XRP edged lower during a volatile session, but the decline came alongside sharply elevated volume — a signal that large players were active even as price struggled to hold key technical levels.
News background
- Crypto markets swung sharply Thursday following a softer-than-expected U.S. CPI print, which briefly lifted bitcoin above $89,000 during U.S. hours.
- That move faded quickly, however, with crypto once again lagging equities, which remained firmly positive on the day.
- The rapid reversal reinforced a pattern that has become familiar in recent weeks: macro-driven rallies in crypto struggling to sustain momentum as positioning thins and sellers reassert control.
- Within that backdrop, XRP remained under pressure after failing to reclaim the $2.00 area earlier this month — a level many analysts view as a structural inflection point.
Technical analysis
XRP continues to trade below its major moving averages, with the loss of the $1.93–$2.00 zone keeping the broader structure tilted to the downside. Former support near $1.93 has now flipped into resistance, aligning with key Fibonacci retracement levels and capping rebound attempts.
While daily momentum indicators show early signs of stabilization — including a developing bullish RSI divergence flagged by several technicians — price has yet to confirm that signal. Until XRP can regain traction above short-term resistance, rallies remain vulnerable to renewed selling.
Price action summary
XRP fell 1.2% to $1.84 over the session, trading across a wide $0.10 range, or roughly 5.4%. Price initially recovered from support near $1.84 before surging to $1.93 on strong volume, only to reverse sharply as sell orders emerged at resistance.
Trading volume jumped as much as 147% above the 24-hour average during the afternoon selloff, peaking near 155 million tokens as XRP slid back toward session lows. The heaviest activity clustered near the highs and during the subsequent breakdown, suggesting distribution rather than panic-driven liquidation.
Late-session trading saw XRP stabilize just above $1.84, but bids remained thin, and follow-through buying was limited as the token closed beneath all major short- and medium-term trend markers.
What traders should know
- Support: $1.84 is the immediate level to watch, with deeper support near $1.73 and macro support around $1.64
- Resistance: $1.93 remains the first major ceiling, followed by $1.98 and the $2.00 psychological zone
- Volume signal: Elevated activity without upside continuation points to positioning and distribution
- Bias: Cautious while below $1.93; technical relief rallies need confirmation
Until XRP can reclaim former support with sustained acceptance, price action suggests consolidation or further downside remains more likely than a clean reversal — even as momentum indicators hint that selling pressure may be slowing.
Source: https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/12/19/xrp-slumps-as-bitcoin-once-again-falls-back-to-usd85-000-level-after-surge
