• XRP ETFs recorded four straight days of inflows, pushing cumulative flows above $1.39 billion.
• Whale wallets accumulated more than 71 million XRP over the past week despite weak price action.
• XRP remains below major resistance near $1.45, while traders closely watch support around $1.34.

XRP is starting to attract serious institutional attention again, even while the broader crypto market still feels shaky and uncertain. Spot XRP ETFs have now posted four consecutive days of inflows, pushing total cumulative flows beyond $1.39 billion, while average assets under management sit near $1.12 billion. That’s not small money anymore. At the same time, Ripple revealed a partnership with quantum-security company Project Eleven, a move aimed at protecting the XRP Ledger from future cyber risks tied to quantum computing — a topic that sounds distant now, but honestly, big firms are already preparing for it.

There’s another layer here too. The U.S. Federal Reserve recently floated a new payment account framework that could eventually open the door for crypto-related companies to gain broader access to traditional payment rails. Markets haven’t fully reacted yet, but developments like that tend to matter more over time than in a single trading session. Still, despite all the positive headlines, XRP trades around $1.35, slipping nearly 1% in the last 24 hours while trading volume also cooled by roughly 4%. So the fundamentals are improving, yet the chart still looks hesitant… kind of stuck between optimism and caution.

Whales Quietly Added More Than 71 Million XRP

Crypto analyst Ali Charts reported that whale wallets accumulated over 71 million XRP during the past week alone. The holdings data shows balances climbing steadily between May 14 and May 20, rising from roughly 3.72 billion XRP to almost 3.80 billion XRP. That’s a pretty noticeable increase in a relatively short timeframe, especially considering XRP hasn’t delivered a strong breakout yet.

This type of behavior matters because whales usually don’t chase hype rallies the way smaller traders sometimes do. Large holders often accumulate during periods of weakness when sentiment feels uncertain and price action looks boring. That’s basically the environment XRP is sitting in right now. Even with ETF inflows improving and Ripple continuing to expand its payment ecosystem, the market still hasn’t fully flipped bullish.

Some investors believe these bigger players are positioning early ahead of possible regulatory clarity in the United States, particularly around the proposed Clarity Act. Others think Ripple’s expanding role in cross-border payments and blockchain finance is quietly strengthening the long-term case for XRP behind the scenes. Whatever the exact reason is, whales appear comfortable buying while most traders remain cautious.

XRP Charts Still Show Sellers Holding Control

We checked the technical setup, and despite the whale accumulation, XRP still looks trapped inside a short-term downtrend. On the 4-hour chart, price remains near the $1.36 area after failing to hold gains above $1.50 earlier this month. The structure continues forming lower highs and lower lows, which usually signals fading buyer strength rather than growing momentum.

The biggest issue for bulls remains the resistance zone between $1.40 and $1.45. Buyers have attempted several recoveries there, but each push lost steam fairly quickly. Until XRP reclaims that region with conviction, traders will probably stay defensive. Momentum indicators also reflect the uncertainty. The RSI sits near 40, showing weakness without reaching deeply oversold territory, while the Ultimate Oscillator hovers close to neutral levels around 50.

If XRP loses support near $1.34, attention could shift rapidly toward the $1.30 and even $1.20 levels. On the other hand, a clean move back above $1.45 would likely improve sentiment in a hurry and could reopen the path toward $1.60. Right now though, neither side seems fully in control.

June Could Become a Defining Month for XRP

Heading into June, XRP probably needs sustained institutional buying to regain stronger momentum. If ETF inflows continue climbing and whale accumulation stays active, the token could realistically reclaim $1.50 and potentially work its way toward the $1.80 to $2.00 region. That scenario becomes even more realistic if broader crypto sentiment improves and regulatory developments in Washington lean more favorable for digital assets.

But there’s still downside risk, and ignoring it would be careless. XRP remains below key resistance levels, while trading volume has weakened during the recent decline. If support near $1.34 breaks, sellers will likely target $1.20 fairly quickly. A larger drop toward $1.00 also can’t be ruled out if Bitcoin and the wider crypto market turn lower again.

The most realistic path may sit somewhere in between those extremes. ETF demand clearly shows institutional interest hasn’t disappeared, and whale wallets continue accumulating even while price struggles. Yet the charts still haven’t confirmed that buyers truly control momentum again. For now, XRP feels caught in a strange middle ground — stronger fundamentals on one side, cautious market psychology on the other.