XRP is trading at $1.43, holding above both its 20-day SMA ($1.41) and 50-day SMA ($1.39) as of May 17. Whale long/short ratio sits at 3.0016 — meaning 75% of large holders are long — while retail traders are 72.9% long. Open interest has risen 4.19% to $2.90 billion, with funding rates steady at 0.0083%.
Whale positioning tilts heavily long
The whale long/short ratio of 3.0016 is the highest in weeks. It suggests big-money players are betting on a continued uptrend. Retail is also heavily long, but the gap between the two groups has narrowed. The combination of high leverage and elevated long exposure could make the market vulnerable to sudden liquidations if price drops, but so far the structure has held.
Open interest climbs to $2.9B
Open interest jumped 4.19% to $2.90 billion, a signal that new capital is flowing into XRP derivatives. Funding rates remain flat at 0.0083%, which means longs aren't paying a premium to hold positions. That's a neutral to mildly bullish sign — no overheating yet.
The regulatory weight that lifted
The regulatory overhang that dogged XRP for years has largely been resolved. Ripple spent 2024 and 2025 removing compliance barriers, and the market has reacted accordingly. XRP's ability to hold above key SMAs suggests the lingering uncertainty is gone. The token is now trading on fundamentals and technicals rather than legal headlines.
Resistance levels in sight
Key resistance levels sit at $1.47, $1.51, and $1.54. The near-term breakout trigger is $1.50. If XRP clears that psychological level, the next targets come into play. For now, the price is consolidating just below it. Traders are watching volume closely — a pickup could spark the move.
Bitcoin Hyper presale crosses $32M
Separately, the Bitcoin Hyper presale has raised $32.68 million at a token price of $0.01368. Early participants can earn staking rewards. The presale is still open, with no end date announced yet.
