XRP price had climbed over 10% and traded above $1.45 as the broader crypto market recovered. However, as of press time, the XRP price has dipped 5% after failing to breach resistance at $1.50 to trade at $1.39. This XRP price volatility comes amid the XRP Ledger ecosystem outlining a shift toward a more distributed funding structure. As per the Ripple team, more than $550 million has already been deployed into the XRPL ecosystem initiatives since 2017. Consequently, amid these Ripple developments, analysts have forecasted a bullish move for the XRP price despite the dip, with past patterns reemerging. XRPL Introduces Distributed Funding Framework According to an X post, Ripple has confirmed that over $550 million has been directed toward XRPL grants, hackathons, accelerators, and strategic partnerships so far. Nearly 200 projects have received support across payments, DeFi, tokenization, gaming, AI, and enterprise finance. Breaking down the roadmap, the firm noted that in 2026, the ecosystem will move toward a distributed model. As a result, the independent entities such as XRPL Commons, XAO DAO, and regional hubs will play larger roles in funding decisions. In addition, a FinTech Builder Program will support startups building institutional-grade applications, including stablecoin payments and regulated financial services. The program will provide structured guidance from early product design to launch. As per the report, expanded accelerator programs and regional startup competitions are also planned. Moreover, a dedicated XRPL funding hub will soon launch to centralize access to grants and support initiatives. Community Governance and Global Expansion Concurrent with the development, the XAO DAO will introduce microgrant funding and community voting mechanisms. Members will, as a result, vote on grant allocations and ecosystem proposals, and hence the DAO structure shifts decision-making power toward a broader stakeholder base. In the update, Ripple noted that XRPL Commons continues to operate incubator programs such as The Aquarium in Paris. In addition, XRP Asia is being developed as a regional hub focused on APAC growth, expanding localized support for builders across emerging markets. At the same time, the University Digital Asset Xcelerator is broadening its reach, with cohorts launching in Brazil, the United Kingdom, and the United States to support university-led innovation. Alongside these regional and academic initiatives, venture firms including Pantera, Dragonfly, and Franklin Templeton are backing founders building on XRPL, providing capital access and mentorship to help projects scale beyond early development. XRP Price Prediction as Exchange Reserves Surge Despite the XRP price recovery, exchange data presents contrasting trends. CryptoQuant has reported a 10.58% increase in XRP exchange reserves within 24 hours. Consequently, the total exchange balances rose to approximately 2.77 billion XRP, valued at nearly $3.98 billion. Rising exchange reserves often suggest potential selling activity, as tokens move to trading platforms. However, according to analyst StephIsCrypto, the whale outflows dropped from 33.5 million XRP in December to negative 3.29 million recently. This suggests large holders are reducing net selling pressure. He noted, “Big money isn’t dumping anymore.” Source: X Amid this whale speculation, experts have noted that XRP currently trades within what some analysts describe as Phase Four of a long-term market cycle, aligning with CoinCodex’s XRP prediction . In an X post, Trader CW projected potential targets of $3.6 and $21.5 if historical patterns repeat. However, these projections are based on prior cycle behavior and remain conditional on market structure.
