers previously stepped in — as near $1.90 after Saturday’s low, with “resistance” — where selling pressure showed up — around $2.05. Those levels matter because they are clear reference points for stops and momentum trades. 8
Before next session, investors will watch for fresh official detail on the scope and duration of the U.S. operation and any signs the situation disrupts logistics, even if oil output remains intact. Trump said a press conference would follow. 1
The first scheduled macro test is the ISM manufacturing report for December at 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday. The U.S. employment report for December follows at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, a release that can move Treasury yields and the dollar — key cross-currents for crypto prices. 2
Looking beyond the week, the December consumer price index is due Jan. 13 and the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27-28. Until then, traders say XRP’s near-term map is the $1.90–$2.05 band, with Venezuela headlines and oil sensitivity setting the tone day by day. 9
