XRP Price: SEC Drops Appeal in Ripple Case as Token Jumps 7%
by Maisie Morrison · BlockonomiTLDR
- XRP price jumped about 7-8% following the SEC dropping its appeal against Ripple
- Large XRP holders (whales) have added 2.82 billion coins (6.5% increase) to their holdings in recent months
- Network activity increased dramatically in March, with active addresses six times higher than January-February levels
- Technical analysis suggests a potential 75% rally to around $4.35 if the symmetrical triangle pattern plays out
- Despite the legal victory, Ripple still faces an injunction limiting XRP sales to institutional investors
XRP (XRP) has seen its price increase by approximately 7-8% in the past week, reaching around $2.51. This rise follows several key developments in both the legal and on-chain fronts that have revitalized interest in the cryptocurrency.
The most important catalyst came when Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has dropped its appeal against Ripple. This effectively ends the four-year legal battle that has hung over the cryptocurrency.
The news sparked an immediate price surge. XRP jumped from $2.3 to $2.6 within an hour of the announcement, though it has since settled back to around $2.4.
On-chain data suggests some investors may have anticipated this outcome. According to analytics firm Santiment, wallets holding at least one million XRP tokens (worth about $2.5 million) have increased their holdings by 6.5% in the two months leading up to the announcement.
These large holders, often called “whales,” have added 2.82 billion XRP to their wallets during this period. They now collectively own more than 46.4 billion XRP tokens, showing continued confidence despite previous market downturns.
Network activity has also seen a major uptick. Active addresses on the XRP blockchain in March have been approximately six times higher than levels seen in January and February.
This increased activity points to growing interest from retail users. More people are making transactions on the network, which typically indicates heightened engagement with the cryptocurrency.
Technical Analysis
The technical picture for XRP also appears promising. The cryptocurrency is forming what analysts identify as a symmetrical triangle pattern on price charts, which is often considered a bullish signal.
If XRP breaks above the upper trendline of this pattern, technical analysis suggests it could target a price of $4.35 by June. This would represent a 75% increase from current levels.
However, crypto lawyer John Deaton points out that Ripple still faces hurdles. An injunction issued by Judge Analisa Torres restricts the company from selling XRP directly to institutional investors like banks and financial institutions.
This limitation could affect Ripple’s business model, which has focused on promoting XRP adoption among financial institutions for cross-border payments.
In a positive development for US traders, crypto exchange Bitnomial has voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit against the SEC. The exchange plans to launch the first CFTC-regulated XRP futures in the United States.
Futures contracts will allow traders to speculate on XRP’s price without directly holding the asset. This typically increases market activity and improves liquidity.
The current rally comes months after XRP experienced a major price surge following Donald Trump’s election victory. That increase was driven by expectations of a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment in the US.
While XRP is up over the past week, it has yet to recapture its all-time high price. Some analysts wonder if the current situation could lead to a “sell-the-news” scenario, where prices drop after positive events are fully priced in.
The direction XRP takes in the coming weeks will likely depend on broader market conditions as well as how Ripple navigates its remaining legal constraints.
For now, active addresses remain high and whale accumulation continues, suggesting that market participants maintain a positive outlook on XRP’s future prospects.