XRP traded at $1.022 on Friday, extending a weekly decline to 5.5% as selling pressure overwhelmed a notable spike in trading activity. The 24-hour volume of $1.39 billion exceeded the token's 30-day average by roughly 40%, a divergence that typically signals distribution rather than accumulation when price moves lower.
Market observers noted the volume surge coincided with renewed uncertainty around U.S. regulatory policy, though no new enforcement actions or filings were published in the past 48 hours. The token has now failed to reclaim the $1.05 level on three separate attempts this month, each rejection accompanied by above-average turnover.
What triggered the move
The latest leg down began Wednesday after the broader market shed $12 billion in capitalization within a four-hour window. Bitcoin dominance held at 56.6%, suggesting the selling was broad-based rather than XRP-specific. Ethereum's 10.1% dominance share was unchanged, reinforcing the risk-off tone across major assets.
CoinGecko data shows XRP's 24-hour decline of 2.3% roughly matched the total market cap contraction of 0.55% on a percentage basis, though the token's smaller liquidity pool amplified the absolute price impact. The $1.39 billion in volume represented 2.2% of the token's circulating market cap, a turnover rate that exceeds Bitcoin's 1.8% over the same period.
How desks are positioning
Trading desks reported elevated put-option activity in the $0.95-$1.00 strike range for December expiry, with open interest rising 18% since Monday. The skew suggests professionals are hedging against a test of the 200-day moving average near $0.92 rather than positioning for a breakout.
Custody data from two major prime brokers showed net outflows of approximately 45 million XRP from institutional wallets over the past five sessions. The tokens moved to exchange-affiliated addresses, a pattern that typically precedes liquidation rather than reallocation. Neither broker disclosed client identities, citing confidentiality agreements.
Why the timing matters
The token's next technical test sits at $0.98, the June low that held on two prior touches. A daily close below that level would open a measured move toward $0.85, the volume-weighted average price since the July 2023 court ruling. Resistance now clusters between $1.05 and $1.08, where three separate rejection candles have formed since early November.
| Metric | Current | 7-Day Change | 30-Day Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.022 | -5.5% | $1.08 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24h Volume | $1.39B | +40% vs avg | $990M |
| Market Cap | $63.9B | -5.2% | $67.4B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circulating Supply | 62.53B | +0.3% | 62.35B |
| BTC Dominance | 56.6% | +0.2% | 56.1% |
The next catalyst window arrives with the SEC's response deadline in the Ripple remedies phase, currently set for mid-January. Until then, flow data from the two largest U.S.-listed crypto funds — which collectively hold an estimated 1.2% of circulating supply — will offer the clearest signal on institutional conviction. Friday's volume spike without price follow-through suggests the market is waiting for that clarity before committing directionally.