XRP reclaimed $1, so why are traders still refusing to commit?

XRP has recovered the $1.0 psychological level after dropping to $0.98, its lowest level since 2024. 

The positive performance comes as investors react to escalating tensions in the Middle East and the upcoming FOMC minutes. 

The remittance-focused cryptocurrency has remained under pressure for much of 2026, with sellers retaining control below its major moving averages. 

By recovering above the $1.0 psychological level, buyers would need to break through nearby resistance to enable them to extend the rally. 

XRP reclaims $1.0

XRP is the third best performer among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap in the last 24 hours, behind Solana and Ethereum.

The remittance coin is up by 1% in the last 24 hours and now trades at $1.0057.

The positive performance comes after Ripple announced earlier this week that it had entered into a strategic partnership with Jeonbuk Bank as part of its broader expansion across Asia.

The agreement will see Jeonbuk Bank use Ripple Payments to improve cross-border transfers for corporate customers. 

The service is designed to settle transactions almost instantly while improving transparency and lowering costs.

Similar to Bitcoin and Ethereum, spot XRP ETFs are also experiencing renewed institutional interest.

Data obtained from CoinGlass’s ETF page shows that XRP ETFs recorded an inflow of $5.81 million on Tuesday following a muted performance the previous day. 

However, retail interest in XRP remains relatively weak. According to CoinGlass data, XRP’s futures Open Interest (OI) has declined by roughly 1% since Tuesday and now stands at $2.73 billion.

The declining OI suggests that traders are closing their long positions in the market as they are not optimistic about a rally. 

Technical outlook: XRP seeks to reclaim key resistance

The XRP/USD 4-hour chart remains bearish and inefficient despite XRP reclaiming the $1.0 psychological level.

However, XRP continues to trade below its 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs), indicating that selling pressure persists across several time horizons.

XRP also trades below a descending resistance trendline located near $1.06. This trendline has repeatedly limited recovery attempts and remains the first major obstacle for buyers.

The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator is marginally negative, suggesting bearish momentum remains in place. 

Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index stands at 47, reflecting a fading bearish narrative. 

Immediate resistance sits at the 4-hour Transactional Liquidity (TLQ) at $1.03 and the descending trendline near $1.06, followed by the 50-day EMA around $1.07.

The concentration of resistance in this area creates a significant near-term barrier. A sustained daily close above the $1.03-$1.07 region would be required to reduce selling pressure and improve XRP’s short-term technical outlook.

If buyers clear that zone, the 100-day EMA at approximately $1.16 would become the next target. The 200-day EMA at $1.35 represents a more substantial longer-term resistance level.

On the downside, XRP lacks clearly established structural support immediately below $1.00 on the 4-hour chart.

This absence leaves the token vulnerable to a deeper correction if sellers maintain control, potentially prompting investors to reassess exposure across exchanges and crypto wallets.

Ripple’s recent expansion in South Korea strengthens the company’s cross-border payments business, but XRP will likely require improving market sentiment and a decisive technical breakout before it can establish a sustained recovery.