Yeliz Akmaca 
As the crypto markets start 2026 strong, XRP is capturing attention. The token briefly traded near $2.40, reaching the upper end of its weekly range before profit-taking pushed it lower. Some analyses suggest demand is also supported by inflows into spot XRP ETFs, attracting millions in capital and signaling growing institutional interest. Meanwhile, large transfers on the XRP Ledger have reached a three-month peak, showing that major holders are actively moving their positions.
Exchange Balances Fall While Transfers Climb
At the start of the week, XRP Ledger saw significant activity. Transfers valued at $100,000 or more rose from 2,170 on Monday to 2,802 on Tuesday, marking a three-month high. This indicates active positioning by large investors and a potential for short-term price volatility. Analysts note that declining exchange balances reflect self-custody rather than panic selling.
According to Santiment, daily whale transfers are increasing noticeably. Separate data from CryptoOnchain show Binance’s XRP reserves fell to about 2.6 billion tokens, the lowest level since January 2024. Since late 2025, balances dropped from roughly 3.25 billion Ripple, usually reflecting holders moving coins off-exchange rather than preparing to sell.
Price Action and Technical Outlook
XRP was trading around $2.13 at the time of writing. The token briefly touched $2.40 earlier in the week before general market softening pushed it lower. Still, XRP is up about 16% over the past seven days and 14% in the last two weeks. Analysts highlight support near $2.27 as critical. Technical patterns in the XRP/BTC pairing suggest a relative strength setup unseen since 2018.
What It Means
Short-term price swings are likely, but rising whale transfers and falling exchange balances indicate positioning rather than panic. These dynamics suggest XRP may be preparing for wider price movements in the days ahead.
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