XRP price drops today as Fed-chair shake-up rattles crypto — what traders watch next week

XRP price drops today as Fed-chair shake-up rattles crypto — what traders watch next week

New York, Jan 30, 2026, 13:44 EST — Regular session

  • XRP slipped roughly 3.5% over the past day, hovering near $1.75
  • Traders cited a risk-off retreat driven by uncertainty around Fed leadership and a selloff in tech stocks
  • U.S. senators pushed a crypto market-structure bill ahead, though the vote count appears razor-thin

XRP dipped on Friday, losing roughly 3.5% in the past 24 hours and trading around $1.75, according to CoinMarketCap.

The drop follows a wider retreat in risk assets after President Donald Trump named former Fed governor Kevin Warsh as Jerome Powell’s replacement. Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, described Warsh as a “hawk in dove’s clothing.” Reuters

Bitcoin dropped to around $82,300, hitting a two-month low as crypto investors weighed liquidity risks tied to a potential Fed balance sheet reduction. Damien Boey, portfolio strategist at Wilson Asset Management, warned that talk of tightening might “pull the rug out” from traditional hedges like gold and crypto. Sean Dawson, head of research at Derive.xyz, highlighted “fears around AI exuberance” following Microsoft’s roughly 10% drop. Reuters

In Washington, lawmakers advanced a bill designating the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to oversee spot crypto markets — where tokens change hands instantly — and establish regulations for exchanges, brokers, and dealers. The Senate Agriculture Committee passed the measure on a party-line vote. Reuters noted it would require at least seven Democratic senators to move forward in the full Senate.

Derivatives markets reflected the pressure on leveraged bets as roughly $61.7 million worth of XRP futures were liquidated in the last 24 hours, according to CoinGlass. Open interest, which measures the total value of active contracts, hovered near $3.25 billion.

Price action remained volatile. According to Investing.com data, XRP fluctuated between about $1.71 and $1.81 during the day, closing just shy of $1.78 previously.

The path remains rocky. Should yields and the dollar continue climbing amid persistent inflation and uncertainty around the Fed chair, crypto could remain under pressure. Another round of forced selling might hit if prices approach recent lows.

Traders are turning their attention to the U.S. jobs report due Feb. 6 and the European Central Bank meeting on Thursday for new signals on rates and the dollar. Megacap earnings remain a key factor too. These developments should shape crypto risk appetite — and determine if XRP can hold above the low-$1.70 level.

Khadija Saeed

Khadija Saeed is a financial markets reporter at TS2.tech, specializing in stocks, technology and emerging industries. She studied economics and finance at the London School of Economics and previously worked in market research before moving into financial journalism. Her coverage focuses on the companies, innovations and economic trends influencing global investors. Follow Khadija Saeed on Google News.

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