XRP price has remained under pressure over the past several weeks, with multiple recovery attempts failing to gain traction. As 2025 comes to an end, the altcoin continues to succumb to bearish momentum after recording a mildly negative year overall. 

Weak spot demand and cautious retail participation have weighed on price action. However, institutional interest has emerged as XRP’s primary stabilizing force, preventing deeper drawdowns despite persistent selling.

XRP Is Institutions’ Favorite

Institutional investors have been XRP’s most consistent supporters throughout 2025. According to CoinShares data, XRP recorded $70 million in inflows during the week ending December 27. This pushed month-to-date inflows to $424 million, highlighting steady capital allocation even during periods of declining prices.

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Notably, XRP outperformed larger digital assets during the same period. Bitcoin recorded $25 million in outflows, while Ethereum saw significantly higher outflows totaling $241 million. 

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On a yearly basis, XRP attracted $3.3 billion in inflows, highlighting sustained institutional confidence despite ongoing volatility and legal uncertainties surrounding the broader crypto market.

XRP ETFs Show Strength

Institutional support has extended beyond traditional exchange-traded products following the launch of XRP ETFs earlier this year. Since their debut, XRP ETFs have not recorded a single day of net outflows. Only one trading session closed flat, without inflows, reflecting unusually strong consistency in demand.

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Speaking exclusively to BeInCrypto, Ray Youssef, CEO of crypto app NoOnes, emphasized that institutional investors are executing structured, long-term strategies.

“XRP’s early December accumulation was a strategic positioning by market participants to catch the ETF momentum upside. As with early Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF launch cycles, institutional investors often accumulate assets before their prices begin to reflect these developments,” Youssef noted.

He further stated that XRP is now observed as a high beta asset with a strong value proposition.

“[This] is thanks to the increased participation of institutional players in the asset’s trading, which is further mainstreaming the asset. Despite the prevailing price weakness, traders still consider the current price points as suitable entry opportunities to capture growth potential once XRP’s performance finally reflects the ETF’s momentum,” stated Youssef.

The XRP Holders Who Refuse To Hold

Long-term holders remain a critical cohort heading into 2026. Historically, this group has played a stabilizing role during market downturns. Over the past year, long-term holders alternated between accumulation and distribution, reflecting uncertainty around XRP’s medium-term prospects.

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By Q4 2025, selling activity dominated long-term holder behavior. This shift suggests declining confidence among investors who typically hold through volatility. If this lack of conviction persists into 2026, XRP could face heightened downside risk. Sustained distribution from long-term holders often precedes extended consolidation or deeper corrections.

XRP Price May See a Mild Start To 2026

XRP price traded near $1.87 at the time of writing after suffering a 38% decline during Q4 2025. Year-to-date performance shows the altcoin down 9.7% from its opening price. December failed to generate positive momentum, reinforcing bearish sentiment as the year closed.

Despite this, 2026 may chart an independent course. Ray Youssef noted that January, and potentially the entire first quarter, could remain largely stagnant for XRP. 

“XRP will likely continue to consolidate and trade between $2 and $2.50 in January and Q1 2026, unless a decisive macro catalyst emerges. The market has yet to recover from persistent volatility and geopolitical disruptions caused by the strained trade relations. The numerous deleveraging and risk-off episodes have made traders hesitant to increase directional exposure until the market headwinds have entirely dissipated,” Youssef highlighted.

The broader objective remains recovery of recent losses. A sustained move above $3.00 would be required to reestablish bullish structure and open a path toward the $3.66 all-time high.

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Downside scenarios remain relevant if selling pressure intensifies. Continued consolidation combined with reduced demand could push XRP lower. A decisive break below the $1.79 support level would likely expose the $1.50 zone. Such a move would invalidate the bullish-neutral thesis and reinforce bearish dominance.

Seasonality adds another layer of caution. 

“XRP underperformed in December due to the broader market’s structural weakness. Liquidity contraction, weak risk appetite, and the AI bubble scare sell-off, which spilled into high-risk assets and the entire digital asset market, curtailed the effects of the expected seasonal tailwinds. The crypto market saw one of its worst Q4 performances in almost 7 years,” Youssef further noted.

Historical XRP performance over the past 12 years shows that January delivers an average gain of 3%. However, the median return reflects a 7.8% decline, indicating frequent underperformance. 

Thus, unless market sentiment and investor behavior shift significantly, XRP price prediction suggests that the price may struggle during the early months of 2026 before clearer directional trends emerge.

As of today, Bitcoin USD (BTCUSD) is trading at $87,877.29, experiencing a slight increase of 0.81%. The big question on traders’ minds now is whether Bitcoin can hit the $92,000 mark in the coming months. Let’s break down the current data, trends, and technical indicators to understand the possibilities.

Current Market Overview

Bitcoin’s current price stands at $87,877.29, with a daily range between $87,349.52 and $88,000. This aligns with a modest rise of 0.81%, or $705.61, over the last 24 hours. Bitcoin is significantly below its 50-day moving average of $91,712.54 and even further from its 200-day average of $107,608.47, indicating potential bearish sentiment in the short term. The market cap is a robust $1.73 trillion, supported by a relatively high volume of $15.16 billion compared to an average of $508 million.

Technical Indicators Mixed: What They Say About BTCUSD

Technical indicators show mixed signals for Bitcoin. The RSI is at 42.91, approaching the oversold territory, suggesting that a rebound might be possible. The MACD, with a value of -2355.42, reveals bearish momentum, but a positive histogram could indicate a potential crossover in the future. The ADX at 34.98 confirms a strong trend, although not specifying direction. The Bollinger Bands suggest that Bitcoin is near its middle band of $89,354.05, hinting at possible sideways movement. Forecasts can change due to macroeconomic shifts, regulations, or unexpected events affecting the crypto market.

