Sun. Mar 15th, 2026

XRP Slips Below $1.40 as ETF Inflows Pause

Ripple (XRP) is down 1.06% to $1.39 on Saturday’s trading session as Exchange-Traded Fund (ETFs) inflows paused for the second week, amidst a sharp decline in trading volume.

Data from cryptocurrency exchanges showed that XRP volume plunged 58% over 24 hours to $1.5 billion, as investors booked profits amid volatile price movements.

The price movement is closely tracking a broader market pullback amid macro uncertainty, primarily driven by risk-off sentiment spilling over from Bitcoin.

XRP’s decline mirrored a 1.14% drop in the total crypto market cap. Latest data showed Bitcoin fell 1.2% amid weak US economic growth and persistent inflation, which heightened recession fears and drove a risk-off environment.

As a major altcoin, XRP typically exhibits high beta to Bitcoin during such macro-driven moves. Network fundamentals remain strong, with XRP Ledger daily payments hitting 2.7 million, but this long-term growth narrative did not offset the short-term market sell-off.

In the absence of a unique catalyst, XRP’s price action was predominantly driven by flows and sentiment tracking the wider market.

XRP consolidated in a tight range between $1.36 and $1.45, technical traders said. A symmetrical triangle pattern noted by analyst Ali Martinez suggests a potential breakout is nearing.

The immediate trigger is broader market sentiment, particularly Bitcoin’s ability to hold above $70,000. The structure is neutral and coiling, awaiting a decisive move. Holding the $1.34 support is critical for bulls.

A daily close above $1.45 signal strength and a target of $1.75–$1.80, or a break below $1.34 that could trigger a 5–10% decline. U.S. spot XRP ETFs have recorded zero net inflows since March 4, 2026, with daily outflows remaining consistent.

This marks a sharp decline from the over $1 billion in cumulative net flows. This is bearish for XRP in the short term because sustained ETF outflows reduce a key source of buying pressure and can reflect negative sentiment among regulated investors.

However, it contrasts with recent price resilience, suggesting other factors may be at play.  Payment volume on the XRP Ledger increased by 15.7% in 24 hours, rising to 741.5 million XRP on March 13.

Crypto analysts said this spike in utility occurred even as XRP’s price fell by more than 3%, underscoring a divergence between network use and market valuation. XRP Gains as Ripple Consolidates Services to Single Platform
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