XRP has staged a powerful comeback this week, rising above the $2 mark and registering its highest level this April. The rally is fueled by a wave of optimism surrounding the potential approval of a U.S.-based XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF), growing expectations of a resolution in the long-running XRP lawsuit, and significant whale movements on the blockchain.
XRP’s climb to $2.15 on Monday, April 14, 2025, represented a 6.81% daily gain, well above the broader crypto market’s 2.84% increase. According to analysts, the upward momentum helped avert a potential technical breakdown known as a “mini-death cross,” which would have occurred had the 50-day EMA dropped below the 100-day EMA. Avoiding this bearish signal has given traders renewed confidence.
XRP found strong support at $1.95, corresponding to its 200-day EMA. With increasing trading volume backing the move, XRP is now hovering near a key resistance level between $2.24 and $2.25—an area that previously rejected upward momentum. A clean breakout above this zone could pave the way toward $2.50 and $2.70 in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is holding steady at around 50, suggesting that XRP still has room to run before entering overbought territory. Market watchers are now eyeing $2.26 as the next key level, with the possibility of a retest of the March high at $2.59 if momentum persists.
In a major Ripple XRP news update, CEO Brad Garlinghouse revealed that the company has reached a preliminary agreement with SEC staff. Although the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not yet voted on the matter, Garlinghouse confirmed that Ripple has agreed to dismiss and move forward, potentially reclaiming most of the $125 million escrowed for a settlement fine. “We’re moving past the SEC’s war on crypto and entering the next phase of the market—true institutional flows integrating with decentralized finance,” Garlinghouse told Fox Business. The Ripple lawsuit has long weighed on investor sentiment. However, with new leadership at both the SEC and the White House, Garlinghouse noted a shift toward a “more constructive, more pro-innovation” regulatory approach. He also expressed optimism over the potential approval of an XRP-spot ETF, calling it “long overdue.”
The announcement of Ripple’s acquisition of prime brokerage firm Hidden Road for $1.25 billion further demonstrates the company’s ambitions. Hidden Road plans to integrate with the Ripple Ledger and use Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin as collateral for its services—an expansion that could significantly increase XRP’s use in institutional finance. Adding to the week’s intrigue, blockchain tracking platform Whale Alert flagged a massive transfer of 200 million XRP—worth about $400 million—between two Ripple-controlled wallets. Initially appearing as a transfer to an unknown address, blockchain data later confirmed it was an internal movement for treasury purposes.
According to Whale Alert, Ripple has shifted 200 million XRP worth $400 million between its wallets. Crypto analyst XRP_Liquidity noted that the tokens remain untouched at the receiving address, suggesting no immediate plans to move or sell them. These XRP tokens could later support Ripple exchange operations, provide liquidity for trading pairs, or back products tied to Ripple’s growing financial ecosystem. Notably, this transfer came shortly after Ripple deviated from its usual escrow schedule. Instead of releasing funds on April 1 as expected, the company returned 700 million XRP to escrow and then unlocked 1 billion XRP on April 3. This unusual timing has sparked speculation but no official comment has been made by Ripple.
Looking ahead, XRP’s price path will likely be shaped by three main catalysts: the SEC’s final decision on the appeal, the official terms of the Ripple settlement, and progress toward a U.S.-based XRP ETF. Analysts suggest that if all three align favorably, XRP could target its all-time high of $3.55, with some predictions pointing to $5 if institutional demand accelerates. Conversely, delays in the SEC appeal withdrawal or rejection of ETF applications could send Ripple currency price back toward the $1.50 zone. The 200-day EMA at $1.95 remains a key support level, while resistance near $2.60 and $3.40 marks the next barriers to watch.
Despite some short-term volatility, the broader outlook for Ripple appears more bullish than it has in months. With regulatory clarity on the horizon, strategic acquisitions underway, and institutional interest rising, Ripple crypto seems poised to play a larger role in the evolving digital asset landscape. As Brad Garlinghouse noted, “The storm is clearing.” If the current trajectory holds, XRP could be entering a new chapter—one defined less by courtroom battles and more by market integration.
Ripple's CEO, Brad Garlinghouse, recently announced an agreement to pay a $50 million fine to the SEC as part of a lawsuit settlement. The lawsuit stems from the SEC’s December 2020 charge that Ripple sold XRP as an unregistered security. Ripple initially set up $125 million in escrow for potential fines and actually took most of it back, including interest. Garlinghouse stated, “We actually took most of it back, including interest that had been earned,” in an interview with Fox Business.
This shows that the SEC under Gary Gensler’s leadership was previously on the wrong side of the law. Support for the Trump administration also played a role in the regulator’s change of attitude. Ripple reportedly donated millions of dollars to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and at least $5 million in XRP tokens for the inauguration on January 20. The SEC under the Trump administration subsequently halted various suits and investigations into crypto companies, which Trump allies saw as a step towards a more transparent regulatory framework.
With the regulatory cloud lifting, Ripple plans to expand its business. Recently, the company completed its largest acquisition by buying prime broker Hidden Road for $1.25 billion. Garlinghouse emphasized that a move like this “wouldn’t have made sense a year ago” under a perceived hostile regulatory environment. “It allows large institutions like BlackRock and the largest Wall Street financial institutions to come into this market in a way that they understand,” he explained. The acquisition of Hidden Road increases Ripple’s headcount to around 1,100 people. Garlinghouse noted that over the years, the company has been forced to focus on hiring outside the United States due to regulatory uncertainty.
Ripple recently enhanced its product offering by launching a stablecoin with a trust license from the New York Department of Financial Services. Garlinghouse expects regulatory clarity to continue to improve, especially in stablecoin legislation and market structure bills. He believes that federal stablecoin legislation will move forward “sooner rather than later.” Regarding Bitcoin (BTC) price predictions, Garlinghouse suggested that $200,000 by the end of the year is “not unreasonable.” This is slightly higher than the previous estimate of $175,000. He attributes his bullish view to the change in regulatory approach in the U.S.: “People are underestimating how the biggest economy in the world, the U.S., is moving from a drag to a support.”
Despite the ups and downs, XRP is set for a significant shift in its regulatory landscape, potentially paving the way for a more robust and integrated cryptocurrency market.
