XRP Slides to $1.42 Amid Low Weekend Trading Volumes

XRP faced a sharp dip over the weekend, trading around $1.42, down roughly 5% from Friday’s close. The weekend thin liquidity contributed to erratic price swings, with XRP moving between $1.39 and $1.51 during trading.
Analysts note that reduced market depth can amplify volatility. Thomas Probst from Kaiko explained, “Lower liquidity leads to more extreme and unpredictable price movements.” Meanwhile, Jefferies analyst Andrew Moss sees few signs of a market bottom forming for XRP.
The turbulence in crypto markets follows uncertainty around U.S. interest rates. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson recently commented that monetary policy is “well positioned,” but future rate decisions will depend on upcoming economic data. The Fed has kept rates steady at 3.50%-3.75%, citing stalled improvements in inflation but remaining cautiously optimistic.
Bitcoin’s fluctuations also influenced altcoins like XRP. Bitcoin bounced back above $70,000 on Friday after briefly touching a 16-month low near $60,018. Ether surged about 12% from a near 10-month low. Options traders are increasingly seeking downside protection, with heavy activity in contracts that benefit from falling prices, according to Derive.xyz analyst Sean Dawson.
Ripple is advancing its “Institutional DeFi” roadmap for the XRP Ledger, introducing permissioned markets with KYC/AML compliance, a Permissioned DEX, and the XLS-66 lending protocol later this year. Sagar Shah of Evernorth called this initiative “a significant shift in institutional on-chain liquidity.”
Despite these developments, XRP remains highly sensitive to broader market swings. In the past week, XRP fell 22%, even as developers push for enhancements like an EVM sidechain, which would allow Ethereum-style smart contracts to connect with XRP liquidity.
For new investors, it’s important to remember that XRP operates on the XRP Ledger, a consensus-based platform offering fast transactions and low fees. However, macroeconomic pressures and thin order books can lead to sudden price drops.
Traders are now focused on key U.S. economic releases this week, including the jobs report on Feb. 11 and CPI data on Feb. 13, which could impact crypto sentiment. Additionally, XRP Community Day 2026 is scheduled for Feb. 11, showcasing XRPL use cases—events like this often spark notable price reactions.
Bottom line: XRP continues to behave as a high-risk, high-volatility asset. Market watchers should monitor U.S. economic updates and developments from Ripple closely, as both could trigger further swings in price.