- Analysts expect XRP to trade mostly sideways into the new year absent stronger bullish catalysts.
- Jake Kennis of Nansen says a more constructive period for risk assets may arrive in late 2026, but near-term tilt is slightly bearish for altcoins.
- Jesus Perez of Posidonia21 Capital Partners anticipates XRP holding near current levels rather than starting a strong new trend.
- U.S. spot XRP ETFs recently surpassed $1 billion in assets; Sui Chung attributes inflows to familiarity with the asset.
XRP is expected to trade sideways into the new year as analysts wait for clearer bullish catalysts. Industry researchers and executives cited factors such as potential spot ETF approvals, deeper integration with global payment rails, and efforts to position XRP as a liquidity or bridge asset. Price data shows XRP trading at $1.84, down 14.63% since Jan. 1, according to CoinMarketCap.
Jake Kennis, senior research analyst at Nansen, said short-term conditions favor a cautious view on altcoins until Bitcoin consolidates or forms a bottom. “We maintain a view that the latter half of 2026 will provide more constructive conditions for risk assets in general, but in the short term, we have a slightly bearish tilt on altcoins until BTC consolidates or forms a bottom,” he said. Kennis listed potential catalysts including spot ETF approvals, stronger ties to payment systems, and “increased efforts to make XRP a liquidity or bridge asset.”
Jesus Perez, CEO of Posidonia21 Capital Partners, expects range-bound action for XRP into the new year. “We see XRP holding around current levels in a constructive market scenario, rather than initiating a strong new trend,” he said. He added that “XRP’s upside will likely depend more on narrative persistence and market sentiment than on fundamental transformation.” He also noted staking discussions but said the absence of a clear yield mechanism limits XRP versus some competitors.
U.S.-listed spot XRP ETFs recently topped $1 billion in combined assets, a milestone that Sui Chung, CEO of CF Benchmarks, attributed to familiarity with the asset. Niels highlighted the fund inflows publicly.
Definitions: A spot ETF is an exchange-traded fund that holds the underlying asset directly. Altcoins are cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. A liquidity or bridge asset is used to facilitate transfers between different currencies or ledgers.
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