Massive Ripple Deals, But XRP Is Being Left Behind

The XRP price dropped 2.31% over the past 24 hours to trade near $1.37, tracking Bitcoin’s 2.13% decline. The move came as traders reacted to pressure from U.S. monetary policy uncertainty and geopolitical friction involving Iran and U.S. That mix pushed risk appetite lower across crypto markets.

That weakness hit Ripple’s XRP at a sensitive point.Today, price broke below $1.40, a level that had acted as a floor for weeks. Selling volume increased during the move, showing that buyers stepped aside. The $1.40 zone now acts as resistance, with $1.37 becoming the next area the market is watching.

The timing is what makes this interesting. Ripple is pushing deeper into institutional finance, signing deals and expanding product use cases. In a normal setup, that kind of progress would support stronger XRP demand. Instead, price action is moving in the opposite direction, raising questions inside the community.

What has Ripple been Up to? 

Ripple has stayed active across several fronts through March and April 2026.

A major focus has been RLUSD, the company’s stablecoin. By late April 2026, supply has moved close to $1.6 billion, with internal projections pointing toward $2 billion before the end of the year. The aim is clear: position RLUSD as a compliant, bank-ready settlement asset for institutional use.

Expansion efforts are already in motion. In Japan, Ripple pushed ahead with SBI Holdings on an RLUSD launch that started in early 2026. The focus is on institutional settlement across the region. In Europe, Ripple is working with ING, UniCredit, and BNP Paribas on a euro-backed stablecoin due out later in 2026.

Network activity on the XRP Ledger has also picked up. In March 2026, daily transactions reached about 3 million, driven mainly by real-world asset tokenization and institutional experimentation on-chain.

In South Korea, Ripple partnered with Kyobo Life Insurance to test tokenized government bond settlement. Another partnership with K Bank focuses on cross-border payments and stablecoin-based transfer systems.

Ripple also dropped a roadmap to prepare the XRP Ledger for post-quantum cryptography. They want the network fully ready by 2028.

Regulation still matters. After the SEC case concluded in late 2025, Ripple has operated with clearer footing. The company is now in the final review stage for a U.S. National Trust Bank Charter. The CLARITY Act also remains in focus, with a scheduled SEC roundtable on May 3, 2026, to discuss digital asset oversight.

Institutional flows have shown some response. XRP spot ETFs recorded about $55.39 million in inflows during mid-April 2026, marking one of the stronger weekly readings this year.

Even with this level of activity, the XRP price has stayed within a defined range, repeatedly reacting near the $1.45–$1.50 zone without a confirmed breakout.

Ripple expansion vs XRP price gap

The CIO at Royal Peak Capital, Arthur shared a post on X that captured a concern many holders are starting to voice.

Ripple has been active across multiple regions. New banking partnerships in South Korea, treasury-focused deals, and enterprise integrations continue to surface. From Ripple’s side, progress is visible and steady.

The concern he raises is about XRP itself.

Read Also: Here’s Where Silver and Gold Prices Could Be Headed In May

He points out that most updates revolve around Ripple as a company, not direct XRP usage or XRPL-driven demand. That creates a gap in perception. Ripple appears to be scaling, but XRP does not always show a direct response in price or usage metrics.

Arthur also mentions community expectations around events like XRPL conferences in Las Vegas. People see these events as moments when XRP could get real updates. Actual integrations. More liquidity. New use cases tied directly to the token. Without that, all eyes stay on Ripple the company instead of XRP the asset.

His message is simple. People still believe in the tech. But holders want clear proof that XRP is part of the growth, not just watching from the sidelines.

XRP Price Disconnect Explained 

Crypto expert Bill Morgan takes a more structural view.

He argues that the disconnect between Ripple news and XRP price action has always existed. This was even brought up during the SEC vs Ripple case, where one attempt was made to link Ripple announcements directly to XRP price movement. That argument did not carry weight in court.

His point is simple. XRP does not move on Ripple news. It moves with Bitcoin and the broader flow of money in crypto.

That is why big Ripple updates often do nothing to price. Even when Ripple signs new deals or adds to its network, XRP still follows the same beat as everything else.

For holders, this creates a mismatch in expectations. For analysts, it reinforces the idea that XRP behaves more like a macro-driven asset than a company-linked token.

XRP Price Prediction

In our May XRP price prediction, we marked out $1.4090 and $1.45 as the key upside triggers for XRP, with $1.50 and the $1.55–$1.60 area only opening up if buyers manage to clear that zone with strength. The idea is that without a break above $1.45, upside expansion would stay capped.

On the other side, $1.3848 was flagged as the line that keeps the structure intact. Losing it would expose $1.35, and if pressure extends, $1.30 comes into view as the next downside area.

That framework still holds in the current setup. The XRP price is now below $1.40 after losing that zone. The question is whether buyers can take it back fast enough. If they do not, price could slide toward the lower levels from the May outlook.

For now, the market is waiting. No one is jumping in early. Everyone wants to see a clear direction first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is XRP disconnected from Ripple’s business success

There is a gap in timing. Ripple can expand enterprise use cases while XRP price moves differently. Over time, increased XRPL usage and liquidity can matter more than short-term news cycles.

Why is XRP’s price down today

XRP is down 2.31% to $1.38 because traders are pulling risk out of crypto after renewed geopolitical tension and uncertainty around U.S. Federal Reserve policy.
The drop is mainly market-driven, with XRP following Bitcoin’s 2.13% decline instead of reacting to any XRP-specific news.

Is XRP a good investment now

XRP can be a good investment for people who believe in long-term adoption, but the price still moves heavily with Bitcoin and overall market cycles. It is not a straight-line growth asset, so timing and risk tolerance matter.
Why?
Because even with Ripple expanding into banks, stablecoins, and XRPL use cases, XRP price action is still tied more to broader crypto sentiment than to company-specific news or partnerships.