New York, Jan 26, 2026, 17:19 EST — Trading after hours.
XRP climbed roughly 3% to $1.8983 on Monday, bouncing back from a weekend dip. It swung between $1.8339 and $1.9426 during the session. The token remains around 21% lower than its Jan. 6 high near $2.42. (Investing)
The shift comes as traders prepare for a packed week in the U.S., with the Federal Reserve meeting kicking off Tuesday and major earnings reports scheduled later on. Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management, described investors as “cautiously optimistic” ahead of both the earnings season and the Fed’s update. (Reuters)
Bitcoin climbed roughly 1.7%, with ether jumping around 4.1%. XRP held its spot as the fifth-largest crypto by market value, sitting near $116 billion. Its 24-hour trading volume hit about $3.2 billion, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
Regulation continues to dominate the landscape. The Nikkei says Japan’s Financial Services Agency is expected to approve crypto-linked exchange-traded products for public offerings. This move could clear the path for crypto ETFs by 2028. (Ledgerinsights)
In Washington, the Senate Banking Committee put the brakes on debate this month over the Clarity Act, a market-structure proposal. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong slammed the bill, calling it riddled with “too many issues” and stating: “We’d rather have no bill than a bad bill.” Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association, pinned the delay on a “pressure campaign” from big banks. The dispute centers on proposed caps for rewards tied to stablecoins — cryptocurrencies pegged to the U.S. dollar. (Reuters)
For XRP, the cloud hanging over it has lifted somewhat since the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its lawsuit against Ripple Labs in August 2025. The settlement included a $125 million fine and barred institutional sales of XRP, Reuters reported. (Reuters)
Crypto never sleeps, but liquidity dries up quickly when risk appetite fades. Traders have pegged the $2 mark as a key boundary, and Monday’s rebound still kept XRP shy of this month’s peak.
The downside, however, is straightforward: if the Fed adopts a hawkish stance or bond yields spike, risk assets could take a hit fast, pushing XRP back toward its weekend low.
The next major event is Wednesday’s Fed announcement. The Federal Reserve plans to release its policy statement at 2:00 p.m. ET, with the press conference set for 2:30 p.m. ET. (Federal Reserve)
