The protracted legal conflict between Ripple and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) endures with no imminent resolution, keeping Ripple’s prospects uncertain into 2024. Investors who once hoped for profits from an all-time high investment remain in limbo, questioning the future trajectory of Ripple’s performance.
Ripple Battles Regulatory Hurdles
Launching in a period where cryptocurrencies lacked institutional backing, Ripple quickly sought to integrate with central banking systems, drawing increased investor interest. This momentum was halted by the SEC’s intervention, which has since spent years and taxpayer money attempting to classify XRP as a security. However, SEC lawyers have struggled to convince the courts that XRP should be subject to the Howey test, with a Judge ruling that transactions by individual investors on exchanges are not securities or investment contracts.
Market Sentiment and Price Stability
Despite a brief surge in value, XRP’s price hovers around $0.5, hindered by fading XRP ETF rumors, the unresolved court case, and a growing supply of coins. While the medium-term outlook for XRP appears bleak to many, some experts suggest the low prices present a buying opportunity, with the belief that the negative sentiment will eventually dissipate.
The concern extends beyond market sentiment to the rate at which the total supply of XRP is entering circulation. Experts calculate that a $3 price for XRP would result in a $300 billion market cap, while reaching the speculative double-digit prices would require a market cap nearing $1 trillion — a milestone that even Bitcoin has only just surpassed.
Technical Indicators and Future Price Movement
Technical analysis reveals that XRP has been grappling with the $0.58 resistance level since early January, with recent weeks showing unsuccessful attempts to surpass it. A break above this level could lead to tests of the $0.63 and $0.74 targets. Currently trading at $0.536, XRP’s value could retest the $0.5 support if Bitcoin fails to reclaim higher price levels.