XRP price prediction as Standard Chartered slashes 2026 target by 65% to $2.80

XRP price shows mild signs of recovery even as Standard Chartered slashes its 2026 price target to $2.80, reshaping short-term expectations.

Summary

• Standard Chartered lowered its 2026 XRP price prediction from $8 to $2.80, citing macro and liquidity headwinds.
• XRP bounced from $1.23 but remains below its 20-day moving average with RSI near 42.
• A move above $1.75 improves recovery odds, while a break under $1.23 risks a drop toward $1.00.

XRP was trading around $1.48 at press time, up 1.5% in the last 24 hours. Earlier this month, the token briefly dipped toward $1.16 during the broader crypto selloff before staging a modest recovery.

In recent sessions, it has slightly outperformed Bitcoin and Ethereum, yet the bigger picture is still bleak. XRP (XRP) is still down roughly 30% over the past month and about 45% over the last year.

The rebound comes as sentiment across the sector remains fragile. Nearly $2 trillion in crypto market value has evaporated since the October crash, and liquidity conditions are still tight amid extreme fear levels.

Standard Chartered slashes 2026 XRP target

On Feb. 16, Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered, cut the bank’s end-2026 XRP target by 65%, reducing it from $8 to $2.80.

The revision reflects what Kendrick described as a “capitulation-prone” environment.

According to the bank, institutional outflows have persisted, exchange-traded fund inflows have cooled despite roughly $1.37 billion in cumulative allocations since late 2025, and high interest rates alongside geopolitical uncertainty continue to suppress risk appetite.

The bank warned of “further declines near-term” across digital assets before any recovery later in 2026. The bank kept its 2030 target at $28, suggesting that prices could fall further in the short term before a longer‑term recovery takes hold.

XRP price prediction. How high can XRP go?

XRP is still in a medium-term downward trend. The daily chart clearly shows a pattern of lower highs and lower lows. The price is currently trading at about $1.47, which is slightly below the $1.49 20-day moving average. Meanwhile, the lower Bollinger Band is around $1.23, and the upper band is close to $1.76.

The recent rebound originated at the $1.23 level, where the lower Bollinger Band coincided with a sharp wick rejection. Although this provides some temporary respite, it does not yet indicate a definitive reversal. The 20-day moving average’s continued downward slope suggests that the bearish pressure has not completely subsided.

Momentum appears to be stabilizing, though it has not turned bullish. The relative strength index bounced from near-oversold levels around 30 and sits near 42. Remaining below 50, it suggests that sellers still hold a modest advantage. A clear move above 50 would strengthen the case for a mid-term recovery.

Key support can be found at $1.23, with additional psychological backing near $1.20. A loss of that region exposes $1.00–$1.05, and potentially $0.90 if broader market weakness resumes.

On the upside, $1.50 is the first hurdle, aligning with the 20-day moving average. A clean break could open a move toward $1.75–$1.80, followed by $2.00–$2.20, where prior consolidation created structural resistance.

The major supply zone between $2.40 and $2.60 is a level that would invalidate the current downtrend if reclaimed. If $1.30–$1.23 holds, a relief rally toward $1.75–$2.00 looks likely in the near future. However, XRP would probably return to the $1.00 range if it broke below $1.23. 

In the long run, targets at $3.00 and even $3.40 become technically feasible if XRP recovers $1.75, breaks $2.20, and reaches higher highs above $2.60. Until then, rallies are likely to be treated as corrective within a broader downtrend.