XRP price eyes December rally vs bitcoin on ETF inflows

Analysts are watching the XRP price prediction narrative closely as new ETF data and on-chain flows suggest a possible shift in market leadership this December.

How ETF flows are reshaping expectations for the XRP price

For the first time since spot crypto ETFs launched, XRP has outpaced Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana in daily ETF inflows, attracting more than $164 million in a single session. Most of that demand came from the debut of the Grayscale and Franklin Templeton XRP ETFs on the NYSE, which pulled in $67.4 million and $62.6 million, respectively, on launch.

Some traders see this ETF shift as the first serious indication that XRP could outperform Bitcoin in December. Moreover, the argument leans on seasonality: when November delivers weak performance for Bitcoin, historical Coinglass data shows that December often trades flat or even slides further, limiting upside for BTC.

What makes the XRP December pattern so unusual?

XRP has developed a distinctive December behavior over recent years. Since December 2023, the token has actually posted a green month. However, the median return for December sits around -3.16%, which typically encourages caution. That said, the average gain is a striking 69.6%, because a handful of outsized rallies heavily skew the statistics.

As a result, analysts often treat the xrp december pattern as a separate case rather than a simple extension of Bitcoin seasonality. The numbers suggest that while downside risk remains, the upside tail can be significant in select years, which helps explain why December positioning in XRP tends to attract speculative flows.

Why is XRP open interest rising again?

Ever since the so-called Trump tariff crash in October, xrp open interest has been under pressure, with derivatives exposure falling sharply and then grinding lower. However, that trend is now reversing. According to Coinglass data, open interest is climbing again and appears on track to push back above $4 billion if momentum continues.

The renewed appetite lines up with improving sentiment among large investors. Franklin Templeton, a $1.7 trillion asset manager, recently stated that XRP “plays a foundational role in global settlement infrastructure.” Moreover, such wording is widely read as an explicit endorsement of xrp institutional demand, reinforcing the case that capital from traditional finance is taking the asset more seriously.

On top of that, exchange data has turned more constructive. Analytics platform Glassnode reports that more than 73 million XRP left centralized exchanges over the last week. Historically, sizable xrp exchange outflows have signaled reduced near-term selling pressure, since tokens moved to self-custody or cold storage are statistically less likely to be market-sold in the short run.

Taken together, these shifts in derivatives exposure, institutional commentary, and spot balances raise the question of how strongly they might feed into price action over the final weeks of 2024. However, traders still need to weigh these bullish signs against broader macro and crypto market volatility.

Could the XRP price prediction for December include a return to $3?

Market watchers debating whether the xrp price can revisit its historical highs often focus on technical structure. In the current setup, the critical zone to watch sits between 2.17 and 2.25. This area previously acted as an accumulation band before a rally of more than 40%, suggesting it could again serve as a demand pocket if price consolidates there.

Meanwhile, the relative strength index has been rolling over. Since July, the RSI has dropped from around 80 to roughly 45, pointing to increasing bearish momentum without yet reaching traditional “oversold” territory. Moreover, that profile implies that price can still drift lower or continue sideways in the same range before momentum resets.

From a risk-management standpoint, analysts highlight the 1.95 level as a key line in the sand. As long as XRP holds above that support, many technicians argue that the broader bullish structure from earlier in the year remains intact. That said, a decisive break below 1.95 would likely force a reassessment of any aggressive xrp future price targets for December.

How does XRP stack up in the XRP vs Bitcoin debate?

For traders comparing xrp vs bitcoin into year-end, the divergence between ETF flows, open interest trends, and seasonal patterns is becoming central to positioning. XRP has just printed record ETF inflows and renewed accumulation signals, while Bitcoin faces a historically mixed December following a weaker November. Moreover, if capital continues rotating into altcoins, XRP may be one of the main beneficiaries.

However, the balance of risk remains tied to macro factors, including U.S. interest-rate expectations and broader risk sentiment across digital assets. Any renewed stress in global markets could hit both assets simultaneously, even if XRP currently shows a relatively stronger micro-structure on derivatives and on-chain data.

Looking beyond XRP: what is Bitcoin Hyper and why are traders watching it?

While XRP dominates headlines thanks to strong xrp etf inflows and institutional narratives, some market participants are rotating to newer projects in search of higher upside. One such name is Bitcoin Hyper, which has quietly built momentum in its ongoing token presale. The project has already raised about $28.5 million, signaling meaningful early interest from larger buyers.

Bitcoin Hyper positions itself as a fast Bitcoin Layer 2 network running on the Solana Virtual Machine while still settling back to Bitcoin for security. Moreover, this design aims to combine low-cost, high-throughput transactions with the perceived robustness of the Bitcoin base layer. The architecture is marketed as a way to benefit from market volatility rather than being overwhelmed by it.

Another feature drawing attention is its staking model, which currently advertises an annual yield around 41%. A trustless bridge allows users to mint BTC one-to-one on the Layer 2, helping build liquidity and utility within the ecosystem. However, as with all early-stage crypto projects, investors must weigh these incentives against smart contract, bridge, and execution risks.

What are the key takeaways for XRP traders in December?

In summary, XRP enters December with a rare combination of record ETF inflows, rising open interest, and meaningful exchange outflows, all against the backdrop of a historically volatile month. Moreover, the asset’s skewed December performance profile suggests both elevated risk and unusually large upside potential in strong years, particularly when Bitcoin stalls.

Whether XRP can convert these signals into a sustained push toward previous highs will depend on broader crypto sentiment, macro conditions, and how aggressively institutional capital follows through on early commitments. For now, the data shows that traders ignoring XRP may be overlooking one of the more asymmetric setups heading into the final stretch of the year.

Keyword principale: xrp price