Headline: XRP’s early-January pop fizzles as momentum stalls — can $3 stay in play? XRP’s blistering start to January has lost steam. After surging roughly 32.3% over five days, the token has given back about 14% in under six days, leaving bulls on the back foot and calls for a $3 month-end target looking increasingly ambitious. What the charts show - Weekly price action: XRP has pulled back into a defended demand band around $1.86–$2.22 — a zone buyers have protected since December 2024. That level remains a key pivot: if buyers hold $2, the $3 target would be more plausible; if it breaks, downside risk rises. - Recent rejection at $2.40: last week’s long upper wick on the weekly candle signaled a strong bear response to bulls attempting to push higher. The price rejection undermined a clean path toward $3 this month. - Momentum and volume indicators: the RSI failed to reclaim neutral 50, so momentum hasn’t flipped bullish. Meanwhile OBV (on-balance volume) sits near December 2024 lows and remains in a downward pattern — suggesting volume-backed selling pressure has not yet eased despite on-chain whale accumulation ramping up. Bullish signals vs. warning signs On-chain data shows whale accumulation has increased in recent months, which historically supports nominally bullish positioning. However, the technical picture is mixed: structural bullishness on price charts is being offset by weakening OBV and momentum, creating an uncertain near-term outlook. A sustained slide below roughly $1.85–$1.90 would put significant strain on bullish hopes. Macro/market context The broader altcoin environment is also teetering. Total crypto market capitalization recently slipped under a multi-year uptrend line, which is now acting as resistance — a sign that the early-year alt rally may have been a temporary relief bounce rather than the start of a durable upswing. What XRP needs to resume its rally Market participants are watching Bitcoin closely. For XRP to mount another credible run, BTC needs to regain and sustain levels above ~$94,500, and ideally push past the $100k psychological level. A stronger Bitcoin backdrop would likely revive risk appetite and fresh inflows into large-cap altcoins like XRP. Near-term outlook Given the mix of whale accumulation but weak momentum and volume trends, traders should be prepared for potential weakness in XRP over the coming weeks unless the $2 area holds and BTC reasserts strength. Conservative risk management and watching the $1.85–$2.40 range for follow-through will be key. Disclaimer: This article is informational and not investment advice. Cryptocurrency trading carries high risk; do your own research before making any decisions. © 2026 AMBCrypto (chart sources: TradingView). Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news

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