Forecasts and Future Price Targets

Looking ahead, Meyka AI provides several forecasts: the monthly target is $91,771.03, while the quarterly projection is a bullish $137,052.42. However, the yearly prediction dips to $83,932.49, indicating uncertainty in long-term market conditions. Meanwhile, five-year estimates hover around $133,253.33, suggesting potential growth.

Market Sentiment and Recent News

Recent news reports continue to highlight Bitcoin’s popularity among traders but emphasize uncertainty due to volatile market conditions. No significant new events have directly impacted Bitcoin in the last 24 hours, beyond slight market fluctuations. The trend, as indicated by volume spikes and technical indicators, underscores the market’s cautious optimism.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin’s path to $92,000 is filled with both challenges and opportunities. While current technical indicators show mixed signals, the broader market forecasts suggest potential upside. Traders should remain vigilant, keeping an eye on macroeconomic developments and market trends for further clues about where BTCUSD is headed.

FAQs

Disclaimer:

Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile. This content is for informational purposes only.
The Forecast Prediction Model is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.
Meyka AI PTY LTD provides market data and sentiment analysis, not financial advice.
Always do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Solana price trades below $130 as whale short positions and bearish chart structures keep downside levels around $105 and $78 firmly in focus.

Solana price is trading around the $125–$127 area, but short-term pressure remains heavy as sellers continue to defend overhead resistance and large players position for further downside.

While longer-term optimism around Solana remains intact, recent price action and trader commentary suggest that SOL may not be done correcting yet, with several market watchers pointing to lower support zones before any meaningful recovery attempt.

Solana current price is $127.15, up 2.16% in the last 24 hours. Source: Brave New Coin

Solana price is currently trading near $127, according to data from Brave New Coin. Despite a minor bounce, price remains well below key weekly levels, keeping short-term momentum tilted to the downside.

Whale Short Position Signals Ongoing Downside Risk

One of the clearest short-term bearish signals comes from positioning data shared by analyst Ted Pillows. His chart highlights a large trader actively holding short exposure across major assets, including a $43.1 million short position in SOL, alongside significant shorts in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

A major whale continues to hold a $43.1M short position in SOL. Source: Ted Pillows via X

Such positioning suggests that large players are still leaning towards further downside or, at a minimum, continued weakness below resistance. While whale positions do not guarantee immediate follow-through, they often align with prevailing market sentiment. In this case, SOL remains below key resistance zones, making it difficult for upside moves to gain traction.

Until price invalidates this positioning by reclaiming higher levels, the presence of sizeable short exposure keeps the short-term outlook tilted toward caution rather than confidence.

Bearish Head-and-Shoulders Keeps $105 as a Key Breakdown Level

Adding to the downside case, analyst Elite Crypto pointed to a bearish head-and-shoulders pattern forming on Solana’s higher-timeframe chart. According to his analysis, the structure remains intact as long as SOL trades below key resistance, with $105 acting as the critical neckline support.

A bearish head-and-shoulders structure keeps $105 in focus, with a clean breakdown potentially opening the door to a much deeper corrective move. Source: Elite Crypto via X

A decisive break below this level would significantly weaken the broader structure and open the door to a deeper corrective move. Elite Crypto highlighted potential downside targets in the $75–$51 range, suggesting that, if triggered, the correction could extend well beyond a short-term pullback and persist into mid-2026.

While this scenario is conditional, it reinforces why many traders remain defensive at current prices despite recent rebounds.

$78 Identified as Major Long-Term Buy Zone

Another bearish-to-neutral perspective comes from analyst StefanB, who shared that he is only interested in accumulating Solana at much lower levels. His analysis highlights the $78 region, aligning with the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement, as a zone where long-term risk-reward becomes more attractive.

The $78 level stands out as a potential long-term accumulation zone, aligning with the 0.786 Fibonacci retracement where deeper demand could emerge. Source: StefanB via X

This approach implies that current prices may still sit above areas where stronger demand is expected to emerge. Rather than chasing short-term bounces, StefanB’s positioning suggests patience, with bids placed at levels that coincide with historical structure and deeper retracements.

Taken together with the $105 breakdown risk, this frames the current price zone as transitional rather than a confirmed bottom.

200-Week Support Offers Conditional Bullish Context

While short-term and medium-term signals lean bearish, longer-term charts introduce a conditional bullish element. Analyst ShardiB noted that Solana is currently interacting with its 200-week moving average, a level that has historically acted as major long-term support.

Solana price tests its 200-week moving average, a level that has historically acted as long-term support and could mark an early base if price manages to hold. Source: ShardiB via X

According to the analysis, Solana price is attempting to form a base near this zone, with early signs of a potential weekly bottom candle developing. In previous cycles, sustained holds above the 200-week level have often preceded longer-term recovery phases, though not without extended consolidation.

However, ShardiB also cautioned that failure to hold this area would significantly weaken the long-term outlook, reinforcing that bullish scenarios remain conditional rather than guaranteed.

Final Thoughts: Solana Technical Analysis

In the short term, Solana remains vulnerable below key resistance, with downside levels clearly defined. As long as Solana price trades below the $135–$140 region, attention remains on $120 and, more importantly, $105 as critical support levels.

A confirmed break below $105 would increase the probability of a deeper move towards $78, with further downside towards the $75–$51 zone possible if broader market conditions deteriorate. These levels align with multiple market watchers projections and higher-timeframe structures.

On the upside, any meaningful bullish shift would likely require SOL Solana price to hold long-term support and reclaim higher resistance levels over time. Such a move would signal that the corrective phase is transitioning into a broader base-building process rather than immediate trend reversal.