Ripple Network Growth vs Bearish Flows: Will XRP Surpass the $2.26 Ceiling?

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Ripple’s native token, XRP, is again under the microscope as it tests a critical resistance level at $2.26. Despite a robust real-world utility model powering its ecosystem, XRP remains weighed down by short-term market volatility and profit-taking. Traders and analysts are split: is this consolidation before a breakout, or a warning signal for a deeper retracement?

AMBCrypto recently highlighted this tug-of-war, pointing to the token’s fading bullish momentum amid a surge in sell orders. But beneath the charts, Ripple continues to fortify XRP’s long-term value proposition — especially through its utility in cross-border settlements and transaction fee burns.

XRP Price Update and Technical Outlook

As of May 8, XRP trades around $2.14, down approximately 8% over the past week. The price remains within a narrowing range between $2.00 support and $2.26 resistance — a zone that could dictate the asset’s short-term trajectory.

Key Technical Indicators:

Metric	Value	Signal
RSI (14-day)	47.55	Neutral
MACD	Bearish cross	Potential downside pressure
24H Trading Volume	$2.1 Billion	Declining
Long/Short Ratio (Coinglass)	0.89	More short positions

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicates that XRP is in neutral territory, suggesting neither overbought nor oversold conditions. However, the MACD signals a bearish crossover, hinting that momentum may shift further to the downside if support at $2.00 fails.

Ripple’s Real-World Utility: A Deflationary Backbone

While short-term market participants chase volatility, XRP’s underlying utility continues to present a long-term bullish case. Bitwise’s latest DeFi and payments report shows that Ripple’s network still ranks among the most efficient and scalable payment rails.

XRP technical analysis XRP price prediction

Core Utility Features:

Transaction Fees: Every XRP transaction burns a tiny amount of XRP, reducing the total supply — a deflationary feature few cryptocurrencies offer.
Reserve Mechanism: XRP’s protocol includes reserve requirements to prevent spam attacks, ensuring network integrity.
Liquidity Bridge: XRP is a bridge currency between fiat pairs in Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) corridors.

Ripple’s focus on enterprise-grade use cases in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region is growing. Its partnership base continues to expand despite regulatory challenges in the U.S. — a factor analysts believe could catapult XRP adoption if regulatory clarity arrives.

Whale Moves and Derivatives: Bearish Shadows?

Despite the solid fundamentals, XRP’s price is still being shaped heavily by speculative forces.

CoinGlass data reveals a decline in the long/short ratio, currently sitting below 0.90, indicating that more traders are betting on XRP’s price to fall. The Open Interest (OI) in perpetual futures contracts has also decreased, reflecting caution or capital rotation into other altcoins.

Moreover, on-chain data from Santiment shows an uptick in whale movements — particularly large XRP transfers to centralized exchanges. This may be indicative of planned sell-offs or portfolio rebalancing among major holders.

Ripple utility

Analysts Weigh In: Can XRP Break $2.26?

“The $2.26 resistance is psychological and technical,” said crypto analyst Michaël van de Poppe in a recent YouTube update. “If XRP breaks this level with strong volume, we could see a retest of the $2.50-$2.60 range.”

Others are more cautious. “XRP is fundamentally undervalued, yes,” said crypto strategist Ali Martinez, “but price is a function of sentiment. And right now, sentiment is risk-off.”

On the flip side, some are looking at the long game. “XRP remains one of the most utility-driven tokens in the top 10,” said Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan. “Once macro uncertainty fades, its upside could be outsized compared to meme-driven coins.”

Conclusion: Will Utility Outshine Fear?

The next few days could prove decisive for XRP. If bulls defend the $2.00 support and regain confidence to test $2.26 with conviction, a breakout could shift momentum significantly.

Yet, caution prevails. Despite Ripple’s strong fundamentals, short-term market dynamics — including whale exits and bearish technical indicators — are keeping traders on edge.

Whether XRP’s real-world value can finally overcome speculative sell pressure will depend not only on charts but also on macro sentiment and regulatory signals in the U.S.

FAQs

What happens if XRP breaks above $2.26?

A confirmed breakout above $2.26 could trigger a fresh rally, with potential targets at $2.50 and $2.60, driven by renewed investor confidence.

Why is XRP facing resistance despite its utility?

Market sentiment, bearish technical signals, and short-term profit-taking are offsetting XRP’s real-world use cases and deflationary mechanics.

Is XRP still worth watching in 2025?

Yes. With increasing institutional adoption and expanding ODL corridors, XRP is poised to benefit long-term, especially if regulatory clarity improves.