Entering 2026, the XRP price trend remains relatively moderate. After reaching a cyclical high of approximately $3.65 in 2025, XRP retreated to around $2.15 in early January and oscillated sideways, with market sentiment showing a wait-and-see attitude. Overall, there is a certain degree of disconnect between the price performance and the progress of its infrastructure.
From a technical and ecological perspective, the XRP Ledger officially launched the EVM sidechain in mid-2025, which is seen as an important step to promote ecological expansion. The sidechain allows developers to deploy smart contracts using mature development tools from the Ethereum ecosystem, thereby lowering the entry barrier. However, early data remains conservative. As of early January, on-chain revenue generated by the EVM sidechain is very low, with total value locked (TVL) less than $50,000, indicating that actual usage has not yet scaled.
Overall, this does not mean that the EVM sidechain lacks long-term potential. Considering that multiple mainstream public chains already support EVM compatibility, the XRP ecosystem still needs to attract developers and liquidity through differentiated applications, funding incentives, or institutional collaboration. Progress in this area is more likely to unfold gradually.
At the enterprise level, Ripple has been active in 2025. The company completed acquisitions of several financial and crypto infrastructure firms, such as Hidden Road, aiming to enhance brokerage, custody, and payment capabilities. Meanwhile, Ripple launched the stablecoin Ripple USD and actively promoted banking business expansion, including applying for a national bank license in the US and related custody accounts. These measures strengthen its connection with the traditional financial system, but also imply a relatively steady rather than aggressive implementation pace.
Regarding price forecasts, several analysts believe that XRP has a possibility of returning to around $3 in 2026, offering about 40% potential upside from current levels. The supporting logic mainly comes from continuous institutional allocation, gradual ecosystem expansion, and deeper cooperation with financial institutions, rather than single-event triggers.
It is important to note that XRP’s current market capitalization has exceeded $100 billion, and its price elasticity is relatively limited. Historical experience shows that even as network functions continue to improve, token prices may lag behind temporarily. The subsequent trend will still depend on actual application growth, capital flows, and changes in the overall crypto market environment.
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