- XRP price fell about 5%, trading near $1.80.
- The altcoin’s losses occurred amid broad bearish market sentiment.
- Ripple’s token could slide toward $1.50, although a bounce remains possible.
Ripple’s XRP dropped roughly 5% as fresh selling pressure swept the cryptocurrency market during early trading on December 18, 2025. With major altcoins extending recent declines, XRP hit intraday lows around $1.81 before finding temporary support.
Once a strong performer earlier in the year, XRP now faces downside risk amid wider risk-off conditions that have pressured digital assets and traditional risk assets alike.
XRP bears push price toward $1.80
At the time of writing, XRP was trading around $1.83. Price action showed a 5% decline over the previous 24 hours after sellers repeatedly rejected advances near $1.98, pushing the token to test the $1.80 support zone.
On Thursday, XRP briefly touched $1.81 — a move that raises the prospect of accelerated downside if sellers remain in control. Market data indicates that this drop has been accompanied by elevated trading volumes, which typically point to active distribution rather than isolated panic selling.
The decline aligns with weakness across the broader altcoin market while Bitcoin traded below the key $90,000 threshold. Macroeconomic uncertainty and negative sentiment across risk assets have contributed to the selling pressure.
Ripple price outlook
The break below $1.90 has turned prior support near $2.00 into a potential overhead resistance area. Recent price behavior reinforces near-term bearish control: a downward-sloping 50-day exponential moving average and falling RSI readings both signal waning momentum.
Derivatives markets have seen increased liquidations of long positions, further amplifying downward pressure. Whale activity is mixed: some large holders have accumulated during dips, but on-chain metrics show heightened distribution from older cohorts, which has hampered rebound attempts and helped push XRP beneath the $2.00 psychological level.
From a technical perspective, bears currently have the edge. Veteran trader Peter Brandt warned of a possible “double-top” reversal pattern on XRP’s chart, a formation that typically signals a trend reversal if price fails to reclaim key resistance levels. While Brandt acknowledged the pattern could fail, he emphasized the bearish implications if it holds.
His technical caution highlights a growing divergence between short-term chart signals and Ripple’s improving fundamentals, which include stablecoin integrations and new institutional tools. As a result, attention has shifted to critical support levels while investors weigh technical risks against long-term adoption prospects.
If sellers sustain momentum, the next major support zones are near $1.70 and then $1.50. Conversely, there are countervailing factors that could help buyers regain ground. Spot XRP ETFs have continued to see inflows: according to Coinglass data, XRP ETFs recorded about $9.84 million in inflows on December 17. Persistent ETF demand and renewed confidence in XRP’s longer-term outlook could enable a recovery above $2.00, which would be the first step toward improving sentiment.
A successful rebound toward $2.30 could open the door to further upside, with $3.00 as a potential target if momentum returns. Over the longer term, XRP still awaits a clear breach of the $4.00 level to confirm a significantly more bullish trajectory.