XRP price held near the $1.41 support zone on Friday, even as the wider crypto market pulled back. The token traded around $1.43, staying above key short-term levels after rejection near $1.46 earlier this week. Besides, fresh XRP ETF inflows helped improve market confidence after several weak months. The latest data showed steady demand from institutions and growing activity among retail traders. Hence, XRP price now sits at an important point, with buyers trying to defend support and push toward $1.50.
XRP Price Holds Firm Despite Market Weakness
XRP showed relative strength during the latest market retracement. Several major cryptocurrencies slipped over the past 24 hours. However, XRP stayed slightly positive and ranked among the stronger top-10 tokens.
The token reached a weekly high near $1.46 on Wednesday. Sellers then blocked further gains and pushed the price lower. Even so, buyers defended the $1.42 area and kept XRP above deeper support.
Significantly, XRP price continues to trade near its short-term moving averages. That setup shows that buyers still control the near-term structure. However, the market has not confirmed a strong breakout yet.
The $1.41 to $1.42 area now matters for short-term direction. A firm hold above this zone could support another move higher. Conversely, a break below it may weaken sentiment quickly.
XRP ETF Inflows Improve Market Sentiment
Fresh ETF inflows gave XRP another positive signal this week. According to CoinGlass data, spot XRP ETFs added $3.88 million on Thursday. That followed a stronger weekly inflow of $55 million last week.
Additionally, market expert Sam Daodu reported a $55.39 million inflow for the week ending April 17. He described that week as the strongest XRP ETF performance of 2026 so far. The funds also added another $3 million on April 20.
This steady demand matters because XRP ETFs struggled earlier this year. Assets under management topped $1.5 billion in January. However, that figure later dropped below $950 million by March.
Outflows hurt sentiment during that period. Now, the flow pattern looks different. Recent inflows have arrived across several sessions instead of one large jump.
Moreover, no XRP ETF outflows have occurred since April 9, according to the reported data. That streak suggests stronger confidence from larger market players. Consequently, XRP price has gained support from a better demand backdrop.
Canary Capital still leads the XRP ETF group in cumulative inflows. Its total net inflows stand at $421.86 million. However, its lead has narrowed sharply during April.
Bitwise now holds $419.17 million in cumulative inflows. That leaves it only $2.69 million behind Canary Capital. Hence, Bitwise could move into first place if its current pace continues.
Franklin Templeton’s XRPZ also remains close behind Bitwise. It has attracted steady demand during the April recovery. Meanwhile, several other XRP ETF products have stayed flat or negative.
Retail Traders Return As Fear Eases
Retail activity has also improved in the derivatives market. XRP’s Fear & Greed Index climbed to 46 this week. That marks a clear rise from 32 at the start of the week.
A higher reading shows better market confidence. It also suggests traders now show more interest in risk assets. However, the reading still sits near neutral territory.
Source: Coinglass
XRP futures Open Interest held near $2.54 billion on Friday. That figure remains far below the July peak of $10.94 billion. At that time, XRP surged to a record high of $3.66.
The current Open Interest level shows active participation, but not extreme speculation. Besides, moderate positioning may help reduce sudden volatility. Still, traders need stronger volume to confirm a bigger directional move.
Technical Setup Shows Mild Bullish Bias
On the 4-hour Bitstamp chart, XRP price traded near $1.4315. The token moved inside a tight consolidation range after its recent rebound. This shows hesitation near resistance, but not broad weakness.
XRP/USD 4-hour price chart source: TradingView
The 20 EMA sat near $1.4319, almost level with the price. The 50 EMA stood near $1.4229. Meanwhile, the 100 EMA and 200 EMA remained lower, near $1.4043 and $1.3957.
That structure gives XRP a mild bullish bias. Price staying above the 100 EMA and 200 EMA supports the recovery. However, buyers still need a clear close above nearby resistance.
Immediate resistance sits between $1.4390 and $1.4500. XRP has struggled to build momentum in that region. A strong 4-hour close above it could open the path toward $1.47.
The next major zone sits between $1.48 and $1.50. A daily close above that range would strengthen the bullish case. Consequently, XRP price could then target the Fibonacci level near $1.6163.
Momentum Signals Remain Mixed
There is an improvement in momentum indicators, but not a full breakout. Mixed conditions are indicated by the DMI indicator. The directional line of bulls is a little higher than the line of bears.
However, the ADX remains moderate. That means the current trend lacks strong force. Hence, XRP may keep ranging until volume expands.
Short-run control by the buyers is also indicated by the Bollinger Bands. XRP trades in the middle band of around 1.3899 and in the upper band of around 1.4831. This stance indicates the buyers are still protecting the recovery.
XRP/USD 24-hour price chart source: TradingView
The upside pressure is, however, put to the test at the upper band. A powerful push beyond $1.4831 would help to draw additional purchases. Otherwise, it is possible that XRP will move laterally around the existing levels.
MACD is also slightly bullish. MACD line remains above the signal line. Also, the histogram is still positive to some extent.
At any rate, the signal is not strong in momentum. Before traders can take up bigger positions, they can wait until the market confirms a rise past $1.50. That grade has become a significant mental obstacle.
Final Take
XRP price now depends on support near $1.41 and resistance near $1.50. Buyers must defend the lower zone to keep the recovery intact. A drop below $1.3899 could weaken the short-term structure.
Stronger support sits near $1.4025 to $1.3950. A break below that area may expose XRP to $1.2966. That level aligns with the lower Bollinger Band.
However, steady ETF inflows give XRP an important cushion. Institutional demand has improved after months of outflows. Besides, stronger retail sentiment supports a healthier market setup.
A clean breakout above $1.50 would change the tone quickly. It could push XRP price toward $1.6163 in the next move. Until then, the token may continue trading inside a narrow range.
