XRP Update: Ripple Joins Open USD as ETFs Keep Inflows; XRP Struggles Near $1
Ripple announced it is a “day-one integration partner” for Open USD (OUSD), a new stablecoin focused on large-scale global payments. Open USD is backed by major institutions and is expected to launch later in 2026.
Ripple previously received Japan’s Financial Services Agency approval to issue its own stablecoin, RLUSD (RULSD). It also said it committed $25M in RLUSD to support underserved U.S. small businesses and programs for military veterans. However, the market momentum for RLUSD has cooled, with market cap around $1.4B (about the 49th-largest crypto).
On the institutional side, XRP spot ETF demand remains constructive. The article cites cumulative net inflows of nearly $1.5B over these products’ lifetimes, while inflows have recently outweighed outflows. Despite this, overall ETF flows were described as weaker for BTC/ETH-linked products in recent months.
Price action: XRP is trading around $1.04, down about 20% on a monthly basis, still fighting to hold the $1 psychological level.
Technical/flow signals are mixed. Analyst Ali Martinez said the Tom DeMark Sequential Indicator flashed a buy signal and noted rising network activity. At the same time, whales reportedly reduced exposure to XRP, which the article flags as potentially bearish.
For traders, the combination of Ripple’s stablecoin expansion and ongoing XRP ETF inflows is supportive, but XRP’s failure to reclaim $1 plus whale trimming suggests caution.
Neutral
This news is mixed for XRP. On the bullish side, Ripple’s push into multichain payment rails via Open USD (OUSD), the earlier Japan approval for RLUSD, and especially ongoing spot XRP ETF net inflows suggest institutional support is intact. Similar ETF-driven basing phases in prior cycles often help reduce downside volatility when spot demand remains positive.
However, XRP still struggles to hold the $1 level and is down ~20% monthly, which signals the market is not yet fully repricing risk upward. The article’s mention that whales trimmed exposure adds a near-term supply overhang—historically, whale reduction alongside weak price structure can delay breakouts even when ETF flows look healthy.
Short term: traders may see support from ETF inflows and any TD Sequential follow-through, but whale-related selling risk can cap rallies around $1.
Long term: if Ripple’s stablecoin ecosystem (OUSD/RLUSD) gains traction and ETF demand sustains, it could improve the probability of a trend reversal. For now, without XRP reclaiming $1 decisively, the net effect is best treated as neutral.