$XRP

The Ripple Effect - 8/12/25

XRP drops 8% from highs as profit-taking follows historic SEC settlement. VivoPower partners with Crypto.com for XRP restaking via Flare. Ripple acquires Rail for $200M. Despite pullback, analysts see $4-13 targets with 85% ETF approval odds. Legal clarity unlocks institutional adoption.

The Ripple Effect

12 Aug 2025 — 4 min read

Current XRP Price: $3.14 (-1.59% 24h) | 24h Volume: $9.16B
Market Cap Rank: #3 | Market Cap: $178.2B

XRP faces its fourth consecutive session of decline, dropping from recent highs near $3.66 to current levels around $3.14, as profit-taking pressure mounts following the historic Ripple-SEC settlement completion. Despite the pullback, major institutional developments including VivoPower's partnership with Crypto.com for XRP restaking via Flare Network and Ripple's $200M acquisition of Rail demonstrate strong ecosystem momentum.

Market Update

XRP has declined for four consecutive sessions, losing approximately 8% from recent highs to reach intraday lows of $3.11 on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Currently trading at $3.1422, XRP faces mounting profit-taking pressure following its impressive rally after the Ripple-SEC legal settlement.

Key Price Levels:

Support: $3.09 (4-hour Supertrend flip), $2.94 (recent low)
Resistance: $3.31 (Fibonacci resistance), $3.50 (next target)

The primary catalyst behind today's decline stems from natural profit-taking activities after XRP's spectacular 208% volume surge to $12.4 billion following regulatory clarity. Trading volumes remain elevated at $9.16 billion, indicating continued institutional interest despite the pullback.

Technical Analysis: On the daily Smart Money Concepts view, $3.6656 is marked as a weak high with liquidity parked above it. Price found a firm bid at $3.0933, the point where the 4 hour Supertrend flipped bullish, and it continues to trade above the $3.09 demand zone that formed during July's breakout.

Key Developments

SEC Lawsuit Officially Concluded

Historic Settlement Finalized

The Securities and Exchange Commission and Ripple Labs have jointly ended their appeals in the high-profile XRP lawsuit, concluding a multi-year legal battle that has clouded the token's outlook since 2020. In a Thursday filing, the Second Circuit Appeals Court recognized the dismissal, with both sides agreeing to bear their own costs and fees.

Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have officially agreed to dismiss the appeals filed in their legal battle, bringing the five-year-long case to a close. This marks the end of a prolonged dispute that has had significant implications for Ripple and its flagship cryptocurrency, XRP.

Settlement Terms:

Final penalty reduced to $50 million (from original $125M)
No injunction on future XRP sales
Case officially dismissed with appeals withdrawn
Ripple receives remainder of escrowed funds

VivoPower-Crypto.com Partnership Enables XRP Restaking

Major Institutional Integration

VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ: VVPR) has announced a strategic partnership with Crypto.com to support its expanding digital asset treasury strategy. The collaboration also provides access to upcoming XRP restaking opportunities via Flare, a partner VivoPower has already established relationships with to enhance its digital asset capabilities.

Partnership Highlights:

XRP custody and trading services for 150M+ Crypto.com users
XRP restaking integration through Flare Network
Enhanced liquidity access for institutional investors
Support for VivoPower's XRPFi treasury strategy

Flare Network Developments

Expanding DeFi Infrastructure

Flare Network (FLR) is now available for On-chain Staking on the Crypto.com Exchange. Staking enables you to help secure the token's underlying blockchain and conveniently put idle assets to work. In turn, you'll receive token rewards of up to 10%, in line with the blockchain protocol.

Flare's FAssets system will enable assets like BTC and XRP to interact trustlessly with smart contracts on the network via collateralized minting, using Flare Time Series Oracle and Flare Data Connector for secure cross-chain functionality.

RLUSD Ecosystem Growth

Stablecoin Adoption Accelerating

Ripple is buying Rail, a stablecoin payments platform, for $200 million, the firm said on Thursday. The deal is likely to close in the fourth quarter of this year. Rail's capabilities include virtual accounts and automated back-office systems, enabling customers to transact in digital assets without the need to open dedicated crypto bank accounts or wallets on exchanges.

Ripple has launched its new stablecoin, RLUSD, which is already seeing impressive trading volumes of over $100 million daily.

Notable Mentions

Analyst Perspectives

Bullish Outlook Maintained Despite Pullback: Despite today's decline, expert opinions remain largely bullish for XRP's medium-term prospects. Tony "The Bull" Severino forecasts a 333% surge within 40 days, while Peter Brandt predicts a 60% rally to $4.47 based on technical patterns.

ETF Developments: Multiple XRP ETF applications remain under SEC review with an 85% approval probability for 2025. Japan's SBI Holdings plans to launch the country's first Bitcoin/XRP ETF, signaling institutional confidence in XRP.

Whale Activity

Whale accumulation continues with addresses holding 100 million to 1 billion XRP adding 900 million tokens worth $2.88 billion in just 48 hours.

Institutional Adoption

South Korea's BDACS, a regulated crypto custodian, has integrated XRP into its platform, enabling institutional access to major exchanges such as Upbit and Coinone.

Looking Ahead

Immediate Price Targets:

Bullish Case: Break above $3.31 could target $3.50-$4.47
Bearish Case: Break below $3.09 could test $2.94 support

Key Events to Watch:

Q4 2025: Rail acquisition completion
2025: Multiple XRP ETF decisions expected
Early 2025: RLUSD integration into Ripple Payments

Expert Price Predictions for 2025: Based on multiple technical quantitative indicators, the current forecast for XRP in 2025 is bullish. XRP is expected to trade at $4.12 on Aug 11, 2026, following a 44.46% gain in the next six months to reach $4.78 on Feb 7, 2026.

Market Context

The regulatory overhang removal represents a fundamental shift for XRP, with the settlement providing the clarity institutional investors have been waiting for. While short-term profit-taking is natural after such significant legal resolution, the underlying fundamentals—including growing stablecoin adoption, institutional partnerships, and expanding DeFi integration—support a constructive medium-term outlook.

The regulatory clarity achieved through the SEC settlement provides a strong fundamental foundation, while multiple XRP ETF applications have an estimated 85% approval probability for 2025.

Sources

Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any securities. XRP and cryptocurrency investments carry significant risks including potential total loss, extreme volatility, and regulatory uncertainty. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Unless we have a formal advisory agreement, I am not acting as your investment adviser. Consult a qualified financial professional and conduct your own research before making investment decisions.