XRP has puzzled investors as its price continues falling despite major positive developments. While Ripple secured regulatory wins and launched spot ETFs,XRP trades around $1.90, down significantlyXRP has puzzled investors as its price continues falling despite major positive developments. While Ripple secured regulatory wins and launched spot ETFs,XRP trades around $1.90, down significantly

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Why Is XRP Dropping? 4 Key Reasons Behind the Price Down

Author: MEXC

Intermediate

Jan 8, 2026MEXC

XRP has puzzled investors as its price continues falling despite major positive developments.

While Ripple secured regulatory wins and launched spot ETFs,XRP trades around $1.90, down significantly from recent highs.

This disconnect between strong fundamentals and weak price action has left many asking: why is XRP dropping?

This article breaks down the real reasons behind XRP's decline and what it means for your investment decisions.

Key Takeaways

XRP fell roughly 17% despite ETF launches accumulating over $1 billion in assets and major regulatory victories.
Long-term holders realized $220 million daily in profits, selling into what they perceive as favorable exit prices.
The October crash removed $19 billion in leveraged positions, triggering market-wide deleveraging that continues to suppress speculative demand.
XRP supply on exchanges dropped 50% from 3.76 billion to 1.64 billion tokens, the lowest level since 2017.
Taker buy volume collapsed 95.7% from $5.8 billion to $250 million, showing dramatically reduced active buying demand.
Lower exchange supply creates a double-edged sword, reducing immediate selling pressure while increasing price sensitivity to sudden demand shifts.

Why Is XRP Dropping Despite Positive Developments?

The XRP price decline presents a striking paradox that frustrates many cryptocurrency investors.

Ripple achieved significant regulatory victories throughout the year, includingthe SEC dropping its lawsuitand securing conditional approval from banking regulators.

The company expanded its global footprint withpartnerships across Singapore, the Middle East, and Africa whilecompleting the $1 billion GTreasury acquisition.

XRP spot ETFs launched successfully and recorded 22 consecutive days of net inflows, accumulating over $1 billion in assets.

Yet during this same period, XRP fell roughly 17%, trading near $1.87 after reaching highs above $3.00 earlier in the cycle.

1. Long-Term Holders Cashing Out Massive Profits

The most immediate pressure comes from early investors who accumulated XRP at prices far below current levels.

One seven-year-old wallet that bought XRP around $0.40 recently sold over $721 million worth of tokens near the $2.00 level.

This wasn't an isolated event—on-chain data shows realized profits surged 240% since September, climbing from approximately $65 million to nearly $220 million daily.

These long-term holders are selling into what they perceive as favorable exit prices, creating sustained downward pressure that overwhelms the positive news flow.

When early investors distribute their holdings, newer buyers often end up underwater, leaving little natural demand to absorb the supply.

2. Market Deleveraging After October Liquidation

XRP's derivatives market experienced a dramatic reset following the October 10 crash that wiped out $19 billion in leveraged positions across the entire crypto market.

The estimated leverage ratio on major exchanges dropped to around 0.18, marking one of the lowest readings in the current market cycle.

This deleveraging means fewer traders are taking leveraged long positions, removing speculative fuel that previously drove price rallies.

Lower leverage reduces market fragility but also signals reduced conviction from short-term traders who typically amplify upward moves.

The combination of position unwinding and reduced speculative appetite has left XRP's price vulnerable to any selling pressure.

3. Technical Breakdown Below Key Support Levels

XRP failed multiple attempts to break through resistance between $2.19 and $2.29, a zone that previously acted as support.

A supply pin bar formation on the daily chart signaled demand exhaustion, triggering a 7% single-day plunge to $2.05.

The breakdown below the $1.93 Fibonacci level marked a clear technical failure, with increased volume confirming active selling rather than low-liquidity drift.

Technical indicators turned decisively bearish as the 50-day moving average crossed below the 200-day moving average, forming a "death cross" pattern that often precedes extended declines.

With immediate support now at $1.88-$1.90, traders watch nervously for either a bounce or further breakdown toward the $1.61 level.

4. Massive Liquidity Drain from Crypto Exchanges

Perhaps the most dramatic structural shift occurred in XRP's exchange supply, which plunged over 50% in just a few months.

Centralized exchanges collectively held approximately 3.76 billion XRP at recent peak levels, but that number collapsed to around 1.64 billion—the lowest level since 2017.

Taker buy volume on major exchanges dropped 95.7%, falling from over $5.8 billion to just $250 million, showing how sharply active buying demand has faded.

The taker buy-sell ratio remained persistently negative, indicating sell orders consistently outweighed buy orders throughout this period.

These tokens moved into self-custody wallets, institutional custodians, and OTC settlement accounts, reducing immediately available liquidity while Bitcoin pulled capital away from altcoins.

What Does This Mean for XRP Investors?

Understanding why XRP is dropping helps investors make informed decisions rather than emotional reactions.

The current price action reflects a market transitioning from speculation to more deliberate positioning, with long-term holders securing profits while institutional players accumulate at lower levels.

Lower exchange supply creates a double-edged sword—it reduces immediate selling pressure but also makes price more sensitive to sudden moves in either direction.

Analyst predictions vary dramatically, with bearish targets around $1.25 based on technical breakdown and Fibonacci extensions, while optimistic forecasts from Standard Chartered suggest XRP could reach $5.50 to $8.00 if institutional adoption continues.

The key takeaway isn't whether XRP will rise or fall, but rather that the market structure has fundamentally changed.

Investors should focus on their own risk tolerance and investment horizon rather than trying to time short-term moves in this volatile environment.

For those looking to trade XRP, platforms like MEXC offer access to spot and derivatives markets with deep liquidity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is xrp dropping right now?

XRP drops due to profit-taking from early holders, reduced leverage after the October crash, technical breakdown below key support, and liquidity moving away from altcoins toward Bitcoin.

Why is xrp down today?

Daily price movements reflect ongoing distribution from long-term holders who accumulated at much lower prices, combined with thin buying demand and negative derivatives market sentiment.

Why is xrp falling after good news?

Positive developments haven't yet translated to increased demand because long-term holders are selling into strength, exchange supply has contracted sharply, and broader market weakness weighs on all altcoins.

Why is xrp crashing?

The October liquidation event removed $19 billion in leveraged positions across crypto, triggering deleveraging and position unwinding that continues affecting XRP alongside technical breakdown signals.

Will XRP go back up?

Price direction depends on whether demand returns before further supply hits the market, with analyst predictions ranging from $1.25 bearish targets to $5.50+ bullish scenarios based on institutional adoption.

Conclusion

XRP's price decline stems from structural market shifts rather than fundamental weakness in Ripple's business.

Long-term holders securing profits, reduced leverage following October's crash, technical breakdown, and massive liquidity drain from exchanges all converge to create sustained selling pressure.

Yet these same factors—particularly the 50%+ drop in exchange supply—position XRP for potentially amplified moves when market conditions shift.

Investors should monitor whether demand returns to match the tightened supply or if further deleveraging pushes prices to test lower support levels around $1.61-$1.25.

Market Opportunity

XRP Price(XRP)

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Why Is XRP Dropping? 4 Key Reasons Behind the Price Down

Why Is XRP Dropping Despite Positive Developments?

1. Long-Term Holders Cashing Out Massive Profits

2. Market Deleveraging After October Liquidation

3. Technical Breakdown Below Key Support Levels

4. Massive Liquidity Drain from Crypto Exchanges

What Does This Mean for XRP Investors?

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

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