The Pi Network rich list provides a clear indication of the token’s demand in the market. Notably, Pi is among the most trending tokens in the market, even in its declining days. Due to a long wait on the launch and years-long community building, it is often in hype. It includes its post-launch rally, pushing
XRP price opened trading at $2.25 on Thursday, March 19, with key derivatives trading signals leaning bullish ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate decision. Can XRP price breach the $2.5 resistance in the upcoming trading sessions?
XRP Price Remains Below $2.30 as Investors Shift Focus to Low-Cap Altcoins
Ripple (XRP) was among the top-performing altcoins last week, driven by reports that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was considering classifying XRP as a commodity as part of its settlement talks with Ripple. The anticipation that this move could eliminate a significant regulatory hurdle for altcoin ETF approvals fueled a strong rally.
Investors flocked to XRP, alongside other top altcoins such as Litecoin (LTC), Cardano (ADA), and Hedera (HBAR), with ETF approval filling in progress, all of which posted double-digit gains before facing corrections this week.
However, this week, the momentum has shifted away from XRP as new ETF developments have emerged. Canary Capital’s filing for a SUI spot ETF—its sixth altcoin ETF filing —alongside Nasdaq’s Polkadot ETF application has spurred fresh investor interest. As a result, both DOT and SUI have experienced notable price surges.
A broader market analysis suggests that investors are rotating capital out of last week’s top gainers, including XRP, in pursuit of these emerging narratives.
This rotation has left Ripple price trading below the $2.30 mark on Thursday, with its trading volume declining alongside other major altcoins such as LTC, SOL, and ADA, all of which have seen increased selling pressure over the past 24 hours.
XRP Derivative Traders Take a Cautious but Optimistic Stance Ahead of US Fed Rate Decision
While XRP’s price has struggled to maintain momentum this week, investors have rotated capital into emerging altcoins like Polkadot (DOT) and SUI, driven by fresh ETF narratives. Despite the bearish sentiment in the spot market, derivatives trading data reveals a more optimistic outlook, with traders positioning themselves for potential upside ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate decision.
Three vital derivative trading indices compiled by CoinGlass on Wednesday suggesting an imminent bullish reversal in XRP price momentum:
1. XRP Derivatives Volume Climbs 7.34% as Open Interest Rises
XRP derivatives trading volume has increased by 7.34%, reaching $5.05 billion, while open interest (OI)—the total value of active futures contracts—has edged up 1.85% to $3.19 billion. This signals growing market participation, with traders actively opening new positions in anticipation of heightened volatility. An uptick in OI typically reflects confidence in an impending price move.
2. Long/Short Ratio Indicates Bullish Leverage Bias
On leading exchanges, XRP traders are showing a strong inclination towards long positions. The long/short ratio on Binance XRP/USDT accounts stands at 2.394, meaning there are nearly 2.4 long positions for every short. Similarly, OKX’s long/short ratio is 2.01, reinforcing the bullish outlook. When traders disproportionately favor longs, it often suggests an expectation of upward price movement.
3. Sell-Side Liquidations Decline as Bulls Gain Control
XRP’s sell-side liquidations have notably decreased, suggesting that bearish pressure is easing. In contrast, buy-side liquidations have risen, indicating that leveraged traders are positioning for an upward price move. This shift reduces the risk of downside volatility and supports the case for a potential recovery rally.
XRP Market Outlook:
Despite short-term price consolidation below the $2.30 level, XRP derivatives traders appear to be positioning for a bullish breakout towards $2.50. With rising open interest, a positive long/short ratio, and reduced sell-side liquidations, XRP may be primed for an upward move—contingent on the broader market reaction to the Fed’s rate decision on Wednesday.
XRP Price Forecast: $2.50 Breakout Could Spur More Gains
XRP price forecast remains cautiously bullish as the price consolidates around $2.28, with technical indicators showing mixed signals ahead of a potential breakout. The Bollinger Bands (BB) midpoint at $2.33 remains a key resistance level, while the lower BB at $1.95 provides strong support. A decisive break above $2.33 could trigger momentum toward $2.50, where a breakout may fuel an extended rally.
