XRP price prediction: Ripple CEO optimism amid market fear

The XRP price continues to trend lower despite Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse’s growing optimism about the crypto market’s long-term trajectory.

Although sentiment across the market remains fragile, both on-chain data and technical indicators hint that this weakness could be temporary.

U.S. regulation in focus

The crypto market has been shaky as Bitcoin pulls back, but Garlinghouse isn’t wavering. He sees 2026 as a potential breakthrough year for crypto, driven by clearer U.S. regulations and institutional adoption.

Critics pushed back after he supported the draft CLARITY Act, which aims to define regulatory oversight for digital assets. Garlinghouse insists clarity beats uncertainty any day.

For XRP investors, regulatory progress continues to shape the broader XRP outlook.

Technical structure and XRP price prediction

On January 23, Ripple (XRP) is trading near $1.91, slipping roughly 1.7% in the last 24 hours after briefly climbing back toward $1.98 earlier this week.

Looking at the chart, XRP is moving within a descending wedge pattern, where price action continues to compress as highs and lows converge. This kind of structure usually signals that bearish momentum is weakening and that a reversal could be building.

To confirm a bullish shift, XRP must reclaim $2.00 on a daily close. A sustained move above $2.10–$2.20 would strengthen the short-term XRP forecast and open room for higher levels.

Without a confirmed breakout, XRP still faces downside risk. The $1.90 zone is the nearest support level to watch. Losing that area could send the price toward $1.85, with buyers likely stepping in around $1.80.

Market sentiment and on-chain data

Market mood around XRP has turned decisively negative. Fear-driven sentiment now dominates social discussions, a setup that has historically appeared closer to the end of sell-offs than the start of prolonged downturns.

At the same time, exchange activity suggests something very different is happening beneath the surface. XRP is increasingly being moved into private wallets, a trend often linked to accumulation during periods of extreme pessimism.

This disconnect between what traders are saying and what longer-term holders are doing supports the idea that current prices may be seen as an opportunity ahead of a possible trend change.

Conclusion

Currently, the XRP price prediction reflects a market torn between heavy fear and behind-the-scenes accumulation.

Even though momentum hasn’t flipped yet, deeply bearish sentiment, coins moving off exchanges, and a bullish chart structure point to limited downside unless key supports fail.

A move back above $2.00 could be enough to shift the wider XRP outlook firmly in favor of the bulls.