Price set: Ripple Labs completed a $750 million share buyback in the spring of 2026, setting the firm's valuation at $50 billion. Investment flows: Spot XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded inflows worth $12.57 million during the week ending May 22, 2026.
While the Ethereum spotlight stays on drama, XRP is building a quiet recovery.
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) sits down 60% below its July 2025 cycle high of $3.65, while Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan calls HYPE (CRYPTO: HYPE) the most mispriced asset in crypto right now. XRP Had Every Catalyst And Still Went Nowhere The SEC settlement came through, Ripple stacked partnerships, ETF inflows arrived, and the CLARITY Act cleared the Senate Banking Committee in a 15-9 bipartisan vote.
XRP has spent the better part of 2026 grinding sideways in what looks like a coiling spring, except the spring may not be loading for an upward surge. XRP's four-month consolidation has trapped its price below a major resistance zone at $1.65, and according to crypto pundit CasiTrades, the clock is ticking because XRP is now exposed to one more move into lower macro support before any stronger recovery attempt begins.
Chicago-based derivatives behemoth CME Group has introduced round-the-clock trading for a plethora of its cryptocurrency futures and options contracts, including the ones that track the value of the Ripple-linked XRP cryptocurrency and Cardano (ADA).
Morgan Stanley discloses XRP ETF holdings in its Q1 2026 SEC filing, including shares of Volatility Shares XRP ETF and Grayscale XRP ETF.
Bearish pressure does not seem to be fading soon, and XRP has been on a downward trend over the past weeks, breaching the $1.30 support level on Thursday. As a result, heightened volatility has taken over the trading activity on cryptocurrency exchanges, especially on the Binance platform.
XRP-linked funds attracted $1.77 million in new XRP purchases, lifting total net assets to about $1.12 billion despite broader crypto weakness. Bitcoin spot ETFs saw $228 million in outflows and Ethereum products lost $121 million, making XRP's positive flow direction notable. XRP's chart remains fragile after falling below the 100-day moving average, with $1.
The crypto market is showing signs of recovery after a recent downturn, supported by improving investor sentiment following the extension of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire for another 60 days. Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and XRP have all posted gains as traders continue to buy the dip.
XRP is heading toward a negative monthly performance in May 2026 as ongoing cryptocurrency market volatility continues to pressure investor sentiment. After briefly showing signs of recovery earlier in the month, XRP has surrendered those gains, raising concerns among traders about the possibility of ending May in the red.
Morgan Stanley has disclosed holdings in two XRP-focused exchange-traded funds, becoming one of the latest major financial institutions to report exposure to investment products tied to Ripple's cryptocurrency. According to the investment bank's Form 13F filing with the U.S.
Crypto firm Ripple has sent a letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) demanding clarity on the treatment of payment stablecoins and tokenized securities. This follows a meeting that the firm held with the Commission's Crypto Task Force a couple of months ago.