Maksym Sakharov, CEO of decentralized bank WeFi, says Japan’s slow and cautious regulatory process is the main reason Web3 startups and crypto funds are moving overseas—not the high taxes. Japan requires a two-step approval from the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association and the Financial Services Agency, which can take 6 to 12 months or longer. This long wait time puts pressure on projects and forces many to launch abroad. Sakharov urges quicker, flexible approvals and supportive sandbox environments to help domestic crypto innovation grow.
Crypto analyst Crypto Pal has shared an ultra-bullish prediction for the XRP price and how it could rally to $10,000 thanks to its inclusion in the crypto Strategic Reserve. Meanwhile, other crypto analysts have given more conservative XRP predictions, predicting that the crypto’s price could at least reach triple digits.
XRP Price To Reach $10,000 Following Inclusion In Strategic Reserve
In an X post, Crypto Pal shared a prediction of the XRP price rallying to between $10,000 and $35,000. The analyst then asserted that the XRP Strategic Reserve will make this happen easier than ever.
US President Donald Trump recently announced XRP’s inclusion in the proposed crypto Strategic Reserve, which provides a bullish outlook for XRP. The XRP price had even surged on the back of this announcement, coming close to reaching a new all-time high (ATH).
However, despite the Strategic Reserve providing a bullish outlook for XRP, there remain doubts that this initiative could send the crypto’s price to such ambitious targets. A rally to $10,000 would put XRP’s market cap in trillions of dollars and make it worth more than the global economy, making this prediction far-fetched.
Amid this ultra-bullish price prediction for XRP, crypto analysts have offered more conservative price targets for the crypto. Crypto analyst Egrag Crypto recently predicted that Ripple’s native coin could still hit $320 between now and next year. Meanwhile, he predicted that the crypto would rally to $30 by May this year.
Crypto analyst Dark Defender also recently predicted that XRP could reach $8 irrespective of the outcome in the Ripple SEC case. However, a settlement in the Ripple lawsuit could undoubtedly spark a significant price surge for the crypto.
XRP Gearing Up For Its Next Big Leap
In an X post, Egrag Crypto stated that the XRP price is gearing up for its next big leap. He explained that the crypto is holding above critical support trend level and has successfully retested the Bull Market Support Band.
He also revealed that XRP is consolidating above the Fibonacci 0.888 level while another macro consolidation zone, the Fib 1.0 zone, is in play. The Fib 1.0 level puts XRP at $3.37. Crypto analyst CasiTrades also predicted that Ripple’s native coin could soon rally above $3 if it stays above the trendline at $2.42.
Meanwhile, Egrag Crypto predicts that there will be a “noise consolidation” for XRP between $3.40 and $2.00. Once that consolidation is done, the analyst predicts XRP’s next major leg would lead to a rally to between $8.5 and $13, which are the Fib 1.272 and 1.414 level. He also remarked that market participants should not ignore Fib 1.618 at $27.
Crypto whales look to be preparing for this parabolic XRP price rally, as they continue to move significant coins around, indicating active accumulation. Crypto analyst Ali Martinez recently revealed that over $5.37 billion worth of XRP has been transferred in the last 24 hours.
Ethereum (ETH) faces a critical inflection point with two powerful catalysts converging on Wednesday, May 7.
Traders are split on whether the “perfect storm” could spark a breakout or deepen recent price volatility amid mixed macro signals and waning confidence in Ethereum’s narrative.
Ethereum Faces Volatile Crossroads: Pectra Upgrade and FOMC Converge
The long-awaited Ethereum Pectra upgrade is only hours out. It is expected to introduce key enhancements such as EIP-7702 and a 2,048 ETH staking cap, improving Ethereum’s usability and efficiency.
Combined with Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s potentially dovish tone, some believe this week could ignite a powerful rally in ETH and altcoins.
“May 7th Ethereum Pectra upgrade. May 7th FOMC. Micro caps already surging. If the Crypto Lords are on our side, mother of all breakouts could happen—especially on altcoins,” said CryptoSkull on X (Twitter).
Others echoed the sentiment, albeit with caution, cognizant of the volatility of the crypto market.
“FOMC week and ETH Pectra update? Time to keep our eyes peeled. Bullish vibes are great, but let us not forget the market’s mood swings. Feds might just throw us a curveball,” another user warned.
Meanwhile, another cohort sees the collision between Pectra Upgrade and the FOMC meeting as a high-stakes convergence. Specifically, the convergence of the two events will likely trigger a reaction in the Ethereum price.
Ethereum Community Borders Along Hope, Hype, and Hard Lessons
Still, not all see the Pectra upgrade as an immediate price catalyst. Maria Magenes, VP of Strategy at Hype Partners and former Balancer and MakerDAO marketing lead, tempered expectations.
“Even if I’ve joked about my hope for a price bump, that’s not the real point of why this is exciting… Network upgrades don’t imply price bumps… These aren’t cosmetic changes…They ensure Ethereum remains the most composable, decentralized, and reliable network in the ecosystem,” she explained.
Ethereum price action against event-specific volatility. Source: Maria on X
Meanwhile, others shared a nuanced take, calling Pectra a legit volatility trigger. Beyond the technical upgrade, however, Ethereum is also contending with a broader narrative crisis.
Nevertheless, the May 7 FOMC decision adds significant uncertainty. While most analysts expect the Fed to hold rates steady, traders remain wary of Powell’s tone. A hawkish stance could derail risk-on momentum.
“We’re still seeing the risk-off mentality going into the Fed meeting…Bitcoin build-up is good…expecting ETH to turn upwards after Wednesday,” analyst Michaël van de Poppe wrote.
May 7 could shape Ethereum’s near-term fate, with the second-largest crypto by market capitalization metrics caught between protocol progress and macro peril.
On Wednesday, whether Pectra powers a rally or is drowned out by macroeconomic headwinds will be determined.
