XRP price pushed above $1.40 this week as broader market strength revived hopes for another breakout. The token also outpaced other top coins on the weekly charts, while fresh US spot XRP ETF inflows added momentum. Recent price action, improving sentiment, and a familiar chart pattern have now placed XRP at the center of short-term market attention.
XRP Price Regains Traction Above a Key Level
XRP price has started to rebuild momentum after a mixed month. It gained 2.1% over the last 24 hours. It also climbed 6.9% during the past week and 8.5% over 14 days. However, the token has remained down 6.8% over the last month.
That recovery matters because XRP price has now moved back above the $1.40 area. Traders had watched that zone closely for weeks. Besides, the move came as the wider crypto market showed signs of improvement. That backdrop has helped support the latest advance.
The rebound above $1.40 has also changed the short-term structure. Buyers have defended the recent breakout area so far. Consequently, attention has shifted toward whether XRP can build enough strength for a larger move. A sustained push higher could bring the next resistance zones back into focus.
A Familiar Chart Pattern Returns
On the 12-hour chart, XRP price appears to be forming a second cup-and-handle pattern. That setup has drawn interest because the previous version led to a notable rally. The last pattern developed from early March into mid-March. After the handle broke on March 15, XRP price climbed 14.35% into the March 17 high.
XRP/USD 12-hour price chart: Source: TradingView
Now, a similar structure has emerged between late March and mid-April. The shape closely resembles the earlier pattern. The duration also lines up in a similar way. Moreover, the rim levels appear to match, which gives the formation more relevance.
Volume behavior adds another layer to the setup. Buying activity expanded during the rise into resistance. At the same time, volume eased during the current pullback. That rhythm often supports a bullish continuation pattern. Hence, the chart now suggests that XRP price may approach another decision point soon.
Still, no pattern guarantees a breakout. The handle remains unfinished, and buyers must prove they can maintain support. Until that happens, the setup remains promising but incomplete.
XRP ETFs Strengthen Breakout Setup Early
One important difference separates this structure from the March move. This time, ETF support has arrived before the pattern resolved. That shift may matter if momentum continues to build.
Data for the week ending April 16 showed $41.64 million in net inflows into US spot XRP ETFs. That marked the strongest weekly total in three months. Additionally, the week before brought in $11.75 million. The jump from one week to the next reached 254%, which points to accelerating demand.
Source: : SoSoValue
That sequence stands out because the earlier breakout formed under weaker fund flow conditions. In the week of March 6, XRP ETFs recorded a net outflow of $4.09 million. The March 13 week then posted a deeper outflow of $28.07 million. Even so, the XRP price still broke higher on March 15 and rallied sharply afterward.
ETF flows only improved after that March rally. They turned positive with $636,000 during the week of March 20. Another $2.66 million followed during the week of March 27. This time, however, the order has changed. April 2 still showed a $3.56 million outflow, yet the next two weeks swung strongly positive while the handle still formed.
That timing may strengthen the current setup. Moreover, early ETF demand can help support sentiment before a technical breakout occurs. As a result, XRP price now carries more visible backing than it did during the previous pattern.
XRP Faces Supply Risk Despite Recovery
The on-chain picture offers another reason for caution. XRP’s short-term holder NUPL has recovered sharply since its February low. That metric tracks whether recent buyers hold unrealized gains or losses.
Source: Glassnode
In early February, the reading dropped to -0.79. That level reflected deep capitulation among short-term holders. Since then, the figure has climbed steadily and now sits near -0.21. Significantly, the same reading appeared on January 28, when XRP price traded near $1.91.
That comparison suggests sentiment has improved faster than price. Nevertheless, the measure continues to be negative. Recent purchasers are, on average, yet to sit at a loss. That implies that some of them can sell into strength in case XRP prices continue to increase. This may, in turn, cause the build-up of overhead supply at key resistance levels.
Even so, the improving NUPL trend shows that selling pressure has eased since February. Combined with stronger ETF inflows, that improvement may help absorb some profit-taking in the near term. The market now faces a balance between stronger conviction and lingering break-even pressure.
XRP Price Holds Key Support Zone
On the daily chart, XRP price traded near $1.45 as buyers tried to hold the breakout above $1.40. The token stayed above the 20-day EMA at $1.37. It also held near the 50-day EMA around $1.41. Those levels support the near-term bullish case.
However, the broader trend still needs more work. XRP price remains below the 100-day EMA at $1.54. It also sits under the 200-day EMA at $1.80. Therefore, the larger recovery has not fully matured yet.
XRP/USD 24-hour price chart : source: TradingView
The chart also places focus on the next upside zones. A stronger move above $1.50 could bring the $1.54 area into play first. After that, traders may look toward the $1.72 Fibonacci retracement level. That level stands out as a larger recovery barrier after the previous decline.
Momentum readings show both strength and possible exhaustion. The Bollinger Band %B indicator stands at 1.12, which places XRP above the upper band. That usually reflects strong momentum. However, it can also signal stretched conditions. As a result, XRP price may pause or move sideways before another breakout attempt.
If buyers keep control of the $1.40 to $1.37 zone, the bullish structure remains intact. If that support fails, attention may return to $1.12. That area could attract buyers again if the market resets.
