XRP’s price action continues to narrow within a tightening triangle formation as volatility picks up across the broader crypto market. The token slipped 6% to $2.34, underperforming other major digital assets, as traders repositioned around key support and resistance levels. Despite short-lived rallies, overall participation remained subdued, reflecting cautious sentiment among institutional players.

Cautious Accumulation Defines the Session

XRP traded within a $0.20 range, fluctuating between $2.33 and $2.51 over the past 24 hours. While the asset managed to close with a modest 2.75% daily gain, its performance lagged behind the CD5 index by nearly 2.5%, underscoring weaker momentum compared to peers like Bitcoin and Solana.

Trading volume fell 6% below the seven-day average, highlighting a lack of broad conviction despite multiple intraday volatility spikes. According to CoinDesk data, XRP’s 24-hour turnover reflected only mild institutional engagement — a sign that most large players remain on the sidelines awaiting clearer technical signals.

Early in the session, XRP showed strength before encountering sharp reversals, falling from $2.51 to $2.35, before stabilizing around $2.34 into the close. This pattern suggested defensive buying near lower ranges, with traders accumulating cautiously rather than aggressively positioning for a breakout.

Resistance at $2.44 and Support at $2.33 Hold Firm

A significant intraday volume surge of 420.8 million XRP, roughly 400% above average, confirmed heavy resistance around the $2.44 level. Meanwhile, $2.33 has emerged as a near-term support base following repeated defenses during the day’s sell-offs.

The final hour of trading saw a slight 1.4% rebound to $2.353, as short-term traders adjusted positions heading into the next session. Still, the market structure shows clear compression, with XRP oscillating within a narrow band as traders anticipate a decisive breakout or breakdown.

Triangle Pattern Suggests Impending Volatility

XRP continues to trade inside a descending triangle formation, connecting a series of lower highs since its $3.15 peak earlier in the cycle. The tightening price action, coupled with declining volume, suggests an imminent volatility expansion event.

The $2.54 pivot zone is now viewed as the most critical resistance to monitor. A confirmed breakout above this level could flip short-term momentum bullish, potentially targeting the $2.80–$3.00 range. On the downside, repeated rejections and failure to hold $2.30 support could expose XRP to a deeper retracement toward $2.25–$2.02.

Momentum indicators such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) remain neutral, hovering around the midline, indicating indecision between buyers and sellers. Meanwhile, EMA ribbon compression on the four-hour chart points to an upcoming directional move, likely triggered by a surge in volume or market-wide volatility.

Institutional Flows Show Selective Participation

While XRP’s technical compression dominates short-term charts, institutional behavior continues to reflect selective engagement. Ripple Prime’s U.S. launch and renewed ETF speculation provided macro support, but neither event has yet translated into sustained inflows.

Data from CD Analytics shows long-term holders increased daily spending by 580% to $260 million, signaling ongoing profit realization rather than fresh accumulation. The overall flow dynamic implies cautious rotation, with major players reallocating capital toward Bitcoin and Solana, which have exhibited stronger relative performance.

Volume Analysis Points to Bearish Divergence

XRP’s rebounds following large selloffs have been accompanied by declining volume, forming a classic bearish divergence setup. This suggests rallies are losing strength over time, as buyers show less conviction at higher prices.

In contrast, spikes in sell volume continue to attract more participation, signaling that downside volatility remains the path of least resistance. Unless trading activity expands meaningfully on green candles, XRP may struggle to sustain rallies beyond the $2.50–$2.54 zone.

What Traders Should Watch Next

For now, traders are closely monitoring the $2.54 resistance zone as the key inflection point for directional bias. Sustained daily closes above this level could confirm a bullish breakout, opening the door for targets near $2.80–$3.00 in the coming weeks.

Conversely, a failure to maintain support above $2.30 could invite renewed selling pressure, pushing XRP toward the $2.20 range or lower.

Despite muted participation, XRP’s tightening structure presents asymmetrical risk — meaning traders can define clear stop levels while anticipating significant movement once the triangle resolves.

With options-implied volatility rising ahead of November’s expiration, market data suggests that a decisive move — in either direction — is likely imminent. Until then, XRP remains in wait-and-see mode, consolidating quietly as traders prepare for the next major move.