As XRP trades near the $1.90 level, a significant divergence is emerging: institutional investors are accumulating the asset heavily through exchange-traded funds, even as retail sentiment remains subdued. This activity is providing a notable counterbalance to weaker price action.
Critical Price Level in Focus
Trading on December 24th saw XRP fluctuating between $1.85 and $1.90, registering a 24-hour decline of 1-2%. Market technicians are closely watching the $1.80 level, which is viewed as a critical support zone. A decisive break below this threshold could potentially open the path toward $1.62. For the short-term bearish pressure to ease, the asset needs to reclaim and consolidate above the $1.90 to $2.00 resistance area. This follows a retreat from its July peak of $3.67, which has left smaller investors hesitant.
On-chain metrics underscore the current cautious climate:
* The count of active addresses has fallen to a monthly low of approximately 34,000.
* New wallet creations have dropped to an average of 3,440 per day.
* Recent selling transactions have largely been executed at a loss, a pattern often associated with market capitulation.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying XRP?
Franklin Templeton ETF Holdings Surpass Key Threshold
In a clear signal of institutional confidence, the Franklin Templeton XRP ETF (XRPZ) crossed a significant milestone this week. The fund now holds over 100 million XRP tokens, representing a total value of roughly $200 million. Analysts suggest these consistent ETF inflows are providing underlying market stability and could help cushion against more severe price corrections.
Ecosystem Development Continues Apace
Despite the price weakness, development within the Ripple ecosystem continues to advance. Upshift, Clearstar, and Flare have jointly launched earnXRP, a new yield-generating product built for the XRP Ledger. Separately, Ripple Prime has deepened its collaboration with regulated broker TJM Investments to streamline institutional clearing processes. Furthermore, XRP Healthcare has secured global trademark protection for its blockchain-based healthcare payments platform.
The current market configuration—characterized by declining prices alongside rising institutional holdings—bears the hallmarks of a classic accumulation phase. Whether the $1.80 support level holds is likely to set the tone for XRP as it enters 2026. The asset is currently on track to close the year with a negative return of 11-13%, which would follow two consecutive years of positive performance.
Ad
XRP Stock: Buy or Sell?! New XRP Analysis from December 24 delivers the answer:
The latest XRP figures speak for themselves: Urgent action needed for XRP investors. Is it worth buying or should you sell? Find out what to do now in the current free analysis from December 24.
XRP: Buy or sell? Read more here...
