XRP price slips: Why is the altcoin stuck below $2?

This week has been crucial for the altcoin market.

With macro FUD still lingering around the government shutdown, and the first FOMC meeting of 2026 signaling a pullback on rate cuts, it seems investors are finally rotating capital into alternative crypto assets.

Ripple [XRP] is following the flow. On the weekly chart, it popped 2.13% from the $1.70–$1.80 band, a zone it hasn’t broken since the 2024 election, clearly marking a solid floor for dip buyers to step in.

Supporting this move, the Altcoin Season Index is up 10 points from its mid-January low. Meanwhile, Bitcoin dominance [BTC.D] is testing resistance at 60%, setting up a textbook rotational setup.

All in all, macro FUD plus rotational flows, combined with XRP’s historically strong floor, paint a bullish picture. XRP’s Long/Short ratio at 3.3 as of writing showed the crowd was skewed toward longs, adding weight to the bullish case.

That said, the structure still looks weak. Despite the bullish signals, XRP has printed four lower lows since the late-July high at $3.65, with the latest leg down dragging price back to the post-election-rally zone.

Bottom line? More HODLers are getting pushed underwater.

XRP sees accumulation, but reversal remains elusive

Ripple is putting investor conviction to the test.

On the institutional side, weekly net inflows across XRP ETFs came in at $23 million, while smart money looks to be re-accumulating, with 42+ wallets holding 1 million+ XRP reappearing on-chain.

Against that setup, XRP’s 2.11% weekly bounce looks less like a random move and more like strategic accumulation. Taken together, this helps form a base that could rebuild conviction among underwater HODLers.

That said, this isn’t a trend reversal yet. 

As mentioned earlier, macro FUD is still in play, and while rotation back into altcoins plus solid on-chain accumulation could fuel near-term upside, the risk of capitulation stays on the table if key levels don’t flip.

On the chart, XRP needs to clear the $2.15 ceiling, a level that capped the late-December rally. If it fails again, price risks slipping into a loop, putting the $1.80 support back under pressure. Until then, the bias stays bearish.

Final Thoughts

• Ripple’s weekly bounce, strong floor, and long/short ratio point to renewed conviction despite macro FUD.
• Four lower lows since July, $2.15 ceiling resistance, and $1.80 support under pressure keep the bias bearish.