XRP made headlines in November 2024 when rumors spread about a possible meeting between Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and President-elect Donald Trump. This speculation sent XRP soaring past $1 for the first time since November 2021.
Even though Garlinghouse officially met with Trump in January 2025, the excitement had already done its job. Between November 26 and December 3, XRP jumped a massive 126%, climbing from $1.28 to $2.91.
Another High-Profile Meeting on the Way
Now, there are speculations that Ripple’s Executive Chairman and co-founder Chris Larsen is set to meet with the new SEC Chair, Paul Atkins, on May 2, 2025. This upcoming meeting has caught the market’s attention, with many hoping it could bring positive news for XRP.
Investors are wondering — will this be the catalyst XRP needs to continue its rally, or will it fall short again?
XRP Testing a Crucial Price Level
At the same time, traders are watching XRP’s chart closely as May kicks off. According to popular market analyst Casitrades, XRP is struggling to stay above an important resistance level at $2.25.
May Begins with a Critical Back-test — XRP’s Next Move Could Sooner Than Many Realize!
It’s May 1, and a new month is here with #XRP coming right up against one of the most important structural levels on the chart – $2.25-
After failing to hold above this price, XRP began forming smaller waves downward. It recently back-tested the $2.25 breakdown and might now be heading for another move down to $2.00.
Short Dip or Major Correction?
If XRP’s price drops with momentum, it could briefly hit $1.90 — a level that hasn’t been tested since its breakout. This zone also lines up with key technical support levels, which could act as a safety net.
However, on shorter timeframes, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) shows the market is exhausted, suggesting that any dip might be temporary before another bounce.
Despite these short-term price movements, the overall outlook for XRP remains positive. If XRP can flip the $2.25 level into support, traders are eyeing future targets at $2.68, $3.00, and beyond.
Bitcoin may face three potential trend scenarios in the future, with the most optimistic one forecasting a surge to $150,000 to $175,000 within the next 12 months.
This prediction is supported by factors such as a strong influx of institutional capital and positive investor sentiment following the Trump administration’s plans to establish a national Bitcoin reserve.
Positive Forecasts from Experts and Market Signals
The Bitcoin Composite Index currently stands at ≈ 0.8 (80%). Based on this indicator, AxelAdlerJr outlined three possible scenarios.
In the most optimistic scenario, BTC’s price could reach $150,000 to $175,000, following the cyclical logic of 2017 and 2021. This would occur if the Bitcoin Composite Index surpasses 1.0 and remains above that level.
If the ratio stays within the 0.8–1.0 range, the market would likely consolidate in a broad corridor between $90,000 and $110,000, indicating that participants are maintaining positions without increasing exposure.
Alternatively, if the ratio drops to 0.75 or below, short-term holders may start taking profits, potentially leading to a price correction to $70,000–$85,000. However, AxelAdlerJr notes that this scenario is less likely than the other two.
The return of YoY True MVRV to positive territory means that the average purchase price of all coins acquired over the past year is now below the current market price. The pressure from panic sellers is decreasing – many are now in profit and don’t need to lock in losses. Holder… pic.twitter.com/6AgvVVTn9h
On-chain signals further bolster the bullish outlook. According to Coinglass, over the past 7 days, approximately 42,525.89 Bitcoins were withdrawn from centralized exchanges (CEX), reducing the supply on exchanges to a 7-year low of about 2.48 million BTC.
The trend of Bitcoin withdrawals from exchanges is often seen as a positive sign, as it indicates investor accumulation and reduced selling pressure, paving the way for price growth.
Bitcoin’s 7-day volatility has also hit its lowest level in 563 days. Low volatility typically signals a period of accumulation before a price breakout, as observed during past major rallies, such as in 2020 before Bitcoin peaked at $69,000.
Technical analysis also supports Bitcoin’s bullish scenario. According to a post on X by Ali, Bitcoin’s key support levels are at $93,198 and $83,444, indicating strong consolidation above these thresholds.
If Bitcoin sustains above $93,198, the likelihood of continuing its upward trend to reach the $150,000 target becomes highly feasible.
“The most critical support levels for #Bitcoin $BTC are $93,198 and $83,444. Key zones to watch if momentum shifts,” Ali shared.
Moreover, Breedlove22, a well-known analyst, shared on X about three indicators signaling optimism for Bitcoin. The first is the Average Miner Cost of Production. According to Breedlove22, this metric is at a bottom, suggesting a significant bull market may be on the horizon.
Average Miner Cost of Production. Source: Breedlove22
The second indicator is the supply held by long-term holders, which measures Bitcoin unmoved on-chain for at least 155 days. Breedlove22 noted that over the past 30 days, long-term holders have acquired an additional ~150,000 BTC.
“Bitcoin is running out of sellers in the $80,000 to $100,000 range,” Breedlove22 stated.
Lastly, and most importantly, is USD liquidity, which effectively represents the “demand” side of the equation. More dollars in the system mean more potential bidders.
“And it’s not just USD liquidity that’s increasing – liquidity of all fiat currencies is on the rise, and Bitcoin is a global asset,” Breedlove22 added.
Echoing Breedlove22’s perspective, another X user shared that BTC’s valuation based on hash rate is at a support level, suggesting that a local bottom may have been reached.
In the optimistic scenario, Bitcoin is poised for a significant opportunity to reach $150,000 to $175,000. However, investors should also prepare for risks such as short-term price corrections.
With strong support levels at $93,198 and $83,444, Bitcoin has a solid foundation for continued growth, but caution remains essential.
In a massive development in the ongoing trade war, China has decided to remove its 125% tariffs on US Ethane imports, sparking optimism that China and the US could soon reach an agreement. This is undoubtedly bullish for the crypto market, given the negative impact the trade war has had on the market so far.
