What Direction Could XRP Price Take This Week?

The XRP price landscape remains in flux as traders grapple with mixed signals and uncertainty. As of late January 2026, XRP is currently trading at $1.77, down 5.34% in the past 24 hours—a modest decline that reflects the broader market indecision. While regulatory developments in Japan suggest potential classification changes for XRP in 2026, the lack of official confirmation means this news has not yet catalyzed meaningful price movement.

Current Market Setup and Price Action

At press time, this price level reflects a market still caught between competing forces. Ripple’s recent introduction of AI-based tools on the XRP Ledger has bolstered the narrative around cross-border payment improvements, yet the market remains cautious. The core issue: traders are waiting for clear directional conviction before committing capital in either direction.

The price consolidation we’re witnessing isn’t arbitrary. Over recent weeks, XRP has oscillated within defined boundaries—the $1.85-$1.90 support zone on the downside and $2.02-$2.05 resistance above. A brief flirtation with mid-$2 levels in early January failed to sustain, underscoring weak buying pressure when prices climb.

What the Technical Picture Is Revealing

The 4-hour chart tells a story of exhaustion rather than momentum. Price remains trapped within the broader corrective structure that emerged after a sharp selloff earlier in the cycle. Unlike a healthy uptrend, this pattern shows a market that has failed to establish higher highs, instead drifting sideways through a compressed range.

This chart structure is particularly telling: whereas the upper boundary has held firm between $2.02-$2.05, the lower support between $1.85-$1.90 has prevented steeper declines. The inability to decisively break either level suggests neither buyers nor sellers have conviction at these prices.

Indicator Consensus: A Market Coiling, Not Moving

Technical indicators paint a unified picture of potential energy building rather than active directional movement:

• ADX Strength: At 21, the Average Directional Index confirms weak trend strength. The directional lines show mild bearish tilt but lack the separation that would indicate a true directional trend.

• Williams %R Reading: This oscillator sits in oversold territory, typically appearing when price is near short-term support with diminishing selling pressure. This creates a potential setup for relief rallies.

• Volume Picture: On-balance volume remains negative with persistent heaviness, meaning spot market demand hasn’t yet returned convincingly.

• Volatility Compression: The ATR (Average True Range) has contracted, indicating falling volatility. The market is coiling rather than expanding—potential energy building in a compressed range.

Collectively, these indicators suggest XRP is gathering energy for a potential move rather than committing to one immediately.

Where This Price Action Could Develop

Bullish Scenario: Should XRP manage to reclaim and hold above the $2.02-$2.05 resistance zone, subsequent targets would emerge at $2.18-$2.22, followed by $2.35-$2.40. Breaking decisively above these levels would represent a meaningful shift in short-term structure.

Bearish Scenario: A clear breakdown below $1.85 would reinforce seller control. In such a case, first-level support would be $1.75, with deeper support at $1.62. This development would confirm the corrective phase is still the dominant pattern.

Base Case: For this week, the most probable scenario remains range-bound trading between $1.85 and $2.05—a holding pattern while broader forces consolidate.

The critical distinction: a move beyond $2.22 would signal meaningful pattern change and suggest buyer commitment is returning. Conversely, a break below $1.85 would extend the correction and test deeper support levels.

Trading this price action requires patience for a clearer signal. Until the technical picture provides more definitive conviction—whether through a sustained break above resistance or a clear breakdown of support—traders would be wise to treat current levels as a consolidation zone rather than a commitment point.