In a recent analysis video, Nick from NCash argued that 2026 marks a structural shift for XRP as speculative trading fades and institutional infrastructure takes center stage. XRP Ledger transactions have reportedly climbed from about 1 million per day in mid‑2025 to nearly 3 million per day this week, which he links to institutional activity rather than retail traders. The thesis is supported by Ripple’s institutional DeFi messaging, Evernorth’s XRP-focused treasury operations, and survey data on digital asset adoption and custody preferences in Hong Kong.

In a recent video, commentator Kamilah Stevenson says XRP spot ETFs have attracted about $1.25 billion in inflows in 2026 even as XRP’s market price has fallen roughly 27%. She claims these products have logged 43 consecutive days without net redemptions and have moved more than 800 million XRP into institutional custody, framing the divergence between retail sentiment and institutional positioning as a key theme.

In a recent video, online analyst Levi Rietveld claimed that escalating Iran-related tensions and rising oil prices are drawing attention away from what he views as a rare late-bear-market accumulation phase for XRP. He argues that XRP trading below key weekly moving averages, alongside roughly 2.7 million daily XRP Ledger transactions and rising on-chain liquidity, supports a long-term upside scenario that could see the token reach about $20 in the next bull cycle.

According to commentary from Crypto Wendy, Bitwise's XRP-focused exchange-traded product in the United States has recently drawn nearly $10 million in new inflows despite a volatile altcoin market. At the same time, Ripple is rolling out its RLUSD stablecoin stack across XRP Ledger and Ethereum, pursuing institutional cross-border payment use cases while partners such as Hidden Road and Doppler Finance work on bridging XRP into traditional finance and multi-chain environments.

A macro-focused wealth analyst warns that rising tensions in the Middle East and potential disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a chain reaction from higher oil costs to stress in global market liquidity. As energy-driven inflation pressures Japan's long-running yen carry trade, forced unwinds could drain leverage and liquidity across risk assets, including crypto. In that scenario, settlement-focused networks using XRP for on-demand, cross-border transfers may become more strategically important as capital seeks faster rails when traditional systems are strained.

Crypto commentator Zach Rector reports that Tokyo-based Vlightup Inc. has gone live with a trade finance and global payments platform running on the XRP Ledger, using decentralized escrow for letters of credit. At the same time, XRP-linked U.S. ETFs are said to hold over 800 million XRP, with assets around $1.1 billion, while new yield products and regulatory tensions in the United States shape the broader market backdrop.

Kraken’s banking unit has reportedly obtained a Federal Reserve master account, becoming the first crypto-native company to gain direct access to the U.S. central bank’s core payment systems. The approval enables direct U.S. dollar settlement on Fed infrastructure but does not grant full banking privileges such as earning interest on reserves.

An XRP-focused analyst known as Common Sense Crypto argues that the token's recent climb toward about $1.39 reflects macro rotation from precious metals and growing ETF demand rather than a true decoupling from bitcoin. Watching charts that they describe as still bullish and closely aligned with bitcoin near $69,000, the commentator is eyeing a possible push toward $1.60 while dismissing early altseason and war-driven hyperbullish narratives as unrealistic. They instead emphasize rising XRP ETP volumes, disciplined escrow management, and future regulatory clarity as key drivers for potential double- or even triple-digit prices through 2026 if exchange supply tightens.

According to Levi Rietveld in a recent video, a path to $100 for XRP would rely on compressing the liquid float and sustained institutional demand. He argues that locking up as much as 90% of tradable supply, combined with ETF absorption and strict escrow discipline, could recreate conditions for outsized gains.