XRP Today's News: ETF Flows Against the Trend and Decoupling from Bitcoin, Target Price of $8 in 2026

U.S. XRP Spot ETF Continues Eight Weeks of Fund Inflows, with a Total Net Inflow of $1.16 Billion, Contrasting Sharp Outflows of $2.74 Billion in Bitcoin Spot ETF During the Same Period. Standard Chartered Bank Global Digital Asset Research Head Geoffrey Kendrick Predicts XRP Will Reach $8 by End of 2026, a 327% Increase from the Current Price of $1.87.

ETF Fund Inflows Hit Eight-Week Record

(Source: SoSoValue)

On December 30, U.S. XRP Spot ETF Market Fund Inflows Reached $15.55 Million, with a Total Trading Volume of $50.16 Million, marking the eighth consecutive week of fund inflows. According to SoSoValue data, since its launch on November 14, 2025, the U.S. XRP Spot ETF market has not experienced any outflows, with total net inflows reaching $1.16 billion.

This sustained capital attraction is extremely rare in the current market environment. In comparison, since November 14, 2025, the U.S. Bitcoin Spot ETF market has seen cumulative net outflows of $2.74 billion, confirming the decoupling theory between XRP and Bitcoin. Notably, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has experienced net outflows of $2.2 billion. Given that IBIT has attracted a massive $62 billion in inflows since its launch in January 2024, the launch of iShares XRP Trust could serve as another price catalyst.

The trend of spot ETF fund flows reflects market sentiment and supply-demand dynamics, supporting the decoupling narrative from Bitcoin. Canary Funds CEO Steven McClurg stated in a live broadcast: “I believe XRP will actually become a unique asset. Seeing XRP remain resilient while all other cryptocurrencies are declining, with daily capital inflows, I believe XRP could stay strong through 2026.”

Standard Chartered Bank Forecasts $8 Target in 2026

Geoffrey Kendrick, Head of Global Digital Asset Research at Standard Chartered Bank, issued a forecast on December 30, stating that XRP’s price will reach $8 by the end of 2026. Based on the current price of $1.87, the $8 target represents a 327% return. Kendrick pointed out that the key factors are the clarification of regulation after the SEC v. Ripple case resolution, strong demand for XRP spot ETFs, and increased utility.

It’s noteworthy that Kendrick also predicts a target price of $12.5 for XRP by 2028. As XRP gains popularity and institutional demand increases, the supply-demand balance may firmly tilt in favor of XRP. Kendrick is among an increasing number of senior executives optimistic about the crypto market outlook. Grayscale Research Director Zach Pandl discussed positive price prospects in a December 26 podcast, citing strong institutional demand, tokenization, legislation, and Federal Reserve rate cuts as factors.

Three Major Price Catalysts for XRP in 2026

Regulatory Clarification: Resolution of SEC v. Ripple removes major uncertainty, paving the way for institutional entry

Continued ETF Capital Inflows: Eight consecutive weeks of no outflows, with total net inflows of $1.16 billion indicating institutional confidence

Utility Enhancement: Expansion of cross-border payments and tokenization applications driving real demand growth

These three catalysts reinforce each other, creating a positive feedback loop. Regulatory clarity attracts institutional funds via ETFs, which in turn push prices higher and attract more application scenarios for XRP, further strengthening its utility value.

Decoupling Trend from Bitcoin Becomes More Evident

(Source: Trading View)

Steven McClurg believes Bitcoin has entered a bear market cycle, which is in stark contrast to his bullish outlook on XRP. He stated: “There’s a lot of discussion about four-year cycles, but I think Bitcoin peaked in October and has now entered a bear cycle.” This judgment is based on mining activity impacts on price and cyclical patterns.

On December 30, XRP rose 1.45%, outperforming the overall crypto market’s 1.16% gain. Although XRP remains below the 50-day and 200-day exponential moving averages (EMA), the technical outlook is still bearish, but the fundamentals are leaning bullish, which outweighs technical signals. From the daily chart, breaking the $2.00 psychological level would pave the way for testing the 50-day moving average.

Key technical levels include: support at $1.75 and $1.50; resistance at $2.05 (50-day EMA); resistance at $2.36 (200-day EMA); major resistance levels at $2.0, $2.5, $3.0, and $3.66. Continued breakthroughs of EMA lines will confirm a medium-term bullish outlook and target a long-term price of $3.0.

Risk Factors and Outlook

Events that could undermine this optimistic outlook include: significant rate hikes by the Bank of Japan, U.S. economic indicators and Federal Reserve measures dampening rate cut expectations, MSCI removing digital asset reserve companies from indices, lawmakers questioning the “Market Structure Bill,” and XRP spot ETF reports showing outflows. These events could push the token’s price down to $1.75, signaling a reversal of the bearish trend.

Looking ahead, comments from central banks, U.S. economic data, developments related to the Market Structure Bill, and XRP spot ETF fund flows will continue to influence near-term price movements. Market expectations of a Fed rate cut in March, strong demand for XRP spot ETFs, and progress in crypto regulation will bolster positive sentiment. Growing institutional demand for XRP spot ETFs and regulatory developments support XRP’s potential to rise to $2.5 in the medium term (4-8 weeks), with a long-term (8-12 weeks) target of $3.0.