Author: Maham Arslan

Ripple’s XRP is seeing renewed interest after Wietse Wind, founder of XRPL Labs, proposed a 90% reduction in the XRP Ledger’s minimum reserve requirement.

This reserve, set to prevent network spam, is the amount of XRP users must hold to activate a wallet. Wind’s proposal is currently under review and would make it easier for developers and users to interact with the XRPL ecosystem.

Why? Lowering costs for newcomers while keeping security. By reducing the reserve requirement the network can invite more participation, from startups building on XRPL to individual users trying crypto for the first time. If passed it would be a big shift in accessibility and usability for the XRP ecosystem.

[[XRP/USD-graph]]

Market Response and On-Chain Activity

The market responded fast. After the proposal was announced XRP went past $2.22 with big buying pressure, evidenced by large withdrawals from Binance – long term holders are moving tokens off exchanges in anticipation of more gains. 24 hour trading volume reached almost $3 billion, XRP is in the top 5 by volume.

The reserve cut aligns with a broader strategy to increase on-chain utility. Lower entry costs will encourage wallet creation, dApp usage and more XRPL accounts.

Key Points:

• XRP price: $2.23, down 2.77% in 24 hours
• Market cap: $130B+, ranked #4
• Trading volume: $2.99B
• Circulating supply: ~58.4B XRP
• Proposal: 90% reserve reduction

This is happening against a complex regulatory backdrop as Ripple is talking to the SEC and waiting for clarity on crypto policy. Analysts say easing regulatory pressure + lower ledger costs will cement XRP as a leading digital settlement asset.

Technical Outlook: Holding the Bullish Line

From a technical standpoint [[XRP/USD]] is showing strength. Price is hugging the rising trendline near $2.22 – an area that has been a launchpad since mid April. The 50 EMA at $2.25 is now resistance, $2.20 is the support level. Below that the next floor is $2.1619.Candlesticks show long lower wicks, buying is strong. 200 EMA at $2.1774 is still up, bullish trend is intact. MACD is flat, consolidation before the next move. A clean break above $2.2652 and XRP will target $2.31.

Trade Setup:

• Buy Zone: $2.20–$2.22 trendline
• Target: $2.2652, then $2.31
• Stop: Below $2.1619

As long as bulls hold this trendline with volume XRP will keep the bullish momentum and attract new interest with network utility upgrades.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is making a big claim: Ripple doesn’t want to partner with SWIFT – it wants to replace it. In a recent interview with Fox Business, Garlinghouse outlined Ripple’s vision to be the primary infrastructure for global cross-border payments, challenging the legacy system used by over 11,000 financial institutions.

The SWIFT network currently handles an estimated $194 trillion in annual cross-border volume, which is projected to grow to $320 trillion by 2032. Built in the 1970s, SWIFT’s messaging rails are seen as outdated for a digital, real-time financial world. Ripple, powered by XRP, sees blockchain as faster, cheaper and more transparent.

“The market opportunity here is massive,” Garlinghouse said. “There’s an opportunity to modernize.”

If Ripple gets even a small piece of SWIFT’s volume, the implications for XRP could be huge. Analysts are now weighing what that means for the token’s price.

 [[XRP/USD-graph]]

XRP Technical Outlook: Bulls Defend Key Support

 [[XRP/USD]] is currently trading at $2.27, consolidating after rejecting resistance at $2.31 on the 2-hour chart. Price action is coiling just above the pivot zone at $2.25, which also aligns with the 50 EMA—adding technical weight to this support.

• Immediate Resistance: $2.31

• Next Targets: $2.36 and $2.40

• Immediate Support: $2.25

• Lower Supports: $2.20 and $2.16 (200 EMA base)

MACD momentum has flattened, so buying pressure may be waning. But a strong break above $2.31 with volume could trigger a move to $2.36. If $2.25 fails, expect a pullback to $2.20.

The bigger picture still favors bulls, but confirmation is key. For now, the market is cautious, waiting for Ripple-related news to spark momentum.

Could XRP Hit $48? Analysts Weigh Real-World Scenarios

With 58 billion XRP in circulation, hitting sky-high targets would require real-world adoption. Still, some analysts think XRP has room to grow, especially as Ripple gains traction with banks and payment networks.

• Grok3: Predicts XRP could hit $48.89 if Ripple gets $20 trillion of SWIFT’s volume

• DeepSeek: $34 target if institutional adoption without full SWIFT displacement.

• Current ROI potential: A move to $48 from current levels implies a 15x return.

XRP will never get there? Depends on Ripple’s ability to scale adoption and regulatory momentum. But for now, the thesis is: if Ripple gets market share, XRP’s price will reflect that.

Conclusion

XRP is holding critical support levels, both technically and fundamentally. As Ripple challenges a $194 trillion incumbent, the upside scenario remains compelling—but not without risks. Investors should monitor both chart levels and regulatory developments as catalysts converge.

