XRP Falls by 4%, SBI Launches Reward Bond for Retail Investors
Ripple (XRPUSD) has dropped about 4% over the past 24 hours to $1.39, underperforming a broader market that is also declining, reflecting capital rotating out of altcoins amid extreme fear sentiment.
XRP is navigating a mix of institutional strides and technical hiccups amid fragile market sentiment. The coin recorded approximately $1.93 billion in weekly realised losses, its largest spike since 2022.
This metric indicates coins were sold at a significant loss, often a sign of panic selling and capitulation amidst negative sentiment in the global cryptocurrency market.
The broader crypto market is in “Extreme Fear”, prompting a defensive shift toward Bitcoin. The Altcoin Season Index fell 19.44% in 24h, signalling capital is fleeing higher-risk altcoins like XRP back to perceived safety. This rotation explains XRP’s underperformance relative to Bitcoin, which fell by only 1.13%.
The total crypto market cap fell 1.32%, dragging most assets lower. Concurrently, XRP derivatives data show building bearish pressure. Futures open interest rose to 1.66 billion XRP, a 2.56% increase. Rising open interest during a price drop often signals new short positions, adding downward momentum.
Technically, XRP is testing a crucial support zone near $1.35, which it defended last week amid $1.84 million in ETF inflows. The near-term path hinges on this level. If buying interest returns and holds $1.35, a rebound toward $1.50 is possible.
However, if selling pressure persists and breaks $1.35, the next significant support is near $1.20. Crypt traders said the structure is bearish but oversold, creating a tension between capitulation and potential reversal.
The market awaits the next batch of institutional ETF flow data; sustained inflows could stabilise prices. XRP’s drop is part of a defensive sector rotation, compounded by bearish derivatives positioning. The key is whether institutional flows can offset the broader altcoin exodus.
SBI Holdings, a major Japanese financial group, launched a ¥10 billion, equivalent to $64.5 million, security token bond for domestic retail investors.
The bond, tokenised on the ibet for Fin platform, distributes XRP rewards at purchase and on semi-annual interest dates until maturity in March 2029. Secondary trading begins March 25, 2026.
This is bullish for XRP because it creates direct, regulated demand for the token within Japan’s conservative retail market and showcases real-world financial integration. Ethereum Lost 7% over High Volume Selloffs, Altcoin Rotation
