- Whales added $1.5 billion in XRP, signaling strong institutional demand.
- Seven spot XRP ETF filings await the SEC’s decision starting October 18, raising hopes for approval.
- XRP has held $3 support as rate cut expectations and Treasury flows fuel bullish outlooks.
XRP entered October with renewed momentum, breaking above $3 and drawing attention from traders, institutions, and regulators.
The cryptocurrency, which often played a supporting role behind Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) during major rallies, is now viewed by analysts and market observers as a potential leader in the next bullish wave.
A mix of whale accumulation, growing speculation around XRP ETFs, and a favorable macroeconomic backdrop has set the stage for what could be one of the most decisive periods for XRP in years.
Rising whale appetite for XRP
Large holders have made their presence felt in recent days, with wallets holding between 100 million and 1 billion XRP adding more than half a billion tokens valued at $1.54 billion.
Distribution of XRP Ledger (XRP) supply | Source: Santiment
This surge pushed whale balances toward record levels, underscoring conviction at current price points.
Even after minor profit-taking, whale positions remain elevated, reflecting confidence in XRP’s trajectory.
At the same time, short-term holders also built positions. The one- to three-month holder cohort has steadily increased, while the share of supply moving in a single day rose noticeably.
Together, this simultaneous accumulation by whales and retail investors created a rare moment of alignment, with both ends of the market betting on a breakout above $3.10 in the near term.
ETF approval odds rise ahead of October decisions
Much of the growing enthusiasm stems from imminent decisions on several spot XRP ETF applications.
The U.S. SEC is scheduled to issue its first decision on October 18, with six additional cases set for the following week.
Notably, regulatory shifts—including adoption of new generic listing standards—have increased the chances of approval and drawn parallels to the process that paved the way for Bitcoin ETFs.
Bitcoin ETFs have already attracted over $150 billion in inflows, and if XRP ETFs receive similar approval—even at a smaller scale—the resulting accessibility for traditional investors could be transformative.
Prediction markets are already pricing approval probabilities above 99%, feeding speculative flows ahead of potential green lights.
Source: Polymarket
Institutions accumulate XRP
Alongside ETF bets, corporate treasury allocations are increasingly adding XRP.
Nasdaq-listed VivoPower announced plans to allocate $19 million to XRP, while Japan’s Gumi added more than $13 million to its holdings.
These moves bolster the view that companies see XRP as more than a speculative token—rather, as a long-term asset with utility in cross-border payments.
Ripple itself has advanced institutional initiatives.
In Japan, SBI Holdings expanded its institutional XRP lending services following its partnership with Ripple, a decision that deepens Asian liquidity.
Meanwhile, Ripple announced a $1.3 million stablecoin donation to fund a new digital asset center at UC Berkeley, focused on blockchain research and tokenization of real-world assets.
These efforts add weight to the narrative that XRP is positioning for broader financial adoption.
XRP price outlook
XRP gained nearly 11% over the past week and more than 490% over the past year, reflecting its ability to capitalize on favorable cycles.
However, it has been confined within a descending triangular channel since early August, and recent moves suggest pressure is building for a decisive breakout.
Source: CoinMarketCap
The token has reclaimed its 20- and 50-day moving averages, the relative strength index (RSI) sits in neutral territory, and momentum indicators like the MACD are turning bullish.
The coming weeks could prove more decisive than the past year combined, driven by whale inflows, corporate treasury allocations, ETF deadlines, and an increasingly supportive macro backdrop.
Attention is focused on near-term resistance at $3.10, which remains the main hurdle for renewed upside momentum.
A sustained close above $3.10 could open targets near $3.40 and potentially $3.66.
Some analysts even see the possibility of a run toward $4.20 if strong volume and institutional flows accompany the move.
However, to maintain the current bullish breakout, XRP must hold support around $2.99, which has remained firm in recent sessions.