XRP traded at $1.035 on Monday, down 2.8% over the past week while Bitcoin climbed 3.2%, Ethereum added 4.1%, and Solana surged 6.8% over the same period. The divergence marks the sharpest weekly underperformance among top-ten assets since June, according to CoinGecko data.
What triggered the move
ETF inflows continued to favor Bitcoin and Ethereum products last week, with U.S. spot funds recording $1.2 billion in net subscriptions across the two largest cryptocurrencies. No XRP-focused ETF has launched in the United States, and the SEC's ongoing litigation against Ripple Labs has kept institutional product sponsors on the sidelines. The regulatory overhang has concentrated speculative flow into assets with clearer regulatory pathways.
How desks are positioning
Trading desks report reduced XRP order-book depth on major venues, with bid-ask spreads widening 15% compared to the prior week. Open interest on XRP perpetual futures fell 8% to $1.4 billion, while BTC and ETH open interest rose 4% and 6% respectively. The data suggests leveraged traders are unwinding XRP exposure rather than adding to positions during the broader bounce.
| Asset | Price | 24h Change | 7d Change | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BTC | $97,400 | +1.8% | +3.2% | $1.31T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETH | $3,420 | +2.1% | +4.1% | $412B |
| SOL | $189 | +3.4% | +6.8% | $88B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XRP | $1.035 | -0.4% | -2.8% | $64.7B |
Why the timing matters
The SEC's appeal deadline in the Ripple case passed in July without a filing, removing a near-term catalyst that some holders had priced in. Meanwhile, the CFTC's classification of XRP as a commodity in its Binance enforcement action has not translated into new exchange-traded products. Market observers note that without a regulated fund vehicle, XRP misses the steady bid that ETF arbitrage provides to Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Next milestone on the roadmap
Ripple's stablecoin RLUSD remains on track for a late-2026 launch, which could reintroduce institutional demand for XRP as a bridge asset. The company also secured a money-transmitter license in New York last month, expanding its U.S. operational footprint. Traders will watch the August 28 token unlock of 1 billion XRP from escrow — the largest scheduled release this quarter — for signs of selling pressure.