Ripple acts swiftly after legal victory: 15 million XRP transfer sparks market speculation, possibly preparing for institutional expansion.

Hours after winning the legal battle against the SEC, Ripple quietly transferred 15 million XRP. This move has sparked market speculation that Ripple is preparing for the next phase of institutional expansion. Although XRP's price has recently experienced a pullback, analysts remain optimistic about its long-term prospects, especially considering Ripple USD (RLUSD)'s promotion in Japan, as well as the surge in XRP futures open interest indicating strong market expectations.

Key Actions After Legal Victory: 15 Million XRP Mysterious Transfer

Hours after achieving a legal victory against the SEC, Ripple quietly transferred 15 million XRP. This transaction recorded on Ledger #98,741,614 incurred a negligible fee of 0.000015 XRP, demonstrating the efficiency of the XRP network.

Although Ripple has not made an official statement on this, analysts speculate that this move may be related to the following several aspects:

1. Liquidity Preparation: Provide liquidity for the exchange.
2. Settlement Mechanism: Used for its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) channel settlement.
3. Institutional Expansion: Preparing for the next phase of institutional adoption.

The timing of this move is very delicate, coming right after its victory in court, which has sparked market speculation that Ripple is actively positioning itself for future growth.

XRP Price Trends and Technical Analysis: Whale Activity and Short-term Pullbacks

Despite the legal clarity bringing optimism, XRP's price has not escaped the market pressure. Currently, XRP is trading at $2.96, down 1.67% in the past 24 hours, with daily trading volume also dropping by more than 26%, down to $4.94 billion. Analysts warn that the simultaneous decline in price and trading volume may indicate a weakening of short-term momentum.

From the technical chart perspective, XRP is engaged in a critical battle between the resistance level of 0.65-0.68 USD and the support levels of 0.60 USD and 0.55 USD. If it can decisively break through 0.70 USD, the price may test 0.80 USD upwards; conversely, if it cannot hold the support levels, there is a risk of further deep pullback.

It is worth noting that although prices are weak in the short term, "whale" activity and institutional interest continue to strengthen, with XRP futures open interest surging to $7.94 billion, highlighting the market's expectations for increased price volatility in the future.

ETF and RLUSD: Catalysts for Long-term Layout

ETF Framework: Crypto analyst Zach Rector pointed out that Ripple's restructuring of its XRP sales during the SEC case may lay the groundwork for future XRP ETFs. Since ETF issuers cannot obtain XRP directly from Ripple, centralized exchanges and OTC desks may become the primary supply channels, which will put additional pressure on secondary market liquidity.

RLUSD Basic Empowerment: Ripple collaborates with SBI Group to launch Ripple USD (RLUSD) stablecoin in Japan, further strengthening the fundamentals of XRP. As RLUSD transactions require XRP as a fee, this will continuously enhance the on-chain demand for XRP.

Conclusion

Despite significant progress for XRP on legal and institutional fronts, its short-term price fluctuations still reflect the complexity of market sentiment. Ripple's swift move to transfer a large amount of XRP following its legal victory is a clear signal that it is not wasting time and is preparing for the next phase of institutional expansion. While short-term prices are under pressure, the long-term outlook for XRP remains hopeful, considering the prospects for ETF approvals, the launch of the RLUSD stablecoin, and the continued growth of institutional interest. The market is closely watching to determine whether these strategic moves can ultimately translate into sustainable and strong price increases.