In 2025, XRP emerged as the best-performing token among the top ten largest cryptocurrencies, outpacing gains from Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). As the first week of 2026 unfolds, XRP has continued this upward trend, recording a 17% surge over the past week that has propelled its price back above the key $2.20 threshold.
Strong ETF Demand Pushes XRP Forward
One of the prominent factors contributing to this surge is the strong performance of XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which became a standout in the market by attracting $483 million over the past weeks. In contrast, Bitcoin ETFs experienced a significant outflow of $1.09 billion, while Ethereum products faced a loss of $564 million.
XRP funds not only achieved $483 million in inflows during December but also maintained a steady influx for 30 consecutive trading days. This streak finally ended on December 26 with the first day of zero inflows.
Overall, since their launch in November, total inflows into XRP exchange-traded funds have amassed to $1.3 billion, marking the fastest adoption rate for any altcoin ETF to date.
Looking ahead, reports suggest that the ETF landscape could be pivotal in shaping bullish scenarios for XRP. A potential filing by BlackRock for an XRP ETF could serve as a significant credibility boost, attracting conservative institutional investors to the space.
BlackRock’s own $40 billion Bitcoin ETF exemplifies the capacity to mobilize capital effectively through its Aladdin platform connections. Additionally, the scaling of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin into banking and remittance services could generate ongoing demand for XRP as a critical bridge asset.
There are also signs that the Federal Reserve could implement several rate cuts in 2026, which would lower the opportunity cost of investing in risk assets.
Under such conditions, it is alleged that the XRP price might break through its all-time high of $3.84, potentially escalating toward the $4.00 to $5.00 range by year-end.
On The Cusp Of Major Gains?
When it comes to price action, market analyst Dark Defender, active on the social media platform X (previously Twitter), recently highlighted XRP’s price action by providing a three-month time frame update.
The analyst noted that a newly initiated green candle in January exhibits a bullish Relative Strength Index (RSI). According to Dark Defender, surpassing the $2.22 level is crucial for XRP.
He further suggested that XRP could be on the brink of a significant surge, similar to silver, and pointed to ambitious targets such as $6 and even as high as $20 in the future.
Achieving $6 would represent a notable 171% increase from current trading prices, while reaching the $20 mark would indicate a staggering 800% rise.
While trading at $2.21 at the time of writing, the token is still facing $2.22 as the next major short-term resistance level, and is also trading at 40% below its all-time high.
Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com