XRP Enters New Phase as Whale Accumulation Gives Way to Retail Volatility – Analyst

XRP has taken center stage this week as the broader crypto market faces intensified selling pressure. Despite the volatility, a major breakthrough has arrived: Canary Capital’s XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) has officially received regulatory approval, marking a historic step for the asset. On November 12, 2025, Nasdaq certified the product for listing, paving the way for trading to begin on November 13 under the ticker XRPC — establishing the first-ever spot XRP ETF on a US exchange. This milestone represents a turning point not only for Ripple’s ecosystem but also for broader crypto adoption in traditional finance. The approval follows years of regulatory scrutiny surrounding XRP and its legal status, signaling growing institutional acceptance of the asset as a legitimate digital commodity. While the announcement has reignited optimism among investors, XRP’s price remains under short-term pressure as traders weigh macroeconomic risks and profit-taking from early entrants. Still, analysts view the ETF launch as a potential catalyst for renewed liquidity and market participation, which could help stabilize sentiment and attract fresh inflows. With trading set to begin imminently, all eyes are now on how XRPC performs in its debut — and how the market reacts. Whales Front-Run the XRP ETF While Retail Rushes In After the News According to a recent CryptoQuant report by analyst Woominkyu, the behavior of large investors around the XRP Spot ETF announcement reveals a familiar pattern in crypto markets — whales moved first, retail followed after. Futures data shows that in the days leading up to the ETF’s approval, there was a clear rise in whale-sized orders, indicating that major players had begun positioning early while XRP’s price remained compressed and liquidity was low. However, once the ETF announcement went public, retail-sized orders surged, signaling that smaller traders entered the market after the news broke. This dynamic — whales buying early and retail piling in later — often creates a volatile and less predictable environment. When sentiment-driven buying overlaps with previously informed capital flows, short-term corrections and erratic moves tend to follow. The launch of the XRPC ETF accelerated this shift, bringing in new participants who had been waiting on the sidelines. While this doesn’t necessarily mark the end of XRP’s move, it does highlight a transition phase, where the balance of power between institutional accumulation and retail speculation will determine the next direction. The coming weeks will test whether whales choose to hold or start taking profits. Bulls Find Support at $2.30 The weekly XRP chart shows the asset consolidating near $2.50, holding firm above its key support zone around $2.30 following the recent ETF-driven rally. The launch of the Spot ETF triggered sharp volatility, but the structure now suggests stabilization as the market digests this historic milestone. From a technical perspective, the price remains in a mid-term bullish structure, with the 50-week moving average (blue line) acting as immediate dynamic support. Despite recent corrections from highs near $3.50, buyers have consistently stepped in at lower levels, signaling strong interest from institutional participants following the ETF approval. A decisive weekly close above $2.70 could open the door for another leg higher toward $3.20–$3.50, where the next resistance cluster lies. However, if the $2.30 zone fails to hold, the next significant area of demand sits around $1.90, aligning with the 100-week moving average (green line). Given current conditions, XRP appears to be entering a reaccumulation phase, with volatility compressing as traders wait for confirmation of the next move. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com