- When Bitcoin slows down, altcoins often steal the spotlight – and XRP appears to be seizing the moment.
- But is a 27% rally a stretch – or is XRP about to prove the skeptics wrong?
Ripple [XRP] has dropped 27% from its $3.40 peak in less than a month, yet the RSI didn’t flash an ‘extreme’ overbought level.
Clearly, big gains were realized in the process, forcing weak hands to exit as the market turned volatile, creating a demand-supply imbalance.
Now, XRP outflows have surged to 123 million as the price plunged to $2.30, down 26% in a week. Is this the start of a new cycle – or just another bull trap?
A window of opportunity
Typically, when Bitcoin [BTC] consolidates, investors often turn to altcoins for risk management or quick gains.
The XRP/BTC pair seems to follow this trend. Over the past three days, it has turned green, rebounding from the same support level that once sent XRP soaring to $3.40.
![XRP/BTC](https://ambcrypto.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/XRPBTC_2025-02-09_11-44-53.png)
![XRP/BTC](https://ambcrypto.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/XRPBTC_2025-02-09_11-44-53.png)
Source: TradingView (XRP/BTC)
At press time, XRP was outpacing Bitcoin with 3x the returns, triggering over $4 million in short liquidations, while Open Interest (OI) was up 1.4%.
Perpetual traders were regaining dominance, and buy orders were piling up.
With capital flowing from Bitcoin, retail interest surging, and Futures traders piling in, a push toward $3.40 – doubling from its current value – doesn’t seem far-fetched.
But with $2.50 acting as a strong historical resistance and market volatility still in play, is a 27% rally too ambitious, or is XRP ready to defy the odds?
XRP’s fundamentals under scrutiny
The crypto market cap was up 1.57% at press time, signaling fresh capital inflows, yet high-cap assets remained far from their previous peaks.
Most were struggling to reclaim key psychological levels, waiting for a bullish spark to reignite momentum.
But with macro trends fueling fear, the “high risk, high reward” appeal of large-cap cryptos appeared to be fading – and XRP is feeling the pressure. HODLing looked less attractive as investors chased quick gains.
![fear and greed index](https://ambcrypto.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-09-124911.png)
![fear and greed index](https://ambcrypto.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-09-124911.png)
Source: CoinMarketCap
In this climate, short-term “hype” was driving the market, while whales continued selling – making a long-term rally less likely.
But with the XRP/BTC pair is bouncing back, a consolidation below $2.50 seems more likely in the near term.
Realistic or not, here’s XRP market cap in BTC’s terms
Unless whales flip to accumulation or the broader market roars back, a 27% surge is off the table – for now.
However, with a tug-of-war unfolding, XRP could be gearing up for its next major breakout, making HODLing a bet that just might pay off.