XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) dropped to $1.85 on December 29, 2025, breaking the key support at $1.88 with volume spiking 77% above normal. Exchange inflows hit 116 million XRP per day—the highest in months—and technical indicators flashed red, prompting analysts to call the $1.77 support the “last line of defense” before a cascade to $1.50.
The breakdown looked obvious, and short sellers positioned for $1.50 as retail traders who held through December finally sold at $1.77-$1.85 “before it got worse.” The chart setup and market sentiment all pointed down but the bears got the breakdown predictions all wrong as none of that happened.
Instead, the $1.77 support held, XRP ETF demand accelerated, and exchange inflows reversed—igniting XRP’s rapid resurgence above $2. XRP broke through the $2.12 resistance on 47.6% above-average volume, invalidating the bearish thesis and surging to $2.38. XRP now trades around $2.35—up 30% since January 1.
The Bears Expected the $1.77 Support to Fail—But Didn’t
December’s late-month price action had the bears gearing for a breakdown. XRP slid from $1.89 to $1.85 on December 29, breaking the $1.88 support. Volume spiked 77% above the 24-hour average, confirming genuine selling pressure. Technical indicators also flashed red—the MACD turned negative, RSI neared 36, and moving averages stacked bearishly.
The next logical target was $1.77-$1.80. If that failed, the path to $1.50 would open quickly. Exchange data reinforced the bearish case—daily deposits ranged between 35 million and 116 million XRP from mid to late December, peaking as price stalled near $1.88-$2.00. The pattern pointed to holders positioning to sell.
Yet when XRP hit $1.77 on December 30, the selling stopped as buyers showed up with conviction. This was the critical reason the breakdown failed—the XRP price bounced, consolidated, and then held, reversing its course rather than dropping further.
What saved the level was institutional demand through XRP ETFs inflows. These products pulled in $483 million during December, maintaining positive inflows for 43 consecutive trading days. Roughly $20-$30 million per day flowed into custody, absorbing supply that would otherwise hit exchanges.
Bitcoin held above $85,000 throughout the critical December 28-January 2 window, keeping broader crypto markets stable. If Bitcoin had broken below $85,000, XRP would likely have followed to $1.50 or lower.
Exchange Flow Reversal: From 116M Daily Surge to Multi-Year Lows
The exchange inflow surge in late December was real—and legitimately concerning. Daily deposits hit 116 million XRP, far above the 20-30 million baseline. The volume signalled distribution: holders moving tokens to exchanges to sell. Combined with the XRP price breaking the $1.87 support, it painted a picture of accelerating selling pressure, and the bears had the data on their side.
But early January told a different story. Exchange inflows normalized rapidly. The 116 million daily surge didn’t persist—showing it was a December-specific event tied to year-end profit-taking and tax-loss harvesting. By January 2-3, daily deposits had fallen back toward 30-40 million, and the selling wave exhausted faster than bears expected.
Even more striking is that the total XRP held on exchanges dropped to 1.6 billion tokens by early January, marking the lowest level since 2018—a 57% decline from October’s 3.95 billion peak. Despite the December inflow spike, the broader trend remained firmly downward.
When exchange inflows reversed in early January, the setup flipped from bearish to bullish. Fewer tokens on exchanges means thinner order books, and when buyers return, price moves faster. The January 5 breakout above $2.12 came on relatively modest volume—47.6% above average—yet price surged 11% in 24 hours. That’s what happens when available supply shrinks and demand picks up.
XRP Price Prediction: Can the January Rally Propel XRP to New Highs?
XRP now trades at $2.38, up 30% from the January 1 low. As the bearish breakdown to $1.50 never materialized, the question now is whether this rally can push the XRP price above $3.
Bull Case: Rally Extends Toward $3.00-$3.50
The XRP price broke the $2.12 resistance cleanly on January 5 with volume running 47.6% above average. That level now acts as a key support, and the next major resistance sits at $2.50-$2.60. A break above $2.60 opens a clear path to $3.00, with the XRP price then targeting the July 2025 high of $3.65.
Base Case: Consolidation at $2.30-$2.70 Through Q1
The most likely scenario sees the XRP price consolidating between $2.30 and $2.70 through Q1 2026 as the market digests the 30% rally. Most likely, ETF inflows maintain moderate levels around $250-400 million monthly—enough to prevent breakdown but insufficient to trigger immediate breakout above $2.50.
Bear Case: Rally Stalls at $2.50
XRP rallied 30% in one week, and the early buyers who accumulated at $1.77-$1.85 are sitting on quick gains. If they sell into strength, the XRP price could pull back to the $2 support. The $2.50-$3.00 range has historically been a supply zone where sellers emerge, and if they take control, XRP could nosedive again.
The Failed Breakdown Became Launchpad—But What Happens Next?
The bearish breakdown prediction failed as the XRP price held the $1.77 support—despite 116 million daily exchange inflows, a decisive break of $1.87 support, and widespread bearish technical indicators. Buyers defended the key $1.77 level, exchange flows reversed, Bitcoin stabilized, and ETF demand accelerated into January rather than fading.
Moving ahead, investors need to watch two key levels: the $2.50 resistance (next major test) and the $2.12 support (must hold to confirm rally structure). If the XRP price breaks $2.50 with strong volume, $3.00-$3.50 becomes the target. But if it fails and loses $2.12, the rally was a bear market bounce and $1.90-$2.00 comes back into play.
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