How XRP Price Is Navigating War Volatility in 2026

$XRP has been through a tough stretch in 2026 so far, dropping by nearly 25% since the start of the year.

The $XRP price dropped as low as $1.16 in early February, but has since recovered, briefly touching $1.60 in mid-March before returning to the $1.40 level.

Crypto’s Surprising Recovery has Defied Iran War Uncertainty, but $XRP Has Failed to Capitalize

When trying to determine where $XRP will head next, it’s impossible to ignore the elephant in the room. The Iran war has had a profound effect on practically all investable asset classes.

While the S&P 500 is down 4.9% in the last month, top crypto assets have surprisingly seen solid gains. Bitcoin is up 8.3%, while Ethereum has gained 14.4% in the last 30 days.

The real crypto standout has been Hyperliquid (+48%), which has emerged as an important platform for price discovery on weekends, when traditional markets are closed.

The platform’s 24/7 markets have proven to be very useful for traders speculating on oil prices, which have become highly volatile due to the war.

Meanwhile, $XRP has remained tentative as the coin has only seen a modest 1.8% price increase in the same time period.

Since the conflict began on February 28, $XRP has traded in a range between $1.32 and $1.60, spending most of its time between $1.35 and $1.45. The price action has been quite choppy, with no clear trend formation.

Cryptocurrencies are viewed as a risk-on asset class, so conventional wisdom would expect a crypto downturn in response to the war. Even though the positive performance is unexpected, we have to keep in mind that the crypto market is still responding to headlines related to the war.

For example, when US President Donald Trump made comments on Monday suggesting a de-escalation of the conflict, the price of Bitcoin shot up from $68,500 to $71,500 in a few hours.

In the short term, we can expect the largest crypto assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and $XRP to be sensitive to headlines related to the Iran war.

Given the unpredictable nature of the conflict, the crypto market will likely be exceptionally difficult to navigate. This is especially true for $XRP, which is not trending in either direction.

$XRP Price Prediction: A Return Above $2 Later in the Year

To get an alternative perspective, let’s take a look at the algorithmic $XRP price prediction by CoinCodex, which is forecasting positive price action for $XRP in the next few months.

The platform expects $XRP to peak at $1.68 in June, a 19% increase from its current price.

Even more intense bullish action in the $XRP market is forecast for later down the line, as the algorithmic prediction on CoinCodex expects $XRP to hit a local peak of $2.21 in October.

This would be a 56% increase from the current $XRP price.

While this forecast is certainly positive, it does not expect $XRP to come close to its $3.92 all-time high in the next year.

Latest $XRP and Ripple news

Now, let’s turn to recent fundamental developments connected to $XRP and Ripple to see potential bullish catalysts for $XRP if positive sentiment returns to the crypto market.

Ripple Tests Stablecoin Trade Finance in Singapore Sandbox

Ripple is piloting a new approach to cross-border trade finance using its $RLUSD stablecoin, aiming to replace slow, manual processes that have long defined the industry.

In collaboration with supply chain tech firm Unloq, the company is participating in Singapore’s central bank-backed BLOOM initiative.

The pilot uses Unloq’s platform to automate payments, releasing funds instantly when predefined conditions (such as shipment verification) are met, with $RLUSD on the $XRP Ledger handling settlement.

This initiative highlights Ripple’s growing focus on institutional-grade infrastructure rather than retail use cases. By securing a place in a Monetary Authority of Singapore sandbox, Ripple gains regulatory validation for its stablecoin stack.

3 continents, 4 global office visits, 5 days. Crossed too many time zones to count…
Recently, @MonicaLongSF and I (along with others on the Ripple leadership team) traveled to Dublin, London, Singapore and Sydney to meet with the Ripple Team (many of whom joined from our…

— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) March 10, 2026

Evernorth Bets on $XRP Treasury Model Despite Market Slowdown

Evernorth Holdings is moving forward with plans to go public via a SPAC merger, even as crypto treasury companies face declining valuations and reduced investor interest.

CEO Asheesh Birla argues that current regulatory clarity and institutional readiness make this the ideal time to launch. The company holds a substantial $XRP reserve, though it is currently unrealized due to recent price declines.

Rather than simply offering exposure to $XRP, Evernorth positions itself as a full-service solution handling custody, compliance, and security for institutional investors. The firm also plans to generate yield from its holdings to expand its reserves.

$XRP’s native lending protocol is on the way! Single asset vaults. Term lending with automated repayments. Confidential transfers using zero-knowledge proofs. On-chain institutional infrastructure built at the protocol level. Get the 3 minute breakdown from @sagarCBO.

Learn more:… pic.twitter.com/QIQV1bmSIk

— evernorthxrp (@evernorthxrp) March 27, 2026

Despite broader treasury stagnation, strong inflows into $XRP ETFs signal continued demand, with Birla emphasizing that scale and active ecosystem participation will determine which treasury firms survive.

Ripple Expands Regulatory Footprint with Australian License

Ripple is strengthening its presence in the Asia-Pacific region by seeking an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) through the acquisition of a local entity.

The license would allow Ripple to offer fully regulated, end-to-end cross-border payment services in Australia, covering everything from onboarding and compliance to liquidity management and final settlement.

Ripple Deepens Brazil Expansion

Ripple is significantly expanding its operations in Brazil, aiming to provide a comprehensive suite of services for financial institutions, including payments, custody, treasury management, and brokerage.

Ripple is going all-in on Brazil 🇧🇷: https://t.co/6nyoBmE0wq

💸 Ripple Payments: $100B+ processed, 60+ markets, live with Banco Genial, Braza Bank, Nomad, Azify & more
🔐 Ripple Custody: Recently launched in Brazil with CRX
💰 Ripple Treasury: Decades of corporate treasury…

— Ripple (@Ripple) March 17, 2026

The company is also planning to apply for a Virtual Asset Service Provider license, reinforcing its compliance-first approach in one of Latin America’s most advanced financial markets.