XRP has climbed back from its April low of $1.26, reaching a three-week high of $1.50. The move represents a 19% recovery and has put a key technical resistance level directly in focus.
Whale activity is a standout factor in this recovery. Data from Santiment shows the number of wallets holding at least 10,000 XRP has reached a record 332,230. Santiment noted this trend has been building since June 2024.
“Historically, rising numbers of mid-to-large wallets suggest increasing conviction from investors who are less focused on short-term price swings and more interested in long-term positioning,” Santiment said.
Analyst CW8900 shared data showing XRP whale long positions remain dominant relative to retail, suggesting larger players are “maintaining a bullish view” of the market.
Unlike $BTC and $ETH, $XRP whales are maintaining a bullish view.
Long positions remain dominant. Additionally, the whales' long position ratio is increasing. https://t.co/2iIMXvaHUG pic.twitter.com/Hpjbq0pSRi
— CW (@CW8900) May 13, 2026
On-chain activity is also growing. XRPL monthly transactions jumped to 71 million in April, up from 43 million a year earlier — a 65% year-over-year increase. According to treasury firm Evernorth, that growth was driven by institutional use tied to Bitstamp, RLUSD, Braza Bank, and DeFi protocols.
Whale Insider reported on X that ETF clients purchased $18.52 million worth of XRP, pushing total ETF-held net assets to $1.25 billion. This reflects growing demand from traditional financial institutions.
JUST IN: ETF clients buy $18.52 million worth of $XRP, bringing total ETF-held net assets to $1.25 billion. pic.twitter.com/dOEJceHMxS
— Whale Insider (@WhaleInsider) May 15, 2026
XRP is currently breaking out of an ascending triangle pattern that has held price action since early February. The $1.50 zone sits at the convergence of the triangle’s resistance line and the 100-day exponential moving average.
Price has been rejected from this level four times since mid-February. Analyst ChartNerd noted on X that “$1.50/55 remains an imminent resistance to break,” while also pointing out that XRP has been holding its daily 20 EMA since reclaiming it in early May.
Beyond $1.50, the next notable supply zone sits between $1.67 and $1.70, where the 200-day EMA is located. A measured target from the triangle pattern puts a potential move toward $1.98.
Analyst Neel said XRP needs “a clear break above $1.60 for any meaningful short-term rally,” adding that a move above $2.00 would “generate fresh momentum.”
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse addressed what separates XRP from other major cryptocurrencies. Speaking in a “Crypto in a Minute” segment, he said XRP was designed specifically to solve payment problems, unlike Bitcoin which became a store of value.
What makes $XRP unique?@bgarlinghouse answers in under a minute.
4 billion transactions.
3–5 second settlements.
Less than a penny each.
A community that never stopped believing.A special edition of C̶r̶y̶p̶t̶o̶ ̶I̶n̶ ̶O̶n̶e̶ ̶M̶i̶n̶u̶t̶e̶ $XRP In One Minute starts now. pic.twitter.com/Pbpz136Hha
— Ripple (@Ripple) May 13, 2026
He pointed to three features: settlement in 3–5 seconds, transaction costs of fractions of a penny, and more than 4 billion completed transactions on the XRPL.
Garlinghouse also joined a Binance Square session alongside Solana Foundation’s Lily Liu and Binance co-CEO Richard Teng. He said traditional finance is engaging with crypto in a “really positive way,” citing Morgan Stanley’s recent move into the space.
XRP is currently trading around $1.43 to $1.50, with the $1.50 resistance remaining the next key level to watch.
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