Ripple just made headlines with its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, a major prime broker serving over 300 institutional clients.

Crypto researcher SMQKE noted that Hidden Road plans to move its post-trade clearing operations onto the XRP Ledger (XRPL) which puts the scalability and efficiency of the blockchain in the spotlight.

Once approved this will be the first time a crypto-native company will own a global prime brokerage and blend blockchain infrastructure into traditional finance.

Ripple’s goal is clear: expand XRP’s use cases beyond cross-border payments to core financial services like custody, financing and clearing. This is a big step in showing that blockchain can modernize institutional trade infrastructure.

Key Points:

• Hidden Road clears over $3 trillion annually.
• Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin will be used as collateral.
• Regulatory approval expected within months.

The broader crypto market sees this as a big win for XRPL adoption and XRP’s real world use cases.

[[XRP/USD-graph]]

XRP Ledger Powers New Institutional Infrastructure

Ripple is going to integrate XRPL into Hidden Road’s global clearing operations. This is a direct attempt to show XRPL can handle high volume institutional flows – something no other major blockchain has done at this scale yet.

According to reports by Times Tabloid and BLM Business the integration could mean faster settlement times and better trade execution for hedge funds and asset managers. Crypto influencer Amelie also noted this on X, it bridges the gap between traditional finance and crypto ecosystems.

Why It Matters:

• Strengthens XRP’s utility narrative.
• Shows blockchain in institutional markets.
• Boosts Ripple’s credibility with regulators and traditional players.

If successful this could open the floodgates for more prime brokerages to use decentralized infrastructure.

XRP Price Analysis: Holding $2.20 With Eyes on $2.30

As of now [[XRP/USD]] is trading around $2.20 after briefly touching $2.22. Technicals are bullish with XRP making higher lows above an ascending trendline.

• Pivot Point: $2.18
• Immediate Resistance: $2.25
• Next Resistance: $2.30
• Immediate Support: $2.18
• Next Support: $2.1350 EMA ($2.18) above 200 EMA ($2.13) so bullish bias. MACD is flat so not much breakout pressure.

If XRP breaks $2.25 with volume it could retest $2.30. If sellers take over expect a pullback to $2.18 or $2.13 before the next push higher.

Bottom Line:

XRP’s price stability, backed by a major institutional catalyst, offers cautious optimism. Traders should watch the $2.25 breakout level closely before entering new positions.

XRP is trading at $2.19 after being rejected at $2.30 earlier in the week. It dipped to $2.11 before bouncing, showing some strength as the broader crypto market cools.

Despite the caution, XRP still has a bullish setup that’s catching the eye of institutional traders.

Right now, XRP is above the 100-day EMA on the 8-hour chart at $2.15—a level that’s also the neckline of an inverse head and shoulders pattern. Holding this support could be the catalyst for a breakout. Short term resistance is at the 200 EMA which has risen to $2.22. A clean break above this could take XRP to $2.74—25% higher.

CME Futures Fuel Institutional Confidence

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, announced they will be launching XRP futures on May 19 pending regulatory approval. The contracts will be micro (2,500 XRP) and standard (50,000 XRP) so all types of investors can get involved. This is the same path Bitcoin and Ethereum took before institutional adoption.

Coinbase Derivatives also rolled out XRP futures this week, further solidifying XRP’s position in the derivatives market. According to Giovanni Vicioso, CME’s Global Head of Crypto Products, this is in response to growing demand from both institutional and retail investors.

These launches mean XRP is entering a more mature market where investors will have tools to hedge or speculate more effectively.

Technicals Suggest Breakout

On the 2-hour chart, XRP is consolidating at $2.19 and holding the trendline at $2.17 which is supported by the 50 EMA ($2.1718). The 200 EMA is below at $2.1223 and is structural support. Price action is healthy in this channel but momentum has cooled short term.

Updated Levels:

• Pivot Support: $2.17
• Immediate Resistance: $2.2351
• Next Resistance: $2.30
• Immediate Support: $2.1186
• Next Support: $2.0671

If bulls can get above $2.2351, XRP could retest $2.30 and build to $2.74. But a close below $2.1186 would invalidate the setup and open up a retracement.

Market Sentiment is Mixed

While the technicals are bullish, sentiment is split. XRP’s RSI is at 55.98 and approaching the 50-line which means momentum is waning. According to Coinglass, Open Interest (OI) dropped 0.21% to $3.86 billion.

Liquidations data:

• Longs: $5.63 million
• Shorts: $1.99 million
• 4H Liquidations: $1.13 million (longs) vs. $3,430 (shorts)

This shows bearish pressure building. But the structure remains intact as long as price is above $2.17. A clean break above $2.22 could flip sentiment fast and give bulls a clear path to $2.74.