Ripple CEO Announces Major Wins As Token Trades Below Key EMAs

• XRP trades at $2.09 after Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced a successful Q4, including two major acquisitions and a new UK EMI license.
  
• Open interest remains flat at $6.04B, while options volume surges 36%—signaling traders anticipate volatility despite stagnant positioning.
  
• The price trades below the 50-, 100-, and 200-day EMAs, with resistance at $2.07–$2.33 blocking any upward momentum.
  

XRP price today trades near $2.09 as Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced the company’s most successful quarter, highlighting acquisitions of Ripple Prime and GTreasury alongside a new UK Electronic Money Institution license. The fundamental developments contrast sharply with technical structure that shows XRP trapped below a multi-month resistance cluster.

Ripple Expands Licensing And Infrastructure

Garlinghouse’s statement emphasized that 2025 marked a pivotal year for Ripple’s institutional footprint. The acquisitions of Ripple Prime and GTreasury directly expand the company’s ability to deliver on its “Internet of Value” vision, with XRP positioned as the core settlement layer.

The UK EMI license adds another regulatory approval to Ripple’s growing portfolio, positioning the company to scale operations across Europe. Garlinghouse stated the firm is “firing on all cylinders” heading into 2026, taking a long-term approach rather than chasing market cycles.

The timing of the announcement comes as XRP consolidates after a prolonged decline from July highs above $3.60. Traders are now weighing whether fundamental momentum can overcome the technical resistance that has capped price for months.

Options Activity Surges As Open Interest Stays Flat

Derivatives data shows conflicting signals. Open interest dropped just 0.13 percent to $6.04 billion, reflecting stable positioning with minimal new leverage entering the market. However, options volume jumped 36.34 percent to $4.26 million, and options open interest climbed 3.60 percent to $62.49 million.

The surge in options activity typically precedes volatility. Traders are positioning for a directional move but have not yet committed capital to futures. This creates a setup where a breakout or breakdown could trigger sharp follow-through as positions adjust.

Long/short ratios show heavy bullish bias. Binance account data reflects a 3.07 ratio favoring longs, while top traders on the platform show 3.22. OKX accounts sit at 1.95. The 24-hour aggregate long/short ratio is nearly balanced at 0.99, but account-level positioning reveals retail and professional traders are leaning long.

Volume declined 34.53 percent to $4.87 billion, signaling reduced conviction despite the positioning skew. When volume drops while longs dominate, it often sets up squeeze risk if price fails to move higher.

Technical Structure Shows Resistance Cluster Overhead

XRP price today sits inside a descending channel that has guided the decline since July. The token trades just above the 20-day EMA at $2.04 but remains below the 50-day EMA at $2.07, 100-day EMA at $2.21, and 200-day EMA at $2.33.

This EMA cluster creates a technical ceiling. Buyers have failed to reclaim the 50-day EMA on multiple attempts since November, and each rejection has led to another leg lower. The current bounce is testing the underside of this zone again.

Support sits at the Supertrend level of $1.95, which has held as a floor during the recent consolidation. A break below this level would expose the $1.80-$1.70 demand zone, where the broader accumulation range begins.

The hourly chart shows XRP attempting to break above the descending channel resistance near $2.10. The RSI reads 46.63, neutral but below the midpoint. The MACD remains in a bearish cross, signaling that momentum has not yet shifted.

Outlook: Will XRP Go Up?

The setup hinges on whether fundamental catalysts from Ripple can override the technical resistance structure. If XRP closes above $2.17 with volume, it flips the 50-day EMA and opens a path toward $2.33 and the 200-day EMA. A breakout above $2.40 would invalidate the descending channel and confirm a trend reversal.

Failure to hold $1.95 turns the consolidation into a continuation pattern. A daily close below Supertrend support targets $1.80, with deeper downside toward $1.70 if selling accelerates.

Reclaiming $2.17 shifts momentum. Losing $1.95 confirms the downtrend continues.