XRP is trading below the $2.00 mark as the market drifts into a phase defined by apathy and uncertainty, with participation thinning and conviction on both sides fading. After a powerful rally earlier in the cycle, price action has cooled significantly, and recent attempts to regain momentum have failed to attract sustained follow-through. The current environment reflects a market that is no longer driven by aggressive speculation but instead is weighed down by caution and a lack of clear directional catalysts.

Top analyst Darkfost explains that the shift began in the derivatives market. After XRP open interest on Binance surged to a new all-time high of $1.76 billion on July 17, positioning became increasingly crowded. As price stalled and volatility picked up, that leverage started to unwind.

The result was a sharp contraction in open interest, which unfolded alongside a major price correction. XRP fell from $3.55 to $1.83, a drawdown of nearly 50%, highlighting how tightly price and leverage were linked during the distribution phase.

Declining moving averages compress the price, signaling persistent downside pressure and weak momentum. Most recently, Binance XRP open interest dropped below $500 million, a level that has persisted since the exceptional liquidation event on October 10.

This sustained compression signals a market that has largely flushed excess leverage, but has yet to see renewed speculative interest—leaving XRP stuck below $2 and searching for a new equilibrium.

Deleveraging Resets Market Structure After Liquidity Flush

Overall, XRP open interest has fallen by nearly 60%, signaling a significant destruction of liquidity in the derivatives market, particularly following the October 10 (10/10) liquidation event. This contraction reflects a broad unwinding of leveraged positions rather than a sudden collapse in spot demand. As positions were forced out or closed voluntarily, the derivatives layer thinned substantially, leaving the market far less crowded than during the mid-2025 peak.

It is also important to recognize the mechanical effect of price on open interest. As XRP’s price dropped, the notional value of outstanding futures contracts fell alongside it, naturally amplifying the contraction in OI. In other words, part of the drop reflects lower prices reducing leverage in dollar terms, not just traders exiting positions. Still, the scale of the decline points to a genuine reset in speculative activity.

Stepping back, these deleveraging phases play a critical role in restoring healthier market conditions. They flush out excess leverage, reduce forced-selling risk, and shift control away from overextended short-term traders. Historically, such phases become visible when XRP open interest on Binance falls below its semi-annual average, as is the case now.

Past cycles show that once leverage is rebuilt gradually—and participation returns without excessive crowding—price action often stabilizes first and recovers later. While this does not guarantee an immediate rally, the current cleanup phase reduces downside fragility and lays the groundwork for a more sustainable move if demand re-emerges.

XRP Price Action Details

XRP is trading just below the $2.00 psychological level, hovering around $1.89. This is a zone that has repeatedly acted as short-term support over recent months. Declining moving averages compress the price, signaling persistent downside pressure and weak momentum.

The 50-period moving average (blue) continues to slope downward and now acts as dynamic resistance near the $2.30–$2.40 region. Above it, the 100-period moving average (green) reinforces this resistance cluster, confirming that medium-term trend control remains with sellers.

More importantly, XRP is now leaning on the 200-period moving average (red), which has flattened and is acting as a critical structural support around the $1.85–$1.90 range. Historically, sustained trading near the 200 MA often marks transition zones between continuation and broader trend failure. A clean break below this level would expose risk toward prior demand zones near $1.60–$1.70.

Volume remains muted, suggesting market apathy rather than panic selling. This aligns with the broader derivatives deleveraging we’ve already observed, suggesting that the market has largely flushed out speculative pressure.

For any meaningful recovery, XRP must reclaim the 50 MA and hold above $2.00. Until then, price action points to consolidation under resistance. The direction hinges on whether long-term support continues to hold or finally gives way.

Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com 

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Filed under: Bitcoin - @ January 28, 2026 4:00 am