XRP Surges Towards $2.20, Leading Monday Gains as Crypto ETF Flows Tilt in Its Favor

• XRP was the best-performing token among the top ten largest cryptocurrencies in 2025, beating both Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).

• As the first week of 2026 gets underway, it has extended that momentum, jumping 17% over the past week and moving back above the $2.20 level.

• A key driver cited for the move is strong demand for XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which drew $483 million over the past weeks while Bitcoin ETFs saw $1.09 billion in outflows and Ethereum products posted a $564 million loss.

XRP began 2026 on the front foot after outperforming the rest of the large-cap crypto pack in 2025. Over the past week, the token has surged 17%, lifting its price back above the closely watched $2.20 threshold.

Strong ETF demand pushes XRP forward

Much of the latest optimism has centered on ETF flows. XRP ETFs have been a standout, attracting $483 million over the past weeks. By comparison, Bitcoin ETFs recorded a significant outflow of $1.09 billion, while Ethereum products saw a loss of $564 million.

The inflow story for XRP funds has also looked unusually persistent. XRP ETFs notched $483 million in inflows during December and extended a streak of 30 consecutive trading days of net inflows. That run ended on December 26, which marked the first day of zero inflows.

Since launching in November, total inflows into XRP exchange-traded funds have reached $1.3 billion—described as the fastest adoption rate for any altcoin ETF to date.

What could shape the next leg higher

Looking ahead, some reports suggest the ETF narrative could remain central to bullish scenarios. A potential BlackRock filing for an XRP ETF is cited as a possible credibility boost that could draw more conservative institutional participation.

Supporters of that view point to BlackRock’s $40 billion Bitcoin ETF as an example of how quickly capital can be mobilized via its Aladdin platform connections. Separately, the continued scaling of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin into banking and remittance services is framed as another potential tailwind, on the idea that it could create ongoing demand for XRP as a bridge asset.

Macro conditions are also part of the discussion. There are signs that the Federal Reserve could implement several rate cuts in 2026—something that would lower the opportunity cost of holding risk assets.

Under those conditions, it is alleged that XRP could clear its all-time high of $3.84 and potentially move toward the $4.00 to $5.00 range by year-end.

Technical levels in focus: $2.22 as the near-term test

On price action, market analyst Dark Defender—active on X (previously Twitter)—recently posted a three-month update highlighting a newly initiated green candle in January and what was described as a bullish Relative Strength Index (RSI).

According to Dark Defender, breaking above $2.22 is crucial for XRP. The analyst also suggested the token could be approaching a larger upside move, likening the setup to silver, and flagged targets such as $6 and even $20 further out.

A move to $6 would represent a 171% increase from current trading prices, while $20 would imply an 800% rise. At the time of writing, XRP was trading at $2.21, with $2.22 flagged as the next major short-term resistance level. Even after the recent rebound, the token remains about 40% below its all-time high.