Key Moments
- XRP trades at $1.06, down nearly 5% this week as selling pressure continues.
- Ripple and SBI Group launched the RLUSD stablecoin in Japan after receiving approval from the Japan Financial Services Agency.
- Bearish derivatives data and negative funding rates continue to weigh on XRP despite modest spot ETF inflows.
RLUSD Stablecoin Debuts in Japan
Ripple (XRP) remains under selling pressure. The token traded at $1.06 on Thursday after falling nearly 5% this week. However, the company continues to expand its stablecoin strategy in Japan.
Ripple announced on its official X account that its USD-backed stablecoin RLUSD is now available in Japan. The launch follows regulatory approval from Japan’s Financial Services Agency (JFSA).
Through its partnership with SBI Group, RLUSD will be available to institutional and retail users through the VCTRADE platform. The stablecoin will support payments, tokenization, and collateral management.
Jack McDonald, Senior Vice President of Stablecoins at Ripple, said the launch represents a major step in expanding access to regulated USD-backed stablecoins for financial institutions, consumers, and businesses in Japan.
The expansion strengthens Ripple’s long-term outlook. It also deepens the company’s presence in Japan and could support wider adoption of its payments infrastructure. However, this milestone has not yet improved XRP’s short-term price performance.
Derivatives Metrics Highlight Persistent Bearish Bias
Meanwhile, XRP derivatives data continues to signal caution among traders. According to CoinGlass, XRP’s long-to-short ratio stood at 0.95 on Thursday. Notably, this level is close to its lowest point in more than a month.
A reading below 1 means short positions exceed long positions. Therefore, the market remains tilted toward bearish expectations and possible further downside.
Funding rates in perpetual futures also reflect weak sentiment. The funding rate turned negative on Wednesday and reached -0.0020% on Thursday. This means short positions are paying long positions.
As a result, the futures market remains heavily influenced by short exposure. This setup could limit XRP’s ability to achieve a strong and lasting recovery.
However, some positive signals are emerging in the spot market. According to SoSoValue, spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) recorded inflows of $2.05 million on Wednesday. This followed $5.31 million in inflows on Monday.
These inflows suggest growing investor interest. If the trend continues, it could help support a recovery in XRP prices.
XRP Technical Landscape: Trend Remains Under Pressure
From a technical perspective, XRP’s outlook remains bearish. The token trades at $1.06 on Thursday and is nearly 5% lower for the week.
XRP is trading below the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs). These indicators are positioned between roughly $1.23 and $1.54.
This setup confirms a strong downtrend. In addition, rallies toward these levels may attract fresh selling pressure.
The price also remains below the upper boundary of a downward-trending parallel channel near $1.19. Therefore, upside momentum remains limited despite a slowdown in recent selling pressure.
Key Technical Levels to Watch
| Indicator / Level | Reading / Price | Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Spot price (Thursday) | $1.06 | Down nearly 5% this week |
| 50/100/200-day EMAs | $1.23 to $1.54 | XRP trades below all major EMAs, confirming weakness |
| Channel upper boundary | Around $1.19 | First resistance level for recovery attempts |
| Key support | Near $1.00 | Potential area where buyers may defend price |
| RSI | About 33 | Weak momentum but not deeply oversold |
| MACD | Negative territory | Sellers remain in control |
TradingPedia.com is a financial media specialized in providing daily news and education covering Forex, equities and commodities. Our academies for traders cover 
