$XRP
Current Price Action: XRP is currently trading around \$2.10. It started the year with a powerful rally, surging from roughly \$1.85 to a peak of \$2.41 on January 6th. This move represented a 30\% gain in less than a week, driven by renewed institutional demand and positive sentiment around Ripple’s expansion in the UK and Middle East.
Key Catalysts & Developments:
Regulatory Milestone: On January 9, 2026, Ripple secured a major EMI license from the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This allows Ripple to significantly scale its cross-border payment services across Europe, directly utilizing XRP and its stablecoin, RLUSD.
ETF Inflows: The newly approved Spot XRP ETFs have begun to see steady net inflows, providing a structural buyer base that did not exist in previous cycles. Standard Chartered analysts have suggested these inflows could drive XRP toward \$8.00 by the end of 2026 if adoption trends hold.
EVM Integration: The launch of the XRP Ledger’s EVM sidechain in late 2025 has opened the door for Ethereum developers to build on Ripple’s infrastructure, though real-world economic activity on the sidechain is still in its infancy.
Technical Outlook:
Support: The \$2.00 mark has flipped from a major resistance level to a critical psychological support zone. Bulls have successfully defended this area during the current healthy pullback.
Resistance: The next major hurdle is the recent high of \$2.41. A breakout above this level would clear the path toward the mid-2025 highs near \$3.00.