Introduction BitMorpho Daily News & Fundamentals: XRP Report - Monday, December 22, 2025 Welcome to your essential Monday morning briefing on XRP and the foundational shifts shaping the digital asset landscape. As we close out 2025, the narrative around XRP remains a compelling tug-of-war between technical headwinds and robust, maturing fundamentals, all set against a backdrop of shifting global macro expectations. XRP is currently hovering just below the key $2.00 psychological level, struggling with profit-taking that has kept momentum subdued, with recent price action showing a retreat from previous highs. While some technical indicators signal caution, potentially flashing a local top signal after its recent recovery, the underlying institutional interest remains strikingly consistent. Notably, reports indicate that inflows into XRP spot ETFs slowed last week, marking the weakest since their launch, which has added to near-term sentiment pressure. However, on-chain activity speaks to a deeper, utility-driven conviction. Institutional capital continues to build slowly, with some reports suggesting that total net assets across XRP ETFs have surpassed the $1.2 billion mark. Furthermore, large-holder (whale) supply has reportedly begun increasing again, suggesting strategic positioning rather than passive holding by major entities. Beyond finance, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) continues its infrastructure push, with Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization market cap growing significantly throughout the year. On the regulatory front, the industry remains focused on the enduring clarity secured from the conclusion of the *SEC v. Ripple* case, which cemented XRP’s status as not a security in secondary market transactions. This regulatory underpinning is seen by some analysts as a core differentiator, positioning XRP for long-term utility adoption in cross-border settlements, with one CEO projecting a significant price peak by 2026 based on this infrastructure focus. Globally, the macro environment is showing signs of shifting, with cooling labor markets strengthening the case for potential US monetary policy easing, which could provide a durable tailwind for risk assets like crypto. We will be watching for any official commentary from the Fed, as economic stability remains paramount to liquidity flows across the entire digital asset class. Stay tuned as we break down the on-chain data and fundamental milestones shaping XRP’s path into the new year. News Analysis The current market posture for XRP presents a fascinating dichotomy: while immediate price action struggles to conquer the 2.00 barrier, the foundational and institutional data suggests a quiet, determined build-up for the year ahead. As we head into the final days of 2025, the narrative is less about speculative pumps and more about utility adoption and structural stability. Market Sentiment and Price Consolidation XRP is currently testing the psychological resistance of 2.00, struggling with persistent profit-taking that is keeping momentum subdued. Reports indicate that recent price action has seen a retreat from previous highs, with technical indicators suggesting a potential local top signal after its initial recovery. This hesitation is visible on-chain as well; while selling pressure from some long-term holders has eased slightly, overall momentum indicators like the RSI and MACD show a lack of strong buying pressure to push past key overhead Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs). Despite this technical grind below 2.00, the consistency of institutional money flow suggests a strong floor is being established. Institutional & ETF Flows: Muted but Consistent Demand The institutional landscape remains a core driver for the XRP narrative. While the initial frenzy surrounding the spot XRP ETFs has cooled with last week’s net inflows reportedly being the weakest since their launch in November the overall picture remains positive. Total net assets across these products have surpassed the 1.2 billion mark, demonstrating consistent, albeit muted, institutional accumulation. In fact, the recent weekly inflows, while the lowest since launch, were still positive, unlike some competing products. This steady inflow of capital, which has seen 25 consecutive days of net positive inflows, suggests institutions are building foundational exposure rather than making speculative bets. On-Chain Dynamics: Whales Repositioning The behavior of large holders, or "whales," paints a bullish picture beneath the flat price action. Data from Santiment suggests that wallets holding between 100 million and 1 billion XRP have begun increasing their holdings again, with total whale supply climbing back toward the 12.8% range after a slight mid-December dip. This increase is reportedly not passive; rather, it suggests strategic *positioning* by major entities as institutional buying builds a base. This confluence steady ETF inflows combined with strategic whale accumulation indicates a shifting of market control and deep conviction among major players, even as the price struggles. XRP Ledger (XRPL) Utility: The RWA Catalyst The fundamental story for XRP continues to be centered on utility, particularly within the Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization sector. Growth on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) in this area remains a key fundamental milestone. The RWA market cap on the XRPL has seen significant expansion throughout the year, with recent data showing an 8.77% growth to reach nearly 158 million in tokenized assets across 47 projects. This RWA expansion, complemented by the growth of Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, positions the XRPL as an increasingly critical bridge between traditional finance and decentralized infrastructure. Analysts remain optimistic, with some projecting a significant price peak by 2026 driven specifically by this infrastructure focus. Macro and Regulatory Backdrop The regulatory clarity secured from the *SEC v. Ripple* case continues to serve as a core differentiator for XRP, underpinning institutional confidence. On the macro front, there are shifting expectations regarding US monetary policy. Recent commentary suggests the Federal Reserve may be holding rates steady for months, citing cooling labor markets. Any official commentary from the Fed in the coming weeks will be crucial, as potential policy easing remains a durable tailwind for risk assets like XRP. Analysts suggest that if institutional adoption via ETFs and utility-driven demand stemming from Ripple’s infrastructure scaling including its cross-border payment ambitions can overcome macroeconomic uncertainty, XRP could test new record highs above 4.00 in 2026. In summary, XRP is currently in a consolidation phase, caught between short-term profit-taking and deep long-term conviction. The technical overhead is a headwind, but the on-chain whale positioning and continued RWA infrastructure build-out on the XRPL suggest that major stakeholders are stacking their chips for what they see as a more significant move in 2026. Outlook CONCLUSION The market posture for XRP presents a distinctly *mixed* picture heading into the close of 2025. While immediate price action is shackled by the psychological resistance at 2.00 and technical indicators show subdued buying momentum, the underlying foundation appears sturdy. The key takeaway is the consistent, foundational demand from institutional players; the 1.2 billion milestone in spot XRP ETF assets, marked by 25 straight days of net positive inflows, signals a clear long-term accumulation strategy rather than short-term speculation. For the immediate 24-48 hours, investors should closely monitor the 2.00 price level. A decisive break and sustained hold above this figure, potentially fueled by whale activity or renewed ETF interest, could trigger a significant upward move. Conversely, failure to breach this resistance could lead to further consolidation or a minor pullback toward established support levels. Despite the current technical grind, the underlying narrative remains one of quiet, structural build-up, suggesting resilience ahead of the new year. *** *Disclaimer: This report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.*