XRP Price Holds Near $1.44 as Whale Activity Weakens

Key Insights:

• XRP price remains range-bound near $1.44 after failing to hold above $1.60, reflecting balanced market conditions without a clear directional trend.

• Smaller XRP wallets reached record levels while large-holder addresses declined, showing network growth driven by retail participation rather than whale accumulation.

• Trading volume, open interest, and key indicators softened, signaling reduced market activity and weakening momentum despite stable price consolidation across recent sessions.

The XRP price remained under pressure this week after failing to sustain a move above $1.60, which pushed it back below $1.50. The token traded near $1.44 at the time of reporting, showing limited movement within a defined range. Besides, daily volume stood near $1.61 billion, reflecting a slight decline over the past day.

Price action stayed within a consolidation band following the earlier rejection at monthly highs. XRP briefly climbed above $1.60 midweek before sellers regained control and reversed the move. Consequently, the token now trades near the midpoint of its range, indicating a balance between buyers and sellers.

Smaller Wallets Drive Network Growth

On-chain data showed steady growth in smaller XRP wallets despite weaker price momentum. Addresses holding less than 100 XRP reached a record 5.66 million, while mid-sized wallets also increased. Moreover, wallets holding between 100 and 100,000 XRP climbed to over 2 million, highlighting broad network participation.

Large XRP holders showed reduced presence during the same period, signaling a shift in market structure. Wallets with more than 100,000 XRP dropped to just over 32,000, marking a steady decline. Hence, growth in smaller wallets has not translated into strong price momentum due to reduced whale involvement.

Trading Metrics Reflect Softer Demand

Market data indicated a cooling trend across key trading indicators for XRP. Volume declined by over 26% to around $2.81 billion, while open interest slipped to approximately $2.50 billion. Additionally, options volume dropped sharply, although options open interest recorded a slight increase.

Source: TradingView

Open interest has fallen significantly since early January, when it stood near peak levels above $4.6 billion. The current level reflects a notable reduction in leveraged positions across the market. However, open interest has remained relatively stable since mid-February, suggesting some stabilization in trader positioning.

Indicators Show Neutral Momentum

Technical indicators pointed to a market lacking a strong directional bias during the latest sessions. The relative strength index held near 50, placing XRP in neutral territory without overbought or oversold signals. Significantly, the MACD remained slightly positive, although the fading histogram suggested weakening upward momentum.