Crypto Market Receives Boost As China Waives Tariffs On US Ethane Imports
The crypto eyes another leg to the upside following China’s decision to waive tariffs on US Ethane imports. The Reuters report cited two sources familiar with the matter, with the country excluding these goods from the 125% it imposed on US imports earlier this month.
This move comes just days after China exempted some US goods, including chemicals, vaccines, and jet engines, from the 125% tax on US imports. This recent waiver again provides optimism that China and the US could soon reach an agreement to settle this trade war, which has already destabilized the markets.
It is worth mentioning that the Bitcoin price and other altcoins rallied following China’s move to exempt some US goods from the tariffs last week. As such, the crypto market could again witness another rally following this latest waiver from the Asian country.
Crypto analyst Titan of Crypto recently suggested that another massive rally is on the horizon for BTC and the broader crypto market by extension. In an X post, he raised the possibility of the flagship crypto rallying to as high as $150,000 on this move.
In another post, he stated that the key level to watch now is the previous monthly high, around $95,040. The analyst remarked that BTC looks short-term bullish, but it needs a daily close above this level to confirm further upside.
Solana price tumbled 4% to hit $169 on Friday, May 16, after bankrupt crypto exchange FTX confirmed a $5 billion creditor payout.
On Thursday, the Solana (
Solana Price Action, May 16, 2025
SOL) price fell to $169, losing intraday support at $170 for the first time in May. This decline follows news that FTX will unstake and redistribute assets to fulfill its second major payout.
FTX’s estate said on May 15 that it would begin distributing $5 billion in digital assets to claimants on May 30. The payout will be processed via BitGo and Kraken, with settlement expected within 1–3 business days.
FTX Payouts aligns with 1.4B SOL Staking Withdrawals
Solana price weakness coincides with an uptick in bearish positioning across Layer-1 tokens. According to StakingRewards, over 1.4 million SOL has been unstaked in the past seven days.
Solana Staking Flows, May 16, 2025 | Source: StakingRewards.com
This move likely includes large portions held by FTX, which has been working to liquidate assets. At $169 per token, the un-staked SOL is valued at approximately $236 million.
Such large token movements typically generate sell pressure, especially if the assets enter exchanges or OTC desks for liquidation.
Solana’s sell-off appears part of a broader downturn in Layer-1 tokens. Coingecko data shows Ethereum fell 2.7% to $2,500, while XRP and Cardano posted 4% losses each.
This synchronized decline suggests macro-driven sell pressure, likely triggered by investors locking in gains before FTX’s payout introduces additional volatility risks.
Can Bitcoin Rally and ETF Optimism Anchor Solana Markets?
Despite SOL’s pullback, Bitcoin (BTC) price has remained above $100,000 for seven consecutive trading days, the first such stretch since January 2025.
This stability could help contain broader market panic. Historically, BTC resilience often stabilizes sentiment in large-cap altcoins such as Solana.
Solana ETF Approval Odds hit 82%, May 2025 | Source: PolyMarkets
PolyMarkets data currently shows an 82% probability of SEC approval for altcoin ETFs by June 16. This could position Solana as a preemptive buy for strategic traders looking to front-run a potential SEC approval verdict next month.
Looking Ahead: Critical Weeks Ahead for Solana Price
The 4% SOL price dip from Thursday reflects both internal sell pressure and broader market rotation. FTX’s $5 billion distribution and associated unstaking remain the dominant narrative this week.
For bulls, reclaiming $170 and holding above $150 is essential to sustain momentum. With ETF optimism still looming and BTC holding firm, a rebound remains plausible, if fresh market demand driver emerge to offset the ongoing Solana sell-offs.
Until then, Solana price remains vulnerable to further downside risk, especially if large wallet holders join the sell-off.
Solana Price Forecast Today: SOL Faces Pressure Below $175 With Risk of Breakdown Toward $160
Solana (SOL) price forecast charts show vulnerability signals following a sharp 9.67% intraday drop on May 15, with only a modest 1.34% rebound to $171.42 failing to inspire strong bullish conviction.
Thursday’s session showed price closing just above the Volume Weighted Average Price (VWAP) at $170.53, but the overall market structure remains fragile. The prior day’s high-volume sell-off, recorded at 7.17 million, reflects a meaningful rejection near the $185 level and a subsequent loss of momentum from buyers.
Technically, Solana has now slipped below the mid-point of the Keltner Channel, with $170.53 acting as weak interim support.
More so, SOL price action is notably hugging the lower half of the volatility envelope, and continued failure to reclaim the upper KC resistance at $181.06 casts doubt on bullish momentum.
Solana price forecast | SOLUSDT
Adding to downside risk, Bitcoin price forecast today, while relatively stable above $103,000, lacks clear bullish momentum. Without strong bullish momentum from BTC, altcoins like Solana are left more exposed to volatility risks.
Volume delta trends further emphasizes the sell-side pressure, with recent negative bars outpacing buying, suggesting distribution rather than accumulation at these levels.
Should SOL lose support at $170.53, the next clear downside target emerges at $161.74 to the lower Keltner band.
A break below this level would confirm a short-term bearish reversal, opening the door to $145 to $150, especially if macro sentiment weakens or Bitcoin falters.
Until Solana must post a decisive close above $175 with accompanying volume, for bulls to stand a chance of invalidating the bearish forecast.
May Begins with a Critical Back-test — XRP’s Next Move Could Sooner Than Many Realize!
(@CasiTrades) May 1, 2025
Adler Jr (@AxelAdlerJr) 
