Morning Crypto Report: Ripple Legend Co-Signs Binance Twist, ‘Digital Silver’ Litecoin Raises Halving Alarm, XRP Price Enters ‘Crocodile’ Zone

Crypto is trading sideways on Thursday as everyone awaits the final U.S. GDP report for Q3, 2025. Bitcoin is sitting at around $89,900, making a small comeback after losing about $625 million in liquidation on Tuesday. Ethereum is in the lead among the majors, rising above $3,010, while XRP holds strong at $1.96.

Sentiment is stable but watchful. The GDP report at 8:30 a.m. ET could cause some market volatility. Most experts expect 4.3% growth, but the inflation numbers in the report might influence the Fed’s next moves.

In this report: Litecoin is gearing up for a halving countdown, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is finally landing on Binance — David Schwartz himself has confirmed it — and XRP is trading into a “Crocodile Zone” trap between heavy supply clusters.

TL;DR

• Litecoin’s halving roadmap is setting the stage for what’s coming in 2027.
• Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin is now available on Binance, and David Schwartz has given it the green light.
• XRP is facing resistance at $2, stuck in a tight URPD range with a not-so-strong breakout structure.

“Digital silver” Litecoin reveals halving countdown

Today, Litecoin’s official X account reminded everyone that its next halving is scheduled for 2027, when block rewards will drop to 3.125 LTC. 

Most coins inflate. Litecoin does not. This, coupled with its fixed supply and diminishing issuance, reawakens the asset’s multi-cycle legacy.

There are three familiar patterns after each halving:

• 2015: The halving price was $3.25. There was an 820% rally beforehand and a +14,000% increase over two years.
• 2019: The halving price was around $100. There was a 550% rally before the event, a 33% drop after the halving and a full-cycle rebound.
• 2023: The halving price was $90. There was a mild run to $114, a 37% drawdown and a muted bounce.

Each time, LTC rallied before the cut, sold off afterward and then surged in the long run. However, gains have become smaller with each cycle, which suggests reduced reflexivity — or fading narrative power. Still, the coded scarcity and predictable cadence offer an advantage over the more chaotic emissions of other coins.

With LTC under $100 today, some long-term investors may be entering the market. It is early, but Litecoin’s halving script is already in motion.

Ex-Ripple CTO co-signs major Binance news

Ripple’s RLUSD has just broken through its final liquidity wall: Binance.

As of today, the stablecoin is tradable on the platform across three spot pairs — RLUSD/USDT, RLUSD/FDUSD, and XRP/RLUSD — and deposits are live. Withdrawals will open on Jan. 23. Zero-fee trading sweetens the rollout.

More important is who reposted the news: David Schwartz, Ripple’s former CTO and the chief architect behind much of its infrastructure, shared the listing on X with no commentary — just a signal. In the XRP community, that counts.

Launched in December 2023, RLUSD now has a market cap of $1.3 billion and is traded on 16 platforms, including Gemini, Kraken, Bullish and Bitstamp. Binance completes the volume puzzle. Coinbase is the only major exchange yet to add RLUSD, making it the new outlier.

The timing matters. RLUSD is built to integrate directly with Ripple’s cross-border systems, providing liquidity alongside XRP. With access to Binance’s order books, RLUSD can compete with USDT and USDC for infrastructure use.

If trading volume increases, RLUSD may gain ground in the stablecoin wars and provide XRP with more liquid ramps in the process.

Three levels to watch for XRP price right now

Looking at XRP’s realized price histogram, it seems like the battlefield is really compressed. URPD data, via Glassnode and visualized by Ali Martinez, shows thick supply bands stacked at the current price — basically caging it inside a tight chop zone.

Here’s the deal:

• $2.11: That is the upper ceiling with the historic bagholder volume. Any push above that level needs to clear the pressure.
• $2-$1.97: There is a concentrated resistance zone here. There is a lot of trapped liquidity from previous cycles.
• $1.89: This is the active trading zone. It is basically the current price region with light activity.
• $1.78: Bulk supply cluster below. Key defense zone.
• $1.42: Legacy support in a deeper flush scenario.

XRP is trading at $1.96, up +3% today, just under the $2 threshold. It is moving inside what’s being called the “Crocodile Zone,” which is a range where prices are swinging back and forth between strong resistance ($1.97-$2.11) and solid support ($1.78), like it has got its jaws open, but it is not really moving in any direction.

The term is not from any official indicator; it is just market slang. But it fits. Price action is slow but controlled. It is a trap for both bulls and bears.

The RLUSD listing might create some breakout pressure. XRP is now paired directly with the Ripple stablecoin on Binance, giving traders a new way to enter and exit the market. But macro is still a bit of a wild card. If we get a hotter GDP read today, it could really hurt risk appetite and send XRP back down to test $1.78.

Until then, the “crocodile zone” waits.

Crypto market outlook

Crypto is on standby ahead of the GDP release. The market expects 4.3% growth, but even a small upside revision — or stickier PCE inflation — could shake things up and force the Fed’s hand. 

Bitcoin must close decisively above $90,000 to confirm continuation. XRP is boxed below $2 and needs volume follow-through from the RLUSD-Binance news to push through. If not, the path back to $1.78 remains open. 

Litecoin is back on the radar. Halving in 2027 sounds distant, but its fractal timing makes Q4, 2026, a likely prerally phase. If this cycle holds, entry before that period could offer high asymmetric risk-reward.

Key levels to watch

• XRP: Resistance at $1.97-$2.11, and support at $1.78.
• Bitcoin (BTC): $88,000 remains a key downside, $90,000-$92,000 breakout range.
• Ethereum (ETH): Eyes $3,050-$3,200 retest.
• Litecoin (LTC): Accumulation zone $92-$105 ahead of 2027 halving wave.