NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 08:17 ET — Premarket
- XRP rises toward $2 in early New York trade as 2026 gets underway.
- Ripple’s first scheduled 2026 escrow unlock released 1 billion XRP, keeping supply in focus.
- Year-end flow data from U.S. spot XRP ETFs showed modest net inflows and about $1.2 billion in assets.
XRP rose about 2.7% to $1.90 early Friday in New York, rebounding from a prior close near $1.85 as traders watched for a test of the $2 level. Bitcoin was up 1.8% at $89,450 and ether gained 2.2% to about $3,049.
The move matters because XRP is starting 2026 with a supply event on the tape and fresh fund-flow data on the other side of the ledger. Those signals often punch above their weight when liquidity is thin around holidays and technical levels attract fast money.
Ripple’s escrow releases add tokens to the pool that can reach the market, while ETF inflows and declining exchange balances can reduce readily available supply. Traders are weighing which side dominates in the first full session of the year.
Ripple executed its first scheduled escrow unlock of 2026 on Jan. 1, releasing 1 billion XRP in three transactions around midnight, crypto.news reported, citing blockchain data. The report said a third party attached transaction memos that falsely implied large token sales, but the messages did not originate from Ripple. 1
Data from SoSoValue cited by Binance News showed U.S. spot XRP exchange-traded funds — listed vehicles that track XRP — took in a net $5.58 million on Dec. 31. Total net assets stood at about $1.24 billion, while cumulative net inflows reached $1.16 billion, the report said. 2
On-chain data has fed a parallel “supply squeeze” narrative. CryptoSlate said Glassnode data showed XRP balances on exchanges fell to the lowest level since 2018, while noting that shrinking reserves can also reflect lower liquidity rather than an imminent rally. 3
Broader risk appetite held steady into the first trading day of the year, with global stocks starting 2026 on a positive note in holiday-thinned trade. Light volumes can amplify moves across asset classes, including crypto. 4
Bitcoin’s range matters for altcoins like XRP because it sets the tone for risk-taking across the complex. “If Bitcoin manages to clear the $89,500 resistance, a decisive move towards the $100,000 mark is likely,” said Akshat Siddhant, lead quant analyst at Mudrex. 5
Technical traders have framed XRP’s near-term map around $1.82 support and the $2 handle. U.Today said a close above $1.92 could open a run to $2.00–$2.08, while a break below $1.82 could expose $1.77; it also cited a Standard Chartered forecast for XRP to reach $8 by end-2026. 6
For now, traders are watching whether XRP can hold above its prior close and build a base below $2. ETF flow updates and any re-locking of newly unlocked tokens back into escrow are also likely to stay in focus.
Macro events loom as the next catalysts for crypto’s broader direction. The U.S. ISM manufacturing PMI is due Jan. 5, followed by the Dec. 2025 employment report on Jan. 9, according to published calendars. 7
