The New Year is here, and the cryptocurrency market will behave nothing like a trained predator, which will be efficient and ruthless. XRP stands out as one of the most anticipated digital assets of 2026, with market analysts and expert traders suggesting that its potential is virtually limitless. In the early session of 2026, XRP is not looking well in the cryptocurrency market. According to the latest market data, the official cryptocurrency of Ripple, and the fifth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, is trading below the $1.85 support level. 

The XRP price today is $1.84, and it has been trading between $1.84 and $1.88 as of early January 2026. XRP Ledger’s digital asset is 1.34% down today over the past 24 hours, extending its short-term bearish momentum. Its market analytics show that XRP plummeted as low as $1.81 on January 1st, and based on the market trend, conservative estimates range from a minimum of $1.84 to $2.70 by the end of January. XRP’s support holds near $1.82-$1.77, but a breakdown below this point could lead to a steep price drop, leading to $1.60. 

XRP Current Market Scenario

According to the current market stats, XRP is trading at $1.84, significantly below the $2 psychological level. Despite the Santa Claus Rally and the new year’s fresh start, XRP struggled in the market and extended its mixed to bearish momentum. XRP’s extended short-term bearish trend is mainly due to whale dumping, technical weakness, and altcoin underperformance in the cryptocurrency market. XRP recorded a monthly decline of 8.61%, marking a significant price drop over the past two months. XRP has traded 13/30 (43%) days in green, and the Fear & Greed Index displays 21, which means “Extreme Fear” in the market, and investors are now cautious. XRP’s price volatility is recorded at $5.04, and it is trading below both the 50-Day SMA ($ 2.06) and the 200-Day SMA ($ 2.48). 

XRP Price Forecast: Expert Views & Opinions

Industry experts and analysts are starting 2026 with a fresh mindset, and they are optimistic about XRP’s market performance.       

Crypto analyst page Mr. Bullish posted on X that XRP had swept liquidity from a strong support zone and had quickly reclaimed it, showing that buyers were active.

$XRP swept liquidity from a strong support zone and quickly reclaimed it, showing buyers are active. Price gave a clean retest and is now holding above support, which confirms bullish intent.

The next major liquidity zone is above the descending trendline, and price is likely… pic.twitter.com/yMwUhTHlwB

— 𝙈𝙧 𝘽𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 🚀 (@mr_bullishh) January 1, 2026

He mentioned that the price had given a clean retest and was now holding above support, which confirmed bullish intent. He stated that the next major liquidity zone was above the descending trendline, and the price was likely to move higher to grab that liquidity. He added that as long as support held, bullish continuation was expected and advised to manage risk properly.

Jake Claver, the CEO of Digital Ascension Group, previously predicted that XRP would hit $100 before the end of 2025, and the whole XRP community was thrilled, but the legendary price prediction didn’t play out.

Jake’s prediction didn’t play out.

The important part is this:
the fundamentals of $XRP haven’t changed.

If anything, time has been extended – not the thesis invalidated.

Understanding the asset matters more than any content creators price/time predictions.

— Crypto_Luke (@LukeSuther33435) January 1, 2026

Investors and XRP holders have been criticizing Jake ever since. XRP holder Crypto Luke responded to the matter and commented that Jake’s prediction hadn’t played out. He emphasized that the important part was that the fundamentals of $XRP hadn’t changed. He noted that if anything, time had been extended, not that the thesis was invalidated. He stated that understanding the asset mattered more than any content creator’s price/time predictions. 

XRP Price Prediction Today: Will XRP Hit $2 on New Year’s Day 

Despite the strong institutional inflows and ETF momentum, XRP is still sluggish in the cryptocurrency market. It is now consolidating between $1.84 and $1.89. XRP trades at an average of approximately $1.83 today on New Year’s Day, with a significant drop in its market capitalization. According to XRP’s live market data, no surge to $2 psychological level is confirmed at the moment. 

Here is the XRP price prediction for the next seven days.  

Date	Min Price	Avg Price	Max Price
Jan 1, 2026	$1.83	$1.86	$1.89
Jan 2, 2026	$1.82	$1.84	$1.86
Jan 3, 2026	$1.81	$1.83	$1.85
Jan 4, 2026	$1.81	$1.83	$1.85
Jan 5, 2026	$1.83	$1.85	$1.87
Jan 6, 2026	$1.86	$1.88	$1.90
Jan 7, 2026	$1.86	$1.88	$1.90

Disclaimer: XRP price prediction data is speculative and subject to change

According to the XRP short-term price forecast, the digital asset is expected to trade at an average maximum price of 1.87 for the next seven days. Coincodex analysts predicted that, according to their latest XRP price prediction, XRP was forecasted to drop by -0.74% and reach $1.83 by January 31, 2026.

XRP Outlook: Will XRP Make a Comeback in 2026?

XRP shows strong capabilities and potential for a 2026 comeback. According to the market trend and its historical data, a potential breakout above $3 can be expected in early 2026. If bullish catalysts like ETF inflows and regulatory clarity play a superior role, XRP could trade at a higher price of $20 by the end of the first half of this year. Ripple’s ODL expansion and CBDC integrations will enhance XRP’s utility and its role in global payments. In summary, an XRP comeback appears likely in 2026 if ETF and adoption trends hold, though volatility demands caution. 

Cryptocurrency price predictions, including those for XRP, are highly speculative and based on historical data, technical analysis. Past performance and market evaluation do not guarantee future results; consult a financial expert before investing.