XRP Realized Losses Spike To New 3-Year High — What Happened Last Time?

The price of XRP has been relatively calm throughout February, especially following an early-month descent to just above $1.1. Hovering around $1.4, the second-largest altcoin has struggled to continue its recovery to around the $2 mark.

However, it appears the altcoin’s struggles might not last for long, especially if history repeats itself over the next few months. According to the latest on-chain data, XRP has surpassed a threshold that has coincided with a period of extended rally in the past.

XRP Price Surged 114% After Last Realized Loss Spike

In a February 21st post on the social media platform X, Santiment shared that XRP investors are realizing their losses at a rate not seen in nearly four years. The blockchain firm revealed that the volume of realized losses climbed to approximately 908 million in the past week.

As Santiment explained in its post, these significant realized losses occur when a large number of investors sell their coins at a price lower than what they originally paid. Typically, this period coincides with the peak of market fear, where investors panic-sell their holdings for a loss instead of holding on and hoping for a rebound.

However, a spike in realized losses can be a relevant positive signal, as it has been for the price of XRP in the past. This trend implies that a significant percentage of the weak hands have left the market, with much of the damage already done.

From a historical perspective, a surge in realized losses has often preceded market bottoms. When the previous weekly milestone of 1.93 billion in realized losses occurred in 2022, the altcoin’s value witnessed an over 114% surge in the following eight months.

Santiment wrote in the X post: 

Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that Ripple’s partial victory in its case against the United States Securities and Exchange Commission played a role in XRP’s 2023 surge. As shown in the chart below, the altcoin’s price appears to be seeing some bullish momentum since the notable realized loss spike. 

XRP Price At A Glance

As of this writing, the price of XRP stands at around $1.44, reflecting a 1% jump in the past 24 hours. An over 100% upswing from the current price point would see the altcoin return to around $3.