- Whales added $1.5 billion in XRP, signaling strong institutional demand.
- Seven XRP ETF applications await SEC decisions starting October 18, raising hopes for approval.
- XRP held support at $3 as rate cuts and government bonds bolster a bullish outlook.
XRP entered October with renewed momentum, breaking above the $3 mark and drawing attention from traders, institutions, and regulators alike.
Often trailing Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) during major rallies, XRP is now viewed by analysts and market observers as a potential leader in the next bull wave.
A combination of whale accumulation, growing speculation around XRP ETFs, and a favorable macroeconomic backdrop has set the stage for what could become one of XRP’s most pivotal periods in recent years.
Whale appetite for XRP intensifies
Large holders have become increasingly active in recent days. Wallets holding between 100 million and one billion XRP have added more than half a billion tokens, worth approximately $1.54 billion.
XRP Ledger supply distribution | Source: Santiment
This inflow pushed whale balances toward record highs and underscored conviction at current price levels.
Even after some profit-taking, whale positions remain elevated, reflecting confidence in XRP’s trajectory.
Shorter-term investors are also building positions. The one-to-three-month holding cohort has steadily grown, while the share of supply moving within a single day has surged dramatically.
Combined whale and retail accumulation has created a rare alignment, with both ends of the market betting on a breakout above $3.10 in the near term.
Odds of XRP ETF approval jump ahead of October decision
Much of the rising enthusiasm stems from upcoming decisions on several spot XRP exchange-traded fund applications.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is scheduled to issue its first decision on October 18, with six additional cases set for rulings in the following week.
Notably, regulatory shifts—including the adoption of updated general listing standards—have improved the chances of approval and drawn comparisons to the process that paved the way for bitcoin ETFs.
Bitcoin ETFs have already attracted more than $150 billion in inflows, and if XRP ETFs receive similar approvals—even on a smaller scale—the resulting access for traditional investors could be transformative.
Prediction markets, including Polymarkets, are pricing approval probabilities at over 99%, supporting speculative flows in anticipation of a green light.
Source: Polymarket
Institutions are accumulating XRP
Alongside ETF bets, corporate treasuries are increasingly adding XRP to their holdings.
Nasdaq-listed VivoPower announced plans to allocate $19 million to XRP, while Japanese game tech firm Gumi added more than $13 million to its position.
These moves reinforce the view that companies see XRP as more than a speculative token—viewing it instead as a long-term asset with practical use cases for cross-border payments.
Ripple itself is expanding on the institutional front.
In Japan, SBI Holdings expanded institutional XRP lending services following its partnership with Ripple, a step that deepens Asian liquidity.
Meanwhile, Ripple pledged $1.3 million in stablecoins to fund a new Digital Assets Center at UC Berkeley, a center dedicated to blockchain research and real-world asset tokenization.
These initiatives bolster the narrative that XRP is positioning itself for wider financial adoption.
Price outlook for XRP
XRP rose nearly 11% over the past week and has gained more than 490% year-over-year, reflecting its ability to capitalize on favorable market cycles.
Since early August it has traded inside a descending triangle, but recent price action suggests rising pressure toward a decisive breakout.
Source: CoinMarketCap
The token has reclaimed its 20-day and 50-day moving averages, the relative strength index (RSI) sits in neutral territory, and momentum indicators such as the MACD are turning bullish.
The coming weeks could prove more consequential than the past year combined, driven by whale inflows, corporate treasury allocations, imminent ETF deadlines, and supportive macro conditions.
Short-term resistance at $3.10 remains the key hurdle for further bullish momentum.
A sustained close above $3.10 could open the door to targets near $3.40 and potentially $3.66.
Some analysts even see the potential for a move toward $4.20 if the breakout is accompanied by strong volume and continued institutional inflows.
However, to maintain its current bullish breakout, XRP must hold support at $2.99, which has remained firm during recent sessions.