XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) could be poised for a major move as Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse predicts it will become the institutional gold standard for crypto payments within five years, despite near-term volatility.
Is XRP Preparing for Another 71% Rally?
Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez noted that XRP’s Bollinger Bands on the four-hour chart have narrowed to their tightest levels since August, signaling an imminent volatility expansion.
The last time the indicator showed similar compression, XRP surged 71% in just three days.
Martinez cautioned that the squeeze does not indicate the direction of the next move.
He identified a four-hour close above $1.27 as bullish, while a close below $1.23 would signal bearish momentum.
Until either level breaks, Martinez considers the $1.23-$1.27 range a no-trade zone.
A Liquidation Cascade Below $1.24
Crypto analyst Cryptoinsightuk warned that XRP could face a wave of long liquidations as leveraged positions increase despite stagnant prices.
Open interest has risen 6.7% in both dollar and XRP terms, while the token’s price declined 0.15%.
With funding rates remaining positive, the analyst suggested that much of the new positioning likely comes from leveraged longs.
This nearly 7% divergence between price and open interest raises the risk of a long squeeze.
A drop below $1.24 could trigger cascading liquidations, potentially accelerating downside pressure before any sustained recovery.
Ripple’s Institutional Push Fuels Long-Term Growth
Speaking at Ripple’s Swell event, Garlinghouse highlighted growing opportunities across payments, corporate treasury and prime brokerage.
Ripple processed more than $16 trillion in transaction activity in 2025, although 99.9% remained on TradFi infrastructure.
Garlinghouse aims to shift 1%-3% of transaction activity on chain next year, potentially creating significant opportunities for blockchain adoption.
He also emphasized that Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin complements XRP rather than replacing it.
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