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Ripple’s XRP Eyes Strong Move to $16, Repeating 2017 Surge… But There’s A Surprising Catch

XRP experienced a dramatic surge last month, surpassing $3 for the first time since 2018 amid a broader rally in the cryptocurrency market. This move saw XRP’s 24-hour transaction volume soar by 127.7%, per Coinmarketcap data, signaling heightened investor interest. Notably, South Korean exchange Upbit reported a trading volume of $4.895 billion on Tuesday, with the XRP/KRW pair capturing a 22.2% market share, leading Bitcoin. In a tweet , Santiment analysts attributed the resurgence to XRP’s efficiency, low transaction costs, and potential for banking and cross-border payments. According to the firm, positive sentiment surrounding the token has been further fueled by former President Donald Trump’s upcoming plans to introduce friendlier SEC regulations and clearer crypto token guidelines after his inauguration next week. Additionally, speculation over the potential approval of an XRP Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) has added to the bullish sentiment. Earlier last month, JPMorgan analysts estimated that Solana (SