XRP is trading in the mid-$1.80 range this morning as crypto markets digest year-end positioning, a fresh wave of ETF-flow headlines, and renewed focus on regulation and infrastructure across the Ripple ecosystem. At roughly 10:14 a.m. ET, XRP was still hovering around the same “sticky” zone it has defended most of this week—the $1.80s, with traders laser-focused on whether the token can reclaim $2.00 or slips back toward lower support. The nearest aggregated quote available around 10:35 a.m. ET showed XRP at $1.84, with an intraday range of $1.83 to $1.88.
That sideways action is happening despite a steady drumbeat of “bullish on paper” catalysts—from spot XRP ETF inflows to tech upgrades on the XRP Ledger—which is why today’s price story is less about a single headline and more about a tug-of-war between institutional accumulation and still-cautious risk appetite going into the final stretch of 2025. [1]
XRP price today at 10:14 a.m. ET: the numbers traders are watching
Here’s the quick snapshot that matters most for today’s tape:
- Price: ~$1.84 (around 10:35 a.m. ET; used here as the closest live quote to the requested 10:14 a.m. timestamp)
- Intraday range:$1.83 – $1.88
- 24h performance: XRP down about 1.5% over the past day, depending on the data source [2]
- 24h trading volume: about $2.15B–$2.20B, with providers showing slightly different estimates [3]
- Market cap / rank: roughly $111B and ranked #5 among cryptocurrencies [4]
- Circulating supply: about 60.57B XRP (max supply 100B) [5]
For broader context, Bitcoin and Ethereum are modestly lower on the session—BTC near $87K and ETH near $2.9K—a reminder that XRP is trading inside a wider market that is still headline-sensitive into year-end.
What’s driving XRP today? The key headlines and analysis from 26.12.2025
1) XRP ETFs: seven straight weeks of inflows, but price still “stuck”
One of the most cited XRP narratives today is the gap between strong ETF demand and muted spot price response.
A BeInCrypto analysis published today reports that XRP ETFs have continued to post inflows for seven consecutive weeks, with no day of net outflows since launch, even as XRP remains in a downtrend and struggles to push higher. The same piece highlights $1.85 as a key support zone and notes that ETF inflows may help stabilize price—while warning that a breakdown could open the door to a move toward the $1.70 area. [6]
FXEmpire’s XRP coverage today reinforces the “ETF cushion” thesis, pointing to continued inflows and framing institutional demand as a counterweight to weaker retail participation. [7]
Why this matters for price today: ETF inflows can support the market in the background, but they don’t automatically trigger a breakout—especially when short-term traders keep selling into rallies near obvious resistance.
2) Macro surprise factor: yen carry-trade dynamics and risk appetite
FXEmpire also connects today’s XRP price action to macro conditions—specifically, how Japanese data can influence risk sentiment via yen carry trades. In its Dec. 26 report, FXEmpire notes that cooling Japanese inflation weakened the yen, encouraging carry-trade behavior that can spill into risk assets (including crypto). [8]
This matters because XRP often trades as a high-beta proxy for broader crypto sentiment: when macro risk feels calmer, it tends to catch a bid; when macro shocks hit, it can drop quickly with the pack.
3) On-chain + sentiment: weakening “activity” signals, rising selling risk
Today’s BeInCrypto piece highlights rising unrealized losses among holders as a potential pressure point—arguing that if long-term holders decide to lock in remaining gains, selling could intensify. [9]
FXEmpire similarly flags weakening on-chain participation, reporting a drop in active accounts (unique senders) in its analysis of recent XRP demand conditions. [10]
In plain terms: institutional flows may be improving the structure of XRP exposure, but retail/spot participation hasn’t convincingly re-accelerated—and that can keep price range-bound.
4) Crypto regulation momentum: “clarity” is back on the menu
Regulatory clarity remains one of the most important long-term catalysts for XRP because of its history at the center of U.S. securities debates.
- Today, Coinpaper published commentary suggesting that proposed “crypto clarity” and market structure efforts could be meaningful for tokens like XRP. [11]
- Separately, the SEC’s official website shows remarks from SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins outlining the agency’s approach to digital assets under “Project Crypto,” emphasizing clearer frameworks for applying securities laws to crypto. [12]
- Reuters has also reported on Atkins signaling the SEC would consider a “token taxonomy” aimed at clarifying when digital assets may be considered securities versus commodities—an issue at the heart of years of market uncertainty. [13]
What it means for XRP today: regulation headlines don’t always move price immediately, but they shape the market’s willingness to assign higher “fair value” multiples—especially when institutional products (like ETFs) are already in play.
5) XRPL tech headlines: the “quantum-safe” pivot
Not all XRP news is price-centric. A notable technology story around the XRP Ledger is also circulating today: CryptoSlate reports that XRPL Labs integrated post-quantum cryptography and related changes into AlphaNet, referencing the use of CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA) as part of the approach. [14]
For long-term investors, this kind of “boring but real” infrastructure work matters because institutions tend to care about operational resilience, security roadmaps, and the credibility of the underlying network.
Technical analysis: the support and resistance levels dominating XRP’s chart
While forecasts vary, there’s growing agreement across multiple analyses about the key zones:
The levels bulls want
- $1.90–$1.94: CoinEdition calls this a near-term resistance cluster; clearing it could set up a push toward $2.00–$2.03. [15]
- $2.00: Still the psychological line in the sand. CryptoPotato argues that after losing $2 as support, XRP now faces it as resistance. [16]
The levels bears are pressuring
- $1.85: Widely cited as immediate support (and a “must hold” area). [17]
- $1.80 / $1.77: CoinEdition highlights $1.80 as key support, with $1.77 as the recent swing low; a break risks extension lower. [18]
- $1.70–$1.60: BeInCrypto frames $1.70 as a downside risk scenario; CryptoPotato goes further and suggests XRP could fall to $1.6 before buyers return in force. [19]
“ETF flows vs. $1.90 sellers”: a classic coil
A CoinDesk market wrap reprinted by MEXC describes XRP locked in a $1.85–$1.91 channel, with repeated selling near $1.90 and consistent bids near $1.86, implying the next decisive move may come from a breakout of this tightening range. [20]
XRP forecasts and price predictions: what analysts project next
Crypto forecasts should be read as scenarios—not certainties—but here’s what today’s mix of predictions looks like:
FXEmpire’s multi-horizon targets
FXEmpire’s analysis outlines a cautiously bullish near-term path if fundamentals continue to outweigh bearish technical structure:
- 1–4 weeks: ~$2.00 target
- 4–8 weeks: ~$2.50 target
- 8–12 weeks: ~$3.00 target [21]
Changelly’s short-term model (daily points)
Changelly publishes a dated forecast table that puts Dec. 26, 2025 around $1.85, with nearby days clustering in the low-to-mid $1.80s. [22]
The more cautious camp: “$2 is resistance, not support”
CryptoPotato’s technical view emphasizes the bearish structure after losing $2 support and explicitly floats $1.6 as a possible downside destination before stronger buying returns. [23]
Takeaway: Forecasts diverge, but they’re all anchored to the same core idea—XRP is in a decision zone. Holding $1.80–$1.85 keeps bullish recovery scenarios alive; losing it increases odds of a deeper reset.
The bigger Ripple/XRP narrative: why 2025 headlines still matter for today’s price
Even if today is mostly a range-trading day, XRP’s 2025 story provides context for why the market is so sensitive to ETFs and regulation:
- Decrypt’s year-in-review piece says Ripple ended its long-running SEC battle in 2025 and that XRP surged to a new all-time high of $3.65 during the year. It also notes Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD growing past $1 billion in market cap and references acquisitions that expanded Ripple’s footprint. [24]
- Reuters previously reported Ripple’s plan to acquire prime broker Hidden Road in a $1.25 billion deal, describing the move as part of Ripple’s push deeper into institutional finance—and also noting RLUSD’s potential utility in collateral workflows. [25]
These “institutional rails” headlines help explain why ETF flows are treated as such a big deal: they’re not just speculative positioning—they’re signals about how traditional market access to XRP is evolving.
What to watch next (the practical checklist for XRP traders today)
If you’re tracking XRP price action into the afternoon and weekend, these are the catalysts most likely to matter:
- Does $1.85 hold? It’s the level multiple analyses keep circling as the immediate support line. [26]
- Can XRP reclaim $1.90–$1.94? That’s the resistance zone many technicians say needs to break before $2 comes back into reach. [27]
- ETF flow headlines: Continued inflows can underpin dips; any shift in the streak narrative could hit sentiment quickly. [28]
- Macro-driven volatility: FXEmpire’s yen/carry-trade framing is a reminder that macro can still jolt crypto markets when liquidity is thinner. [29]
- Year-end derivatives positioning: multiple outlets are tracking large options expiries today that can amplify volatility across the crypto complex, which often pulls XRP along via correlation. [30]
Bottom line
XRP price today (26.12.2025) remains pinned near $1.84 around the late-morning ET window, with the market balancing a supportive institutional narrative (ETF inflows, broader regulatory “clarity” signals) against bearish technical structure and still-cautious spot participation. [31]
For now, the storyline is simple: $2.00 is the prize, $1.85 is the battlefield—and the next trend likely starts only when one of those levels clearly gives way. [32]
Note: This article is for informational purposes and not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile, and prices can vary across exchanges and data providers.
References
1. beincrypto.com, 2. coinmarketcap.com, 3. coinmarketcap.com, 4. coinmarketcap.com, 5. coinmarketcap.com, 6. beincrypto.com, 7. www.fxempire.com, 8. www.fxempire.com, 9. beincrypto.com, 10. www.fxempire.com, 11. coinpaper.com, 12. www.sec.gov, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. cryptoslate.com, 15. coinedition.com, 16. cryptopotato.com, 17. beincrypto.com, 18. coinedition.com, 19. beincrypto.com, 20. www.mexc.co, 21. www.fxempire.com, 22. changelly.com, 23. cryptopotato.com, 24. decrypt.co, 25. www.reuters.com, 26. beincrypto.com, 27. coinedition.com, 28. beincrypto.com, 29. www.fxempire.com, 30. www.kucoin.com, 31. beincrypto.com, 32. cryptopotato.com
