Ripple Prediction: XRP Price Masks Progress on Pharma Payments, Regulation, Adoption
With the approach of 2026, XRP continues to be limited to below $2. However, increasing institutional involvement, advancements...
Quick overview
- XRP remains below $2 as it consolidates, but institutional participation and regulatory progress indicate a constructive evolution.
- The healthcare sector is exploring XRP-based payment solutions to address inefficiencies in traditional payment systems.
- Despite recent price weakness, long-term fundamentals are improving, with committed demand stabilizing XRP's value.
- Regulatory advancements and cross-chain expansion are enhancing XRP's credibility and utility in the digital asset ecosystem.
Live XRP/USD Chart
With the approach of 2026, XRP continues to be limited to below $2. However, increasing institutional involvement, advancements in regulation, and practical payment applications are gradually strengthening the foundation for a new growth phase.
XRP Consolidates, but the Broader Story Remains Constructive
As the final weeks of 2025 unfold, XRP continues to trade within a compressed range below the $2 mark. While this price behaviour may test investor patience, it belies a deeper and more constructive evolution taking place beneath the surface. Institutional engagement is expanding, regulatory clarity is improving, and real-world payment infrastructure built around XRP is gaining renewed attention.
Rather than signalling weakness, XRP’s consolidation increasingly resembles a stabilisation phase following years of regulatory uncertainty and market restructuring. The token’s ability to remain supported during periods of heightened volatility reflects a maturing investor base and a market that is gradually transitioning from speculation toward utility-driven valuation.
Healthcare and Pharmacy Payments Highlight XRP’s Real-World Potential
One of the most compelling developments comes from the healthcare sector. XRP Healthcare LLC recently issued an industry update outlining how pharmacy chains and healthcare operators are actively evaluating XRP-based, open-source payment infrastructure as an alternative to legacy pharmacy payment systems.
Rising transaction fees, slow settlement times, and fragmented interoperability have placed increasing pressure on traditional healthcare payment rails. In response, operators are exploring blockchain-based solutions that offer faster settlement, lower costs, and seamless integration across complex networks.
XRP’s design—optimised for speed, cost efficiency, and scalability—positions it as a natural candidate in this search for operational efficiency. As cost pressures mount across healthcare systems globally, this exploration represents a meaningful step toward practical, enterprise-level adoption rather than experimental use cases.
Price Weakness Masks Improving Fundamentals
From a market perspective, XRP enters year-end navigating a delicate balance between short-term technical pressure and improving long-term fundamentals. Price action softened during the recent bout of macro-driven volatility, briefly pulling XRP toward the mid-$1.70s before buyers stepped in to stabilise the move.
Ripple Chart Monthly – The 20 SMA Is Holding As Support
This rebound highlights the presence of committed demand at lower levels. While momentum remains muted, the market’s ability to absorb selling pressure without accelerating lower suggests that downside risk is increasingly being met with accumulation rather than capitulation.
Volatility Tests Confidence, XRP Shows Resilience
November proved challenging across global markets, with heightened volatility triggering widespread deleveraging across equities, fixed income, and digital assets. XRP was not immune, slipping below $2 during the most intense phase of liquidation.
Ripple Chart Weekly – The 100 SMA Is Still Holding
However, the token avoided a deeper breakdown. On higher timeframes, XRP continues to respect its 20-month simple moving average, a level that has historically marked accumulation zones during extended consolidations. This behaviour reinforces the view that long-term holders remain engaged, using periods of stress to add exposure rather than exit positions.
Escrow Unlocks Add Supply, But History Provides Context
Attention has also returned to XRP’s supply dynamics, with a scheduled 1 billion XRP escrow unlock set for January 1. As the first unlock of 2026, the event naturally raises short-term supply considerations, particularly amid thinner holiday liquidity.
Historically, however, Ripple has consistently re-locked a significant portion of unlocked tokens. In recent months, between 60% and 80% of each release has been returned to escrow. During December 2025, approximately 70% of unlocked XRP was re-secured, with only a smaller allocation retained for potential operational use.
While the headline figure appears large, historical precedent suggests the effective increase in circulating supply is typically far more measured, reducing the likelihood of sustained market disruption.
Institutional Exposure Expands Through New Channels
Institutional interest in XRP-linked assets continues to evolve. VivoPower recently announced a joint venture aimed at acquiring a meaningful equity stake in Ripple Labs, offering exposure to the XRP ecosystem without direct token ownership.
Through its digital asset arm, Vivo Federation, the company is collaborating with South Korea–based Lean Ventures to source an initial tranche of Ripple equity. Based on current valuations, the exposure equates to hundreds of millions of XRP tokens, underscoring the scale of institutional interest.
By structuring the investment around Ripple shares rather than XRP itself, the initiative appeals to institutional and qualified retail investors seeking regulatory clarity—particularly in South Korea, one of XRP’s most active global markets.
Long-Term Technical Support Remains Intact
From a structural perspective, XRP continues to trade above its 20-month moving average, a key indicator that has historically defined long-term trend stability. Each test of this level has attracted steady demand, reinforcing confidence among investors with extended time horizons.
While shorter-term charts remain constrained, the absence of new lower lows for more than a month suggests that selling pressure is gradually diminishing. This loss of downside momentum often precedes periods of base-building rather than prolonged decline.
Resistance Levels Define the Next Phase
Despite supportive long-term structure, XRP still faces notable resistance overhead. The $2.50 zone has repeatedly capped advances, absorbing buying pressure before momentum can fully develop. Beyond that, the $3 level remains the defining threshold for a broader trend transition.
A decisive break above $3 would likely mark the end of consolidation and signal the beginning of a renewed bullish phase. Until then, rallies are likely to remain incremental, particularly in the absence of sustained volume expansion.
Regulatory Progress Enhances Credibility
On the regulatory front, Ripple has continued to strengthen its standing. Conditional approval to establish Ripple National Trust Bank represents a significant milestone, bringing the company under both federal and state oversight.
This development enhances Ripple’s appeal to institutional partners and supports its ambitions in regulated payments, custody, and stablecoin issuance. In an environment where regulatory clarity is increasingly decisive, this progress places Ripple in a comparatively strong position within the digital asset ecosystem.
Cross-Chain Expansion Broadens XRP’s Utility
Utility has also expanded with the launch of a regulated wrapped version of XRP, enabling secure cross-chain integration without reliance on fragile bridging solutions. The product debuted with meaningful liquidity, reflecting demand for XRP’s inclusion within decentralised finance environments.
As interoperability improves, XRP’s role within broader blockchain ecosystems could deepen, supporting more consistent usage and enhancing liquidity over time—particularly as institutional participation in DeFi accelerates.
Macro Conditions Gradually Improve the Backdrop
Shifting expectations around U.S. monetary policy have also contributed to XRP’s stabilisation. Cooling labour market indicators have strengthened the case for further rate cuts, improving liquidity conditions for risk assets.
While policy signals remain a key variable, a sustained easing cycle into 2026 would provide a more supportive environment for digital assets, including XRP.
Outlook: Patience Meets Progress
As XRP approaches 2026, it remains caught between improving fundamentals and persistent technical resistance. Price action alone may appear subdued, but beneath the surface, institutional engagement, regulatory clarity, and real-world adoption continue to advance.
Rather than signalling stagnation, this phase increasingly resembles consolidation before a broader revaluation. For investors willing to look beyond short-term fluctuations, XRP’s evolving foundation suggests that patience—rather than pessimism—may ultimately be rewarded.
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