XRP extended gains above $3.00 as institutional desks pressed bids into elevated volumes, confirming a short-term support level near $2.99. Japan's SBI lending rollout and pending U.S. ETF decisions framed the bullish momentum, with resistance forming at $3.10 after significant trading activity.
Market Context
XRP climbed 3% between October 2-3, rising from $2.98 to $3.03. This rally followed SBI Holdings' expansion of institutional XRP lending services, highlighting Japan's growing cryptocurrency adoption. Meanwhile, Ripple CTO David Schwartz announced his departure after 13 years, and seven XRP ETF applications remain under SEC review with initial decisions expected October 18. Prediction markets currently price approval probability above 99%, driving speculative capital inflows.
Price Movement Analysis
- XRP traded within a $0.15 range (4.9% volatility) between $2.95 and $3.10
- At 16:00 UTC, price surged from $3.00 to $3.06 with 212.6M tokens traded — more than double the daily average volume
- Strong resistance established at $3.10 level with 129M turnover limiting upward movement
- XRP consolidated between $3.00–$3.05, indicating accumulation above key psychological level
- Final hour saw profit-taking pressure with XRP dipping from $3.03 to $3.02, accompanied by 2.35M volume spike showing institutional rebalancing
Technical Perspective
Support is firmly established in the $2.99–$3.00 range with multiple defenses maintaining this level. Resistance remains clearly defined at $3.10 where institutional selling concentrated. The trading session formed a consolidation pattern above $3.00, suggesting professional accumulation. Volume-driven breakout attempts confirm strong institutional participation, though sustained closes above $3.10 are needed to trigger the next upward movement toward $3.20.
Key Market Focus Areas
- Sustainability above $3.00 level and potential retest of $3.10 resistance
- Institutional positioning changes ahead of October 18 ETF decision deadlines
- SBI's lending program impact on Asian market liquidity dynamics
- Broader cryptocurrency index confirmation as altcoin rotations follow XRP's performance strength