The XRP price has dropped nearly 10% in the last month, although it has increased 1.5% this week. The price remains within the range of 2.31–1.98 USD, and cannot break out properly. This tension shows a divided market: whales sell when the price is strong but important holders continue to buy more.
The struggle between these groups keeps the XRP price in a descending wedge, which has yet to confirm any positive turnaround.
Whales are selling a little while important owner groups resist the pressure
Whales are now becoming more cautious.
Wallets holding 100 million–1 billion XRP have reduced their holdings from 8.32 billion to 8.27 billion since December 7. Another group owning 10–100 million XRP has decreased from 11.01 billion to 10.99 billion on December 8. Together, they have sold about 70 million XRP in 48 hours for a value of approximately $143 million at the current rate.
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The sales are not large when considering the number of tokens, but they occur at a sensitive moment — just when XRP is trying to stabilize. This selling pressure causes every attempt at an increase to stop before it gains momentum.
Counterforce comes from those who have held XRP for a shorter and medium term, which is clearly visible in HODL Waves. With HODL Waves, one can see how much XRP is in each "coin age band", that is, how long they remain untouched.
The group holding for 1–3 months has increased from 8.52% to 10.31%. Holders for 3–6 months have risen from 9.40% to 10.87%.
These holders tend to buy more when they believe that selling pressure is decreasing. Since they are buying during a 10% decline this month, they likely believe that the wedge could soon lead to an increase instead.
So XRP is in a clear tug-of-war: whales selling on one side, and active dip buyers on the other side.
This tension causes the XRP price to remain within the same narrowing structure.
The XRP price pattern shows a deadlock as buyers and sellers pull in different directions.
XRP is currently forming a descending wedge, a pattern that often leads to upward movement – but only if buyers can push for a clear breakout. Right now, the formation mainly acts as a deadlock, with whales' sales acting as a brake and buyers preventing deeper falls.
The breakout level is near $2.46, where the descending trendline meets the current price. The XRP price needs a strong close above this level to confirm the upward reversal. If this happens, the price could reach $2.61, $2.83, and $3.11.
As long as the price moves between $2.31 and $1.98, the wedge remains intact. If the price breaks below $1.98, the pattern weakens, and $1.82 will become visible as a new support level, as it has already acted as support in a previous cycle.
The situation is clear right now: Whales' sales are delaying the breakout. Medium-term buyers are maintaining the structure. The wedge will be resolved only when one side becomes clearly stronger than the other.
