New York, Feb 2, 2026, 10:25 (EST) — Regular session
XRP climbed roughly 3% Monday, settling near $1.64 following a weekend dip that weighed on major cryptocurrencies. Throughout the session, the token fluctuated between about $1.53 and $1.65, according to data.
This is significant because XRP has been trading more like a risk-on bet, with traders adjusting valuations of anything linked to loose monetary policy. After Donald Trump named Kevin Warsh as Fed chair, the dollar spiked, sparking debate over whether tighter liquidity is next. Ray Attrill from National Australia Bank pointed out the problem: “the market doesn’t believe” Warsh will take a dovish stance. Reuters
XRP saw a notable supply update as Ripple released about 1 billion XRP from escrow on Feb. 1, following its established monthly unlock routine closely monitored for changes in circulating supply. (Escrow refers to a time-locked account that regulates coin releases.)
XRP traded near $1.64, with its market cap hitting about $100 billion, ranking it fifth among cryptocurrencies by market value, per CoinMarketCap. The token saw roughly $5.8 billion change hands in the past 24 hours.
The broader market has been under pressure. Bitcoin slid 6.53% to $78,719.63 on Saturday afternoon, while ether tumbled 11.76%. Investors are weighing the impact of a smaller Federal Reserve balance sheet draining liquidity that’s propping up speculative trades, according to a Reuters report. Brian Jacobsen of Annex Wealth Management said it’s “possible, if not likely, that we see more selling over the next few days.” Reuters
Some strategists say the main challenge isn’t just interest rates, but where attention is focused. Louis Gave from Gavekal Research noted that cryptocurrencies have fallen out of favor as the “new thing,” with investors pouring money into AI and other hot sectors. Barron’s
Despite Monday’s rebound, the token remains well off last week’s levels. Coinbase data reveals XRP has dropped roughly 14% compared to seven days ago.
But the bounce could vanish quickly. Should bitcoin’s retreat deepen or the dollar hold strong, XRP might slide back toward its recent lows. Thin liquidity only adds fuel to those wider swings.
Traders are watching the network closely. The XRP Ledger’s PermissionedDomains amendment is set to activate around Feb. 4 at 09:57:51 UTC, according to XRPScan—pending continued validator support. This feature enables “permissioned domains,” which are controlled zones that limit access via credentials, aimed at compliance applications. XRPSCAN – XRP Ledger Explorer
Beyond crypto, focus shifts to the U.S. employment report for January, set for Feb. 6 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, with CPI data coming shortly after on Feb. 11, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics schedule.
XRP now faces a clear challenge: can it maintain the $1.50 level following the escrow release and ahead of the Feb. 4 ledger milestone? Investors are also weighing the implications of a Warsh-led Fed on liquidity in risk assets.
