XRP Price Today: Why Did $XRP Fall From $1.70 and What Comes Next?

The move came after XRP climbed roughly 70% in four days from around $1. The final push was helped by strong trading activity and market-wide risk appetite, but leverage also grew quickly.

When Bitcoin slipped below $76,000 after nearing $80,000, the broader crypto market weakened. The altcoin then fell from $1.70 as leveraged long positions were closed.

Why did XRP fall from $1.70?

The $1.70 area appears to be a major supply zone. Several earlier swing highs are clustered around and above this level, leaving some holders willing to sell when the market returns to their entry prices.

The rally also lifted derivatives positioning. High funding rates and leverage can make a fast rally vulnerable to liquidation once momentum turns.

Available market data shows XRP with about $3.61 billion in open interest, compared with a market capitalization near $93.24 billion. Futures volume was about $8.71 billion, while spot volume was around $1.84 billion.

About $20.57 million in positions were liquidated over 24 hours in the cited data. Long liquidations accounted for about $12.07 million, versus $8.51 million for shorts.

What are the key XRP support and resistance levels?

The first important support sits around $1.35 to $1.40. This zone also lines up with the stated 0.382 Fibonacci retracement area and the former breakout region near $1.35.

Holding this zone would keep the recent recovery structure intact. A deeper fall below $1.35, however, would weaken the short-term bullish setup and put more focus on lower price levels.

On the upside, $1.70 remains the main resistance. XRP needs to clear this area with stronger spot demand rather than relying mainly on leveraged futures activity.

A clean breakout above $1.70 could put $1.80 and $2.00 in focus. If momentum and volume remain strong beyond $2, the next major psychological level discussed by traders is $3.

Could Ripple Prime's funding become an XRP catalyst?

The $275 million financing adds another corporate-development angle to the XRP story. Ripple Prime is expanding clearing, prime brokerage, and financing services in the U.S., which could increase institutional activity around Ripple's broader market infrastructure. citeturn0search35

Still, the funding should not be treated as a direct XRP price catalyst. The proceeds are for Ripple Prime's business needs, not a stated program to buy XRP. The key question is whether expanded institutional activity eventually translates into greater use of Ripple's products and liquidity.

Can XRP rise if the Clarity Act advances?

A fresh regulatory catalyst could matter for XRP because US policy remains a major part of the asset's risk story.

The supplied market view points to the Clarity Act and a possible Senate vote in mid-September as a key event. If the legislation advances, traders could reassess regulatory uncertainty around digital assets.

That does not mean a vote would automatically push XRP higher. Bitcoin's direction, spot demand, liquidity, and derivatives positioning would still matter.

Without a new catalyst, the recent 70% move leaves room for consolidation. The 1.35-1.40 area is therefore important for judging whether the pullback is a normal retracement or the start of a deeper correction.

What does XRP technical analysis show?

The technical picture has improved after moving above the long-term resistance near $1.35. That level has now become a key area for bulls to defend.

Earlier in August, $1.06 was also highlighted as an important resistance level, with on-chain data indicating nearly 3 billion coins had been transacted around that price.

A monthly close above $1.06 was viewed as a potential path toward $1.35 and then $1.64. With the price now trading well above that zone, the focus has shifted to whether $1.35 can hold as support.

Short-term indicators are stretched after the rapid rally. This raises the chance of sideways trading or another pullback before the next sustained move.

A monthly Tom DeMark Sequential buy signal cited in the supplied data also points to a possible longer-term momentum shift. Historical signals are not guarantees, and the earlier rallies following such signals do not establish a future price target.

On-chain data in the supplied material also says large holders accumulated more than 380 million coins over one week. Such activity can support a bullish case, but accumulation data should be read alongside exchange flows and actual spot buying.

What about Wintermute's XRP short position?

On-chain tracking cited in the supplied data shows Wintermute increased its Hyperliquid short exposure from about $146.19 million to $190.77 million, an increase of roughly $44.58 million.

Its listed top short positions were about $53.02 million in ETH, $30.66 million in BTC, $22.62 million in SOL, $11.43 million in HYPE, and $10.19 million in XRP. The reported unrealized PnL was about -$5.85 million.

These figures relate to positions visible on Hyperliquid. They do not reveal Wintermute's complete CEX perpetual book.

How much could Wintermute's CEX perp positions be worth?

There is no reliable public figure for Wintermute's total CEX perpetual positions from the data provided.

The $190.77 million figure is the tracked Hyperliquid short exposure, not a valuation of all exchange-based perpetual contracts. CEX positions can sit across multiple venues and may be hedged against spot or options.

Wallet transfers to exchanges also do not prove that every transferred token was used to open a short. They can be used for market making, collateral, settlement, or other trading strategies.

Did Ripple Prime raise $275 million?

Ripple Prime, Ripple's non-bank prime brokerage business, closed an upsized $275 million private placement of senior unsecured notes on August 18, 2026.

Ripple said the proceeds will support its expanding U.S. business, including clearing, prime brokerage, and financing services. citeturn0search35turn0news8

KBRA assigned the notes an investment-grade BBB rating, matching the issuer rating previously given to Ripple Prime. The deal is a corporate financing transaction and should not be confused with a bank license or the launch of a "Ripple Bank." citeturn0search35

For Ripple, the development may still matter at the narrative level. More capital for Ripple Prime's institutional infrastructure could strengthen Ripple's broader financial-services footprint, but the bond sale does not directly create XRP demand.

XRP price prediction: What happens next?

The near-term setup is balanced between a healthy pullback and a possible deeper correction.

If the price holds 1.35-1.40, buyers could try to rebuild momentum toward $1.70. A breakout would need clear spot-volume confirmation to reduce the risk of another rejection.

If the altcoin loses $1.35 on strong selling, the bullish structure would become less convincing. In that case, traders may focus on whether the market can form a new base before attempting another recovery.

For now, 1.35-1.40 support and $1.70 resistance are the two levels that matter most. Bitcoin's next move and the September regulatory calendar could decide which side breaks first.

Financial disclaimer

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not investment, financial, trading, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile, and losses can exceed expectations, especially when leverage is used. Readers should conduct their own research and consider their financial situation and risk tolerance before making any investment decision.