XRP Price Forecast – XRP-USD Climbs to $2.27, Eyes $6.80 Target by 2026

Ripple (XRP-USD) Extends Volatile Rally as Institutional Backing Hits Record $40 Billion Valuation

Ripple’s native token, XRP (XRP-USD), is once again at the center of global crypto attention, trading around $2.28, up +2.95% in the last 24 hours, after a volatile week that saw it plunge to $2.19 before rebounding alongside broader crypto sentiment. Despite short-term uncertainty and risk-off pressure triggered by the prolonged U.S. government shutdown, Ripple’s ecosystem has strengthened dramatically, underpinned by a $500 million strategic raise that pushed the company’s valuation to $40 billion and new acquisitions consolidating its dominance in blockchain-based finance.

Historic $500 Million Investment Validates Ripple’s Global Ambitions

Ripple announced a $500 million equity raise on November 5, 2025, led by Wall Street giants Citadel Securities, Fortress Investment Group, and Brevan Howard, joined by affiliates of Pantera Capital, Galaxy Digital, and Marshall Wace. The move ranks among the largest private funding rounds in crypto history, signaling deepening institutional confidence in blockchain payments.
The fresh capital elevates Ripple’s corporate valuation to $40 billion, a record high for the fintech company founded to streamline cross-border settlements using the XRP Ledger. CEO Brad Garlinghouse emphasized that this is not just financial backing but “a bet on the next phase of global finance built on XRP and institutional liquidity.” The firm now holds 75 regulatory licenses globally and reports over $95 billion in annual payment volume through Ripple Payments — a 32% YoY increase.

Acquisitions Drive Ripple’s Expansion Into Institutional Finance

Ripple’s recent M&A spree defines its evolving structure. In less than 24 months, the company has deployed $4 billion across six major acquisitions, diversifying beyond cross-border remittance into prime brokerage, custody, and treasury management.
Its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, rebranded as Ripple Prime, marked a turning point. Hidden Road clears over $3 trillion annually across foreign exchange, derivatives, and fixed income markets. Ripple Prime now offers OTC trading, financing, and clearing to over 300 institutional clients, making Ripple the first blockchain-native firm to own a global multi-asset prime broker.
In parallel, the $1 billion purchase of GTreasury and the $200 million acquisition of Rail expanded Ripple’s infrastructure in corporate liquidity and payments. The latest addition, digital asset custodian Palisade, strengthens its institutional custody footprint — a critical layer for enabling on-chain finance.

Stablecoin Momentum: RLUSD Crosses $1 Billion Market Cap

Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin, launched in late 2024, surpassed a $1 billion market capitalization this week, becoming the 105th largest cryptocurrency by market size according to CoinGecko. RLUSD serves as the liquidity backbone of Ripple Prime and is increasingly adopted in DeFi collateralization, corporate settlements, and cross-border trade finance.
Anchored to the U.S. dollar, RLUSD’s expansion illustrates Ripple’s pivot toward enterprise-grade tokenization, merging compliance with on-chain settlement speed. Institutional uptake has been robust — Ripple reports over 60 new corporate clients integrating RLUSD for B2B payments in Q3 alone. Analysts estimate RLUSD transactions now account for 18% of RippleNet volume, reflecting a growing demand for stable settlement mechanisms amid volatile crypto prices.

Ripple (XRP-USD) Faces Market Turbulence Despite Corporate Strength

While Ripple the company thrives, XRP’s market price has underperformed expectations. At $2.28, the token is down 15% over the past week, despite strong institutional developments. The coin previously spiked to $3.65 in July, setting a seven-year high fueled by speculation around potential U.S. spot XRP ETFs. Since then, bearish macro conditions — higher Treasury yields, risk aversion, and weaker crypto liquidity — have pressured altcoins broadly.
Data from TradingView shows XRP futures open interest fell to $4.3 billion, down 50% from October peaks, suggesting fading speculative activity. RSI has slipped below 40, signaling waning momentum, while the Bollinger Bands show price compression between $2.20–$2.40, indicating volatility buildup. Immediate resistance sits at $2.50–$2.65, while key supports remain at $2.00, $1.80, and $1.50, with a structural floor near $1.00 if macro risk-off sentiment worsens.

Macro Headwinds Intensify: Shutdown and Dollar Strength Cap Gains

Ripple’s market timing coincides with a rare macro freeze. The U.S. government shutdown — now 34 days long — has halted critical economic data releases, leaving traders blind on inflation and labor trends. Without this guidance, global investors have shifted to safety. The Dollar Index (DXY) rose to 100.23, its highest since mid-July, and equity markets fell sharply (Nasdaq –2%, S&P 500 –1.2%), amplifying outflows from speculative assets.
As gold and oil retreated in tandem, cryptocurrencies mirrored the move. Bitcoin’s brief dip below $100,000 erased nearly $1 trillion from total crypto market capitalization, pulling XRP lower with it. Despite strong on-chain utility, XRP remains a high-beta asset that tracks broad liquidity cycles — when the dollar rises, XRP tends to fall.

Ripple CTO Responds to Claims About XRP Supply Control

Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz directly addressed long-standing debates that Ripple’s escrow holdings — 34.75 billion XRP locked — suppress token prices. Schwartz clarified that Ripple’s holdings “do not mechanically influence price,” as the company’s escrow releases follow predictable, algorithmic schedules. He reiterated that validators on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) earn no direct income for confirmations, ensuring a neutral, decentralized consensus mechanism.
Critics who liken Ripple to a “macro miner” selling XRP to fund operations overlook the firm’s transparency. Ripple’s quarterly reports detail all sales, most of which are programmatic liquidity allocations rather than speculative dumps. Schwartz emphasized that XRPL remains fully operational without Ripple’s involvement, underscoring the ledger’s decentralized integrity.

AI Forecasts Suggest Long-Term Upside Beyond 2026

Advanced predictive models project renewed XRP growth once macro conditions stabilize. ChatGPT-based simulations published by CryptoDnes estimate a potential XRP-USD price of $6.80 by end-2026, representing a 204% gain from current levels. The forecast factors in expected approval of spot XRP ETFs and $15–25 billion in institutional inflows, as well as sustained network utility through stablecoin transactions and CBDC corridors.
Ripple’s CEO previously stated that several G20 central banks are testing private settlement rails based on XRPL — an early signal of mainstream integration that could reprice XRP fundamentally.

Technical Picture: Oversold But Structurally Intact

Technically, XRP remains in a medium-term consolidation channel. The 50-day EMA at $2.45 acts as short-term resistance, while the 200-day EMA near $1.96 provides the key support threshold. RSI hovering at 41.2 shows moderate weakness but not capitulation. Volume has declined 38% week-on-week, typically a prelude to a volatility breakout.
If XRP reclaims $2.50, momentum traders may target $2.80–$3.10, while a breakdown below $2.00 could accelerate liquidation toward $1.80. Futures data shows 61% of positions remain short, meaning a relief rally could trigger a short squeeze up to $2.70.

Ripple’s Strategic Positioning Amid Institutional Rotation

Ripple’s rapid institutionalization sets it apart in a sector still dominated by speculative flows. The $40 billion valuation, coupled with active acquisitions and regulatory clarity, gives it a corporate moat few crypto firms possess. Ripple’s integration of RLUSD stablecoin into Ripple Prime primes it for the next generation of institutional liquidity, while XRP’s use as a bridge asset continues in key remittance corridors across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Data from Ripple’s internal metrics suggest transaction throughput exceeding 2,000 TPS, far outpacing traditional networks. The firm’s architecture allows settlements under 3 seconds, with fees averaging $0.0001 per transfer, a major advantage for global payments.

Verdict: Ripple (XRP-USD) — HOLD / BUY ON DIPS

Despite short-term macro volatility, XRP’s ecosystem fundamentals have never been stronger. The combination of institutional capital influx, $1B+ stablecoin growth, AI-driven long-term projections, and rapid infrastructure expansion underpin a bullish multi-year trajectory. While traders should expect near-term turbulence amid a high-dollar environment, the balance of probabilities favors XRP stabilizing above $2.00 and gradually retesting $3.00–$3.50 once macro headwinds subside.
Ripple’s shift from crypto startup to global financial intermediary signals that XRP is no longer a speculative token — it’s evolving into regulated infrastructure for global liquidity.

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