What color are XRP's decisions? When whales ignore retail panic

The price action of XRP in recent weeks reveals a fascinating dynamic: while retail investors are shedding positions out of fear, large accumulators—those whales whose wallets measure in hundreds of millions of tokens—continue their silent buying. With a current price of $1.40 and a 2.71% rebound in the last 24 hours, the market faces a bifurcation point where the intentions of the whales will determine the next move.

Whales Show Their Intent: $584 Million in XRP Accumulation

The numbers speak for themselves. While the XRP chart was falling toward $1.75 seeking support, whales (funds holding between 100 and 1,000 million tokens) accumulated a total of 330 million XRP just in January. This amounts to nearly $584 million in value—a coordinated purchase clearly signaling institutional confidence: green.

This behavior is no coincidence. In the context of 2025, when protocol updates including Automated Market Makers (AMM) generated price movements over 50%, the pattern repeats. Whales recognize that retail panic moments are windows of opportunity. The contrast is clear: when retail sells out of fear, larger players are building positions for the next cycle.

Technical Signals Revealing a Shift in Sentiment

The 4-hour chart shows clues that cannot be ignored. The S13 indicator, appearing right at recent lows, confirms the exhaustion of selling pressure. Essentially, sellers are losing strength at $1.75. Complementing this signal, the reversal count (marked as “9” on the small green candle) suggests the market is consolidating before an upward move.

The current RSI of 28.29 deepens the message: XRP is technically oversold. Historically, this level is where the most significant reversals begin to form. Resistance points are clearly marked at $1.80, $1.85, and especially at $2.09, where the price will face a real test of institutional strength versus retail speculative recovery.

Smart Money vs Retail Panic: The Real Battle

The current market is divided into two camps. On one side, retail panic selling their coins without a long-term vision. On the other, institutional money recognizing XRP as more than just volatile speculation. This dynamic is exactly what produces historic gains.

Accumulating 330 million tokens at these levels is no casual move. Whales are systematically “buying the fear,” revealing that their perspective is one of constructive confidence, not short-term speculation. While retail closes positions at losses, big funds are increasing theirs.

2026 Brings More Than Speculation: Institutional Infrastructure

The key is understanding that XRP is not just a volatile asset waiting for a BlackRock ETF. The Ripple protocol has an ambitious roadmap for 2026, including institutional-level privacy features via zero-knowledge proofs, and native tools enabling banks to lend money directly on the network.

This technical aspect is what differentiates current accumulation from pure speculation. Whales are buying infrastructure that could potentially move trillions of dollars in interbank transactions. The BlackRock ETF, although rumored to be finalized by year’s end, is just the icing on the institutional cake that is baking.

The Outlook: Technical Reversal with Accumulation Fundamentals

XRP is at a decision zone. The current price of $1.40, combined with the accumulation of 330 million tokens and technical reversal signals, suggests we are witnessing exactly what whales anticipated: panic creating opportunity.

The question is no longer if XRP will react, but when resistance levels at $1.80, $1.85, and $2.09 will reveal the true nature of the battle between institutional volume and retail fear. With each whale buy at lows, the scenario for a more pronounced rebound solidifies.

The true color of market decisions is always determined by those with more resources and patience. For now, that color is green for XRP.