What To Expect From XRP In 2026?

XRP price has remained under pressure over the past several weeks, with multiple recovery attempts failing to gain traction. As 2025 comes to an end, the altcoin continues to succumb to bearish momentum after recording a mildly negative year overall. 

Weak spot demand and cautious retail participation have weighed on price action. However, institutional interest has emerged as XRP’s primary stabilizing force, preventing deeper drawdowns despite persistent selling.

XRP Is Institutions’ Favorite

Institutional investors have been XRP’s most consistent supporters throughout 2025. According to CoinShares data, XRP recorded $70 million in inflows during the week ending December 27. This pushed month-to-date inflows to $424 million, highlighting steady capital allocation even during periods of declining prices.

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Notably, XRP outperformed larger digital assets during the same period. Bitcoin recorded $25 million in outflows, while Ethereum saw significantly higher outflows totaling $241 million. 

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On a yearly basis, XRP attracted $3.3 billion in inflows, highlighting sustained institutional confidence despite ongoing volatility and legal uncertainties surrounding the broader crypto market.

XRP ETFs Show Strength

Institutional support has extended beyond traditional exchange-traded products following the launch of XRP ETFs earlier this year. Since their debut, XRP ETFs have not recorded a single day of net outflows. Only one trading session closed flat, without inflows, reflecting unusually strong consistency in demand.

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Speaking exclusively to BeInCrypto, Ray Youssef, CEO of crypto app NoOnes, emphasized that institutional investors are executing structured, long-term strategies.

He further stated that XRP is now observed as a high beta asset with a strong value proposition.

The XRP Holders Who Refuse To Hold

Long-term holders remain a critical cohort heading into 2026. Historically, this group has played a stabilizing role during market downturns. Over the past year, long-term holders alternated between accumulation and distribution, reflecting uncertainty around XRP’s medium-term prospects.

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By Q4 2025, selling activity dominated long-term holder behavior. This shift suggests declining confidence among investors who typically hold through volatility. If this lack of conviction persists into 2026, XRP could face heightened downside risk. Sustained distribution from long-term holders often precedes extended consolidation or deeper corrections.

XRP Price May See a Mild Start To 2026

XRP price traded near $1.87 at the time of writing after suffering a 38% decline during Q4 2025. Year-to-date performance shows the altcoin down 9.7% from its opening price. December failed to generate positive momentum, reinforcing bearish sentiment as the year closed.

Despite this, 2026 may chart an independent course. Ray Youssef noted that January, and potentially the entire first quarter, could remain largely stagnant for XRP. 

The broader objective remains recovery of recent losses. A sustained move above $3.00 would be required to reestablish bullish structure and open a path toward the $3.66 all-time high.

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Downside scenarios remain relevant if selling pressure intensifies. Continued consolidation combined with reduced demand could push XRP lower. A decisive break below the $1.79 support level would likely expose the $1.50 zone. Such a move would invalidate the bullish-neutral thesis and reinforce bearish dominance.

Seasonality adds another layer of caution. 

Historical XRP performance over the past 12 years shows that January delivers an average gain of 3%. However, the median return reflects a 7.8% decline, indicating frequent underperformance. 

Thus, unless market sentiment and investor behavior shift significantly, XRP price prediction suggests that the price may struggle during the early months of 2026 before clearer directional trends emerge.