XRP Holds Above $3 as Institutional Flows Build Ahead of ETF Decisions

Seven XRP ETF applications remain under SEC review, with initial rulings due October 18.

XRP maintained momentum above the key $3.00 level Friday, as institutional bids intensified following Japan’s SBI Holdings’ expansion into XRP lending and renewed optimism surrounding pending U.S. ETF approvals. The asset confirmed near-term support at $2.99, though resistance remained firm at $3.10 after a surge in trading volume.

Market Background

XRP gained 3% between October 2 and 3, climbing from $2.98 to $3.03 amid renewed institutional activity. The move coincided with SBI Holdings’ launch of institutional XRP lending — another step in Japan’s expanding crypto infrastructure.

Adding to the narrative, Ripple CTO David Schwartz announced his departure after 13 years at the company, while seven XRP ETF filings remain under active SEC review. The first decisions are expected by October 18, with prediction markets pricing a 99% likelihood of approval, fueling speculative inflows.

Price Action Overview

• XRP traded within a $0.15 range ($2.95–$3.10), marking a 4.9% intraday swing.
• A sharp volume surge at 16:00 UTC saw prices jump from $3.00 to $3.06 on 212.6 million tokens, more than double the daily average.
• Resistance solidified at $3.10, where $129 million in turnover capped further gains.
• The token consolidated in the $3.00–$3.05 zone, suggesting accumulation by institutional players.
• A final-hour dip to $3.02 reflected profit-taking, with a 2.35 million XRP spike at 03:55 UTC hinting at end-of-day rebalancing flows.

Technical Picture

Support has been repeatedly confirmed in the $2.99–$3.00 range, where buyers continue to defend key levels. Resistance is clustered near $3.10, the point of concentrated institutional selling.

The session formed a tight consolidation band above $3.00, consistent with professional accumulation behavior. A sustained close above $3.10 would likely validate a breakout, targeting the next resistance area around $3.20.

Key Factors Traders Are Watching

• Can XRP hold daily closes above $3.00 and challenge $3.10 resistance?
• Institutional positioning ahead of the October 18 ETF deadline.
• SBI’s lending flows and their influence on Asian market liquidity.
• Performance of the broader CD20 index, as altcoin rotations mirror XRP’s strength.