Ripple XRP Price Forecast: XRP at $2.89 with Powell Risk Ahead

Ripple Price Forecast: XRP-USD Slides to $2.89 as Whales Exit Ahead of Powell, But Long-Term Adoption Signals Remain Strong

XRP-USD Price Action and Whale Behavior

Ripple’s XRP-USD has come under significant pressure in August trading, sliding to $2.89, down more than 13% over six days, and flirting with critical support at $2.85. Large holders — wallets controlling between 10–100 million XRP — unloaded nearly 460 million tokens last week, a notable supply event that amplified downside momentum. In contrast, mid-tier wallets holding 1–10 million XRP accumulated 130 million tokens, showing that while “mega-whales” were booking profits, smaller institutional and high-net-worth buyers saw an entry opportunity. The skew in distribution has historically mattered; XRP tends to follow the behavior of its largest holders, making the recent 460 million selloff a key warning signal.

Profitability Levels and Risk of Profit-Taking

Even after the recent selloff, 93% of circulating XRP supply remains in profit, with holders sitting on gains since the token’s surge past $3.00 in mid-July. That is a historically dangerous setup. Both in 2018 and 2021, XRP entered similar phases where over 90% of supply was in profit — both times it was followed by devastating corrections of 85%–95%. Profit margins haven’t dropped below 80% since November 2024, when XRP rallied sharply after Donald Trump’s election victory. With Powell’s Jackson Hole speech on deck, traders fear that hawkish language could catalyze another wave of mass profit-taking, which would open XRP to a slide toward $2.74 or even $2.63.

Technical Landscape: XRP-USD Chart Structure

Technically, XRP has broken below the 50-day simple moving average, the $2.95 floor, and the lower boundary of a symmetrical triangle pattern. Support lies at $2.85, with further cushions at $2.78, $2.74, and $2.63. Resistance sits in the $3.02–$3.15 zone, where sellers have repeatedly capped rallies. The RSI has slipped to 35.8, approaching oversold levels, and the Stochastic Oscillator confirms bearish pressure. Repeated long lower shadows on candlesticks suggest dip buyers are testing the waters, but conviction is thin. A sustained recovery above $3.05 would be needed to flip momentum back to neutral and reopen the path to $3.50 and beyond.

Macro Backdrop and Powell’s Jackson Hole Impact

Ripple’s short-term performance cannot be separated from macro. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming Jackson Hole remarks loom large. Rising U.S. inflation — flagged by consumer updates from companies like Home Depot, which warned of tariff-driven price hikes — has spurred fears of delayed Fed easing. That hawkish tilt has weighed on speculative assets broadly, with XRP dropping 5.5% in the past 24 hours and Ethereum falling nearly 5% below $4,100. A signal from Powell that rate cuts are still possible could spark a relief rally back toward $3.25–$3.50, while a hard line on inflation could trigger an acceleration of the selloff toward $2.60.

Medium-Term Projections for XRP-USD

Looking out to 2026–2027, XRP’s chart structure is less dire. Both the 50-day and 200-day moving averages remain upward sloping, pointing to an intact long-term uptrend. The RSI sits in a neutral zone, showing no clear overbought condition. If XRP consolidates above $3.00, analysts see a breakout above $3.50 as the next major trigger. That could reopen targets of $5–$7.20 over the next cycle, contingent on institutional inflows and spot ETF approval. By 2028–2030, scenarios project XRP testing $6–$8 resistance before chasing the psychological $10 threshold, though much depends on regulatory clarity and banking adoption.

XRP vs. Emerging Challengers Like Remittix (RTX)

A critical dynamic in this cycle is the emergence of challengers such as Remittix (RTX), which some traders dub “XRP 2.0.” Priced at just $0.0969, RTX has raised over $20.4 million, sold 610 million tokens, and prepares for a BitMart listing once its presale cap is hit. Unlike Ripple, which has leaned heavily on institutional corridors, RTX targets retail remittance users, freelancers, and SMEs with crypto-to-bank transfers in 30+ countries, real-time FX conversion, and staking incentives. Its wallet beta is set to launch in Q3 2025. This utility-first model makes RTX a fast-moving rival. Analysts argue that while XRP may grind toward $10 by 2030, RTX could surge toward $5–$9 in the near term, given its lower base and direct usage model.

Long-Term Tokenization Roadmap for XRP-USD

Ripple’s broader vision ties XRP to the $18.9 trillion tokenization market projected by 2033. Forecast models from institutional analysts see XRP at $10.40 in 2026, $18.00 in 2027, and $31.30 by 2028, climbing to $54.20 in 2029, $94.00 in 2030, and potentially $149.70 by 2032 if Ripple captures significant settlement flows. Ripple’s role as a global custodian and settlement provider positions XRP at the center of tokenized asset markets, with adoption scaling in custody and settlement architecture for banks. Each milestone — $10, $30, $90, $149 — presupposes growing regulatory clarity and institutional alignment with RippleNet infrastructure.

Regulation and Market Sentiment

The resolution of Ripple’s years-long legal battle with the SEC has already lifted a key barrier. Freed from that overhang, XRP has seen institutional adoption accelerate, particularly in On-Demand Liquidity corridors. Yet, with regulatory gains priced in, the market now trades on macro sentiment and whale flows. Inflation-driven fears and Fed policy dominate the short-term narrative. For long-term investors, the question remains whether Ripple can secure enough traction in the $19 trillion cross-border payment market to justify triple-digit XRP valuations in the 2030s.

That's TradingNEWS