XRP plunges after $1.45 touch: is a deeper drop below $1.40 next?

XRP is trading around $1.41, extending a mild pullback after briefly testing the $1.45 area on CoinMarketCap.

The move has left the token stuck in a tight range, with price action now compressed between $1.39 and $1.46.

Despite multiple attempts to break higher, momentum faded quickly as broader crypto sentiment weakened and buyers failed to sustain pressure above resistance.

Over the past 24 hours, XRP has slipped about 1.1%, underperforming a slightly weaker Bitcoin and reflecting a wider shift away from altcoins.

Notably, the decline was not driven by any XRP-specific development.

Instead, it aligned with a broader market rotation where Bitcoin dominance edged higher toward 60%, signalling capital moving out of riskier assets.

Selling pressure builds as volume spikes

The XRP price drop was accompanied by a sharp rise in trading activity.

The XRP volume has climbed roughly 51% to about US$1.7 billion (approx. $3 billion) according to CoinMarketCap, showing that the move was backed by real participation rather than low-liquidity drift.

This level of activity suggests that sellers were active during the pullback, reinforcing downward pressure as the price slipped away from recent highs.

At the same time, XRP continues to behave like a high-beta asset within the crypto market.

A broader decline in total crypto market capitalisation of about 0.38% was enough to trigger proportional weakness in XRP, which fell roughly in line with the wider market.

This pattern reflects a consistent theme across recent sessions: XRP is reacting more to overall liquidity conditions than internal developments.

Key support at $1.40 now the focal point

The current price structure now centres on a clearly defined support zone around $1.40 to $1.41.

This area has repeatedly acted as a short-term pivot. As long as XRP holds above it, the market remains in a consolidation phase rather than a full breakdown.

If support at $1.40 fails, the next level traders are watching sits near $1.39.

Below that, downside pressure could extend further as liquidity thins out in the lower range.

On the upside, XRP faces immediate resistance at $1.43, a level that has repeatedly capped recovery attempts.

A daily close above that zone would open the door toward $1.46 to $1.47, where short-term projections cluster.

However, technical indicators show a mixed picture with 7 out of 23 tracked technical indicators signalling a bullish trend, 6 leaning bearish, and 10 showing neutral readings, reflecting a lack of strong directional conviction.

Most importantly, while the 14-day RSI sits near 52, a neutral level that suggests the market could go either way, the weekly RSI near 37 signals broader weakness still lingering beneath the surface.

In addition, XRP has only reclaimed the 10-day EMA, 20-day EMA, and the 50-day EMA, while the 100-day and 200-day EMAs remain above XRP's price, acting as layered resistance.

This configuration typically reflects a market that is recovering in the short term but still constrained by longer-term pressure.

XRP price forecast: range-bound unless $1.43 breaks

Near-term projections suggest XRP remains in a consolidation phase unless key levels break.

A move above $1.43 could extend momentum toward $1.47, which is the next short-term target based on technical projection models.

On the downside, a failure to hold $1.40 would likely expose $1.39, with further weakness possible if selling volume remains elevated.

Longer-term outlook models show wider scenarios rather than a single trajectory.

Estimates for 2026 place XRP in a broad range between approximately $0.86 and $2.28, reflecting the uncertainty around macro conditions and liquidity cycles.

While some projections extend higher into future cycles, current price action remains firmly in a consolidation phase with the next breakout direction dependent on whether buyers can reclaim resistance at $1.43 or whether sellers force a breakdown below $1.40.