The cryptocurrency market's hopes for a traditional year-end surge are fading as Bitcoin (BTC) tumbled to its lowest level since late November, marking a significant retreat from its recent record highs.

This also negatively affects the altcoin market, including Ripple's XRP. The fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has experienced a significant downturn, dropping nearly 20% from its December 17 high of $2.72 to $2.20 as of December 24, 2024.

Let's check why is the XRP price down today and what are the XRP price predictions for 2024 and 2025.

XRP Goes Down: Market Performance

The flagship Bitcoin Bitcoin While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that While some may still be wondering what is Bitcoin, who created Bitcoin, or how does Bitcoin work, one thing is certain: Bitcoin has changed the world.No one can remain indifferent to this revolutionary, decentralized, digital asset nor to its blockchain technology.In fact, we’ve gone a long way ever since a Florida resident Laszlo Hanyecz made BTC’s first official commercial transaction with a real company by trading 10,000 Bitcoins for 2 pizzas at his local Papa John’s.One could now argue that Read this Term dropped to $92,442 on December 24, representing a 14.5% decline from its all-time peak of $108,000 reached just a week ago. The leading token briefly attempted to recover above $95,000 before settling around $94,000 in early trading, maintaining an 11% loss over the past week.

At the same time, XRP is currently trading at $2.23, down nearly 14% over the past seven days. The 24-hour low stands at $2.1298, testing the current local support level.

XRP's 24-hour trading volume stands at $11.09 billion, indicating significant market participation despite persistent selling pressure. The token faces critical support at $2.17, with technical indicators showing mixed signals for potential recovery.

Broader Crypto Market Impact:

• Bitcoin trades at $93,834, down 12.6% weekly
• Ethereum has fallen 15.5% to $3,337
• Solana shows a 15.9% weekly decline

This declines comes at a time when crypto markets traditionally experience what traders call a "Santa Claus rally" – a period of price appreciation during the final days of December and early January.

Historical Context for Santa Rally and Market Outlook

Historical data shows that crypto markets have demonstrated positive performance during the holiday season in previous bull markets. Analysis reveals that between 2014 and 2023, the crypto market experienced holiday rallies in eight out of ten instances, with gains ranging from 0.7% to 11.8%.

A significant market event looms on December 27, with approximately $18 billion worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum options contracts set to expire, potentially introducing additional market volatility Volatility In finance, volatility refers to the amount of change in the rate of a financial instrument, such as commodities, currencies, or stocks, over a given time period. Essentially, volatility describes the nature of an instrument’s fluctuation; a highly volatile security equates to large fluctuations in price, and a low volatile security equates to timid fluctuations in price. Volatility is an important statistical indicator used by financial traders to assist them in developing trading systems. Trad In finance, volatility refers to the amount of change in the rate of a financial instrument, such as commodities, currencies, or stocks, over a given time period. Essentially, volatility describes the nature of an instrument’s fluctuation; a highly volatile security equates to large fluctuations in price, and a low volatile security equates to timid fluctuations in price. Volatility is an important statistical indicator used by financial traders to assist them in developing trading systems. Trad Read this Term. Despite the current downturn, market sentiment indicators suggest a possible recovery, as Bitcoin's social sentiment reached its yearly low on December 22.

Why Is XRP Price Down?

The cryptocurrency's sharp descent began following the Federal Reserve's December 18 policy meeting. While the Fed reduced its benchmark rate to 4.25%–4.5%, Chair Jerome Powell's hawkish tone caught investors off guard. The Fed's projection of only two quarter-point rate cuts in 2025, down from the previously expected four, has tightened global liquidity conditions.

The U.S. Dollar Index's surge to 108.15, its highest level in months, has further pressured cryptocurrency valuations. This strengthening dollar has made speculative assets less attractive to investors, contributing to XRP's downward trajectory.

XRP Technical Analysis

The current market structure shows XRP trading below key support levels, with immediate resistance at $2.49. The daily chart maintains a bullish long-term outlook, with technical patterns suggesting potential for higher prices if market conditions improve.

Looking at the XRP chart below, we observe a flag pattern within which the current price correction is moving. The chart has paused around the $2.20 support level. Even if this level is breached, the next support levels are the psychological $2.00, followed by $1.89, and then the 50 EMA at $1.82. A drop below this zone would indicate to me that the flag pattern has been invalidated, and bears might start to dominate the XRP chart.

Above these levels, however, downward corrections should be seen as opportunities to accumulate XRP at more attractive prices.

Resistance levels, on the other hand, are currently at $2.49, $2.71 (the highs from December 17), and $2.91 (this year’s peaks).

Support and Resistance Levels for XRP

Support Levels	Resistance Levels
$2.20	$2.49
$2.00 (psychological)	$2.71 (Dec. 17 highs)
$1.89	$2.91 (2023 highs)
$1.82 (50 EMA)	-

XRP Price Predictions

XRP Short-Term Outlook (2024)

The minimum expected price for XRP in December 2024 is projected at $1.91, with a maximum potential of $2.56. Market analysts anticipate an average trading price of $2.24 during this period.

XRP 2025 Predictions

• January 2025: Range between $1.35 and $2.12
• February 2025: Expected to fluctuate between $1.3 and $2.5
• End of 2025: If institutional adoption continues, XRP could climb to $5 or higher.

This complex interplay of macroeconomic factors, market sentiment, and technical indicators will likely continue to influence XRP's price trajectory through 2024 and beyond. While short-term pressures persist, long-term projections remain cautiously optimistic, though investors should maintain awareness of the market's inherent volatility and risk factors.