Key Takeaways

• Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse suggests Bitcoin could reach $200,000 due to US crypto-friendly policies.
• Ripple is settling its SEC litigation for $50 million, facilitating their growth and acquisitions.

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said Bitcoin’s $200,000 price target is achievable as institutional interest rises and US regulators shift toward a more crypto-friendly approach.

“I think $200,00 is not unreasonable,” said Garlinghouse when asked about his Bitcoin price target during an interview with Fox Business Network’s The Claman Countdown on Friday. “I wouldn’t predict XRP. It’s too close to home.”

CoinGecko data shows Bitcoin at approximately $83,500, reflecting a 3% increase over the past day. However, the leading digital asset is still 23% lower than its peak value reached on January 20.

Garlinghouse said that he avoids short-term Bitcoin predictions and is focused on long-term macro trends. The CEO of Ripple is confident that macro tailwinds and the reversal of US regulatory hostility will continue to drive value in the crypto space.

“I think about what are the macro trends playing out for the crypto industry, for the XRP ecosystem,” said Garlinghouse. “XRP has been the best-performing major crypto in the last 90 days. We think about it as, what does that look like over the next three years? I’m very optimistic.”

Garlinghouse believes people are underestimating the impact of the US economy on the crypto market. He noted that the economic powerhouse has transitioned from “headwinds, hostility” to “tailwinds,” yet the market hasn’t fully grasped the positive impact of this regulatory shift.

“The largest asset managers in the world go from relatively frozen out or hostile to now a friendly market. This has sensible regulation that is thinking about pro-innovation here at home,” he said.

Garlinghouse agrees that crypto acts as a hedge against inflation and global currency instability, though short-term movements are volatile.

“The long-term value here is going to be very clear. It (crypto) is a hedge against inflation. It is a dynamic where the more utility we drive in the crypto markets, the more we’re going to see value accrete to that market,” he said.

ETFs as a safer, institutionalized gateway into crypto markets

This week, Teucrium launched the 2x Long Daily XRP ETF, the first-ever leveraged XRP ETF in the US. The product saw debut trading volume of $5 million, placing it in the top 5% of all new ETF launches.

On the spot ETF market, multiple applications for XRP ETFs have been filed in the US, though none have been approved yet. Garlinghouse said an XRP ETF would represent a safer, more institutional gateway into the crypto market.

He previously predicted that XRP ETFs would debut in the second half of this year. JPMorgan and Standard Chartered estimate XRP ETFs could attract $8 billion in inflows in the first year if they are approved.

Discussing Ripple’s recent $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, Garlinghouse said the firm would not have made the deal a year ago due to hostile regulatory conditions under the Biden administration.

The move comes as the company expands its workforce to approximately 1,100 employees. He said the acquisition could enable Wall Street giants to access crypto via traditional infrastructure, according to him.

“This allows even larger institutions like BlackRock, like the biggest Wall Street financial institutions, to come into this market in a way they understand with a safer prime broker to help clear transactions and a bigger balance sheet to do that. It’s good for the whole industry,” he said.

Under Trump, Ripple has seen a clear policy shift favoring crypto innovation. Garlinghouse credited David Sacks, Scott Bessent, and newly confirmed SEC chair Paul Atkins for creating a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment.

Garlinghouse noted that stablecoin legislation and market structure bills have gained momentum in Capitol Hill. He expects federal stablecoin legislation and market structure reform to pass soon, helping firms like Ripple, Circle, and Tether.

Launched under a New York trust license, Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin has exceeded $250 million in market cap and is approaching $300 million.

 

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Blockchain analytics firm Santiment has published a sobering and insightful assessment of Ethereum’s current position in the cryptocurrency market, highlighting its long-standing underperformance against Bitcoin while also offering a nuanced perspective on the road ahead.

Ethereum (ETH) has seen a staggering 77% price drop against Bitcoin (BTC) since December 2021, reflecting growing anxiety among long-term holders of the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency. While ETH’s performance in US dollar terms hasn’t been all that bad, investors who bought in November 2021, when ETH reached an all-time high of $4,760, have yet to see profitable exits.

Despite maintaining its second-place spot by market cap, 28.2% larger than Tether (USDT), Santiment acknowledged that Ethereum is increasingly viewed as a “laugh” by critics compared to its largest-capitalization peers.

Santiment has compiled a list of key narratives and issues that could explain Ethereum’s relative decline:

1. Layer-2 Competition: While Ethereum’s development of Layer-2 scaling solutions has increased transaction speeds, it has also diluted investment by diverting attention and capital away from ETH itself.
2. Investor Confusion: Ethereum’s complex series of upgrades, including Merge and other protocol changes, have left many investors uncertain, especially when compared to Bitcoin’s simple “digital gold” narrative.
3. Slow Progress and High Fees: Delays in network improvements and persistently high transaction fees have driven users to faster, cheaper alternatives.
4. Regulatory Concerns: Ethereum’s unclear regulatory classification has left some investors hesitant, especially since Bitcoin has a relatively clearer legal status.
5. Rising Competitors: Blockchains like Solana and Cardano have begun to gain traction, luring users and developers away from Ethereum by offering lower fees and greater efficiency.
6. Lack of a Clear Narrative: With Bitcoin being seen as a safe store of value and new altcoins being seen as high-risk, high-reward ventures, Ethereum’s position in between the two has become difficult to present to investors.
7. Constant Selling Pressure: The presence of staked ETH after the upgrades led to constant selling pressure, suppressing price growth.

Despite the bearish sentiment, Santiment urged the community not to underestimate Ethereum’s achievements. The network remains a hub of innovation led by founder Vitalik Buterin and a committed team of developers. Ethereum still has one of the most vibrant ecosystems in crypto, with widespread adoption across DeFi, NFTs, and enterprise blockchain applications.

*This is not investment advice.

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XRP has been hovering near the $2 mark for several days, struggling to build momentum after its sharp rally earlier this year. While the price hasn’t moved much in recent hours, the bigger picture shows clear signs of uncertainty. XRP is still among the strongest performers over the last 12 months, but recent dips and falling volume suggest traders are waiting for a clearer signal before making their next move.

RSI: Neutral

The Relative Strength Index gives us a glimpse into short-term sentiment. Right now, both the standard 14-day RSI and the shorter 7-day version suggest neither buyers nor sellers have the upper hand. RSI(14) stands at 44, slightly up from yesterday’s 42. RSI(7) rose more sharply to 47 from 43 – a small but visible attempt to bounce, although not yet convincing.

MFI: Recovering

The Money Flow Index – which combines price and volume – is painting a more optimistic picture. MFI(14) has moved from a weak 33 one week ago to 46 today. This steady climb could suggest that while price hasn’t reacted yet, capital is beginning to return. If the trend continues, it might set the stage for a stronger recovery attempt.

Fear & Greed Index: Fear

While XRP-specific sentiment is hard to quantify, the general crypto mood still leans toward caution. The crypto Fear & Greed Index currently reads 25 – close to the extreme fear zone. That’s a noticeable drop from the 39 recorded just yesterday. The mood among traders has turned more defensive again, likely tied to geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic pressure.

Moving Averages

SMA & EMA: Bearish

Short-term averages are flat, but longer-term ones are pulling away from the current price. SMA(9) and EMA(9) are both around $2, showing no immediate momentum. But the 26-day SMA sits at 2.2 and EMA at 2.14 – a gap that reinforces the idea that recent declines haven’t been reversed. As long as XRP trades under these levels, upward pressure will stay limited.

Bollinger Bands: Neutral

XRP is trading between the Bollinger Bands, which currently range from 1.77 to 2.5. The price is almost in the middle. That means there’s no breakout signal for now. Volatility is present but not extreme. Traders might see this as a waiting zone – watching to see which direction gets tested next.

Trend & Volatility Indicators

ADX: Strengthening

ADX at 25 means the trend is gaining strength. That’s up from 17 a week ago, and shows that momentum – while still moderate – is no longer flatlining. The trend direction, however, is not clearly bullish or bearish. We’re seeing movement, but not commitment.

ATR: Stable Volatility

The Average True Range sits at 0.18. That’s lower than yesterday, but slightly higher than last week. In simple terms, price swings are slightly elevated, but not out of control. Traders are active, but they’re not rushing in or out.

AO: Bearish

The Awesome Oscillator is still negative, sitting at -0.29. It suggests that bearish momentum hasn’t fully faded. While it’s slightly better than a week ago, there’s no clear reversal yet. This will need to flip before the bulls can gain real control.

VWAP: Overextended

VWAP at 2.57 is well above the spot price. This confirms that XRP is trading below its average weighted by volume – often a sign of weakness. It might also suggest limited buying interest at higher prices, unless volume returns strongly.

Relative Performance

Comparison Against BTC: Underperforming

XRP is losing ground against Bitcoin. The XRP/BTC ratio fell by 2.6% over the past week and nearly 11% in the last month. Bitcoin has been holding up better than most assets recently, and BTC dominance is near its highest level in years.

What Else Is Driving XRP?

XRP’s recent slowdown is partly tied to broader macro pressure. While Trump has paused most new tariffs for 90 days to allow negotiations, the uncertainty hasn’t gone away. Tariffs on Chinese imports remain in place – now raised to a steep 145% – and markets are still cautious. XRP had a strong start to the year, but like many altcoins, it’s now reacting to forces well outside the crypto space.

At the same time, the recent launch of 2x leveraged ETF (XXRP) shows there’s institutional interest in XRP exposure – even if it’s speculative. However, it’s not a spot ETF, so the long-term impact on price may be limited.

Read also: XRP’s First ETF Launches – But The Price Drops Anyway

Conclusion

Most technical indicators show mixed signals. RSI and MFI are stable or rising, but the Awesome Oscillator remains negative and XRP is under key moving averages. Trend strength is picking up, but the direction is unclear. While some data points – like the MFI and ADX – hint at building momentum, others suggest the coin is still searching for direction.

It’s also important that technical analysis can be helpful in identifying trends, but it doesn’t factor in unexpected news or sudden shifts in investor mood. With tariffs, ETFs, and global sentiment all moving fast, charts might be just one piece of a much bigger puzzle. For now, XRP is holding its ground – but to break higher, it needs more than just technical support. It needs volume, confidence, and a reason to move.

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