XRP Price Forecast
The MACD indicator is flashing early signs of a bullish crossover, with the MACD line moving upward toward the signal line, suggesting waning bearish momentum. Additionally, the histogram bars are transitioning from red to green, reinforcing the potential for a bullish reversal. The previous 30% rally within four trading sessions, highlighted in the chart, sets a precedent for XRP’s ability to surge once a breakout occurs.
However, the recent 7.88% retracement over the last four sessions raises caution. A failure to reclaim $2.33 could see further declines, with $2.00 as the next major support. The trading volume of 609M during the recent pullback suggests some hesitation among buyers. If XRP can sustain momentum and break $2.50, it could target $2.70-$2.90 in the coming weeks. Conversely, rejection at resistance could trigger further downside consolidation.
Earlier today, Israel launched a ‘pre-emptive strike’ on Tehran and declared a state of emergency. This rapid escalation of the conflict drove the crypto market into a freefall.
Over the past 24 hours, total liquidations amounted to $1.15 billion. Additionally, the overall market is down by 6.6%.
Crypto Market Plunges Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
According to CNN, Israel’s strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities, affecting dozens of locations. The attack reportedly eliminated Iran’s top military leaders and senior nuclear scientists. It was confirmed that General Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed.
“Iran’s state television says Deputy Commander in Chief of all Armed Forces, General Gholam Ali Rashid, has been killed, along with nuclear scientist Fereydoon Abbasi,” The Kobeissi Letter posted.
To prepare for potential retaliation, Israel has declared a state of emergency, closing schools, banning gatherings, and mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers.
Furthermore, Iran is preparing a ‘lethal‘ response against Israel following the attacks. It has already appointed General Vahidi, the former head of the Quds Force, as the new commander of the IRGC.
Admiral Habibollah Sayyari has succeeded the late General Bagheri as the acting Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Statement No. 1 of the General Staff of the Armed Forces
In the early hours of Friday, 23 Khordad (June 12), the Zionist regime carried out an aggressive and reckless attack on several areas of the country, including both civilian and military zones. This assault resulted in… pic.twitter.com/TyQtkxPMmU
The rising tension between the two nations has caused significant turbulence in the market. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 1.3%, S&P 500 futures dropped 1.4%, and Nasdaq 100 futures plunged by 1.6%.
Nine of the top ten coins saw losses over the past day. Bitcoin (BTC) nosedived from over $108,000 to $104,112. However, altcoins suffered the harshest blow.
Crypto Market Cap Post Israel’s Attack On Iran. Source: BeInCrypto
Solana (SOL) lost nearly 10% over the past day. Ethereum (ETH) trailed closely with a 9.3% downtick. Among the top 100 coins, Fartcoin (FARTCOIN) and Ethena (ENA) stood out for double-digit losses of 17.3% and 15.9%, respectively.
These declines forced 247,769 traders out of their positions over the past 24 hours. According to Coinglass data, $1.15 billion has been liquidated from the crypto market.
Bitcoin faced $427.75 million in long and $19.10 million in short liquidations. Ethereum followed with $244.74 million in long liquidations and $43.57 million in short liquidations, highlighting the scale of market turmoil.
Nonetheless, the conflict drove oil and gold up. Oil prices spiked by more than 10%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose to $74.99 per barrel, marking a 10.21% uptick.
The global benchmark Brent increased by 10.28% to $76.48 per barrel. Gold also gained 1.2% to reach $3,426.
Analysts Divided Over Israel-Iran Conflict’s Impact on Crypto
As Iran prepares for retaliatory actions, it’s clear that the impact will be felt across markets. Amid this volatility, the cryptocurrency market, particularly Bitcoin, has become a focal point of debate among analysts.
“Bitcoin’s failure to rise against gold—despite over 3.5 years of hype, including a dozen ETFs, Super Bowl ads, El Salvador, NFTs, tens of billions of leveraged buying by MSTR, other Bitcoin treasury companies, the election of a Bitcoin president, and the establishment of a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve—is strong evidence that the bubble has peaked,” Schiff said.
Another analyst echoed his view, claiming that Bitcoin is not a safe haven but more akin to a tech stock.
“It is important to understand that Bitcoin shows its true colors as Israel attacks Iran. It is not an alternative-currency, it is not a safe haven, it is a risk asset, just like another tech stock, that will decline when the market goes to a risk-off posture,” the post read.
However, crypto advocate Anthony Pompliano maintained an optimistic outlook. Drawing parallels to an earlier incident when Iran launched 300 missiles at Israel, Pompliano noted that Bitcoin rebounded to outperform both oil and gold.
“Bitcoin ended up outperforming the other two over the first 48 hours in that situation. Will be interesting to see what happens here,” Pompliano stated.
Moreover, a recent BlackRock report revealed that while Bitcoin may underperform in the short term during geopolitical shocks, it has historically rallied double digits within 60 days post-crisis, outpacing gold and equities.
Despite immediate market jitters, this suggests a longer-term bullish outlook for the cryptocurrency. Still, the divide reflects broader uncertainties about Bitcoin’s maturity as an asset, with gold’s millennia-long stability pitted against Bitcoin’s 16-year track record. As markets stabilize, analysts will closely monitor price movements, with some betting on Bitcoin’s recovery and others clinging to gold’s proven reliability.
Crypto Market Today (March 12): Bitcoin (BTC) price regained an upward trajectory after a bloodbath, briefly touching $83K as of early Asian hours on Wednesday. Major-league altcoins such as XRP, Solana (SOL), and Ethereum (ETH) have followed, surging 1%-7% intraday. Notably, Kaspa (KAS) has led the broader market gains, soaring 16%.
Crypto Market Today: BTC & Altcoins Bounce Back After Dip
The crypto market added 3.5% value intraday, as indicated by a global market cap of $2.67 trillion. Further liquidations from yesterday declined by over 58% and reached $389.61 million (Coinglass data), offering relief to prices.
Intriguingly, the digital asset sector appears to be digesting trade war tensions post-Trump’s new tariffs as well as rising fears of a U.S. recession.
BTC Price Touches $83K High Intraday
After crashing to a multi-month low of $76K, BTC price regained a rising trajectory today, exchanging hands at $82,120. The flagship crypto rose over 3% intraday, hitting a low and a peak of $79,059.43 and $83,737.45, respectively.
Bitcoin’s market dominance saw a 0.22% upswing to 61.27%, undermining altcoins’ gains. Market watchers anticipate whether it is finally the time for a rally in light of the recent U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve announcement.
ETH Price Jumps 1%
ETH price managed to gain only 1% in the past 24 hours, closing in at $1,863. The crypto hit an intraday bottom and peak of $1,842.15 and $1,961.80 in the past 24 hours. Ethereum’s market dominance slipped to 8.5%, a considerable decline from previous levels of above 9%.
XRP Price Soars 7%
XRP price witnessed a remarkable 7% uptick in value intraday and exchanged hands at $2.15. The coin bottomed and peaked at $2.05 and $2.24, respectively. Ripple’s native coin surged in tandem with Franklin Templeton’s S-1 filing for an XRP ETF recently.
SOL Price Gains 2%
SOL price witnessed gains worth 2% in the past 24 hours and exchanged hands at $122. The crypto’s 24-hour low and high were $118.87 and $128.15, respectively. Solana’s price rose alongside the broader market trend this Wednesday.
Meme Crypto Market Today
Meme coins’ prices have also mirrored an uptrend in sync with other coins’ prices today. Dogecoin (DOGE) price witnessed a 4% uptick and traded at $0.1610. Shiba Inu (SHIB) price followed, gaining 3% to $0.00001190. Pepe Coin (PEPE) was up by a remarkable 7% and rested at $0.000006204.
Top Crypto Market Gainers Today
Meanwhile, some coins have led the broader market gains today, capturing noteworthy investor attention as they signal a potential recovery-trend brewing.
Kaspa (KAS)
Price: $0.06836
24-Hour Gains: +16%
Celestia (TIA)
Price: $3.21
24-Hour Gains: +14%
Bittensor (TAO)
Price: $256.5
24-Hour Gains: +12%
Top Crypto Market Losers Today
Ethena (ENA)
Price: $0.3722
24-Hour Loss: -7%
Maker (MKR)
Price: $1,078.61
24-Hour Loss: -4%
TRON (TRX)
Price: $0.2229
24-Hour Loss: -3%
Overall, the broader market’s rising action has sparked considerable hope among traders and investors about a potential price recovery cooking. Nevertheless, it’s worth considering the highly volatile nature of digital assets could soon bring riveting movements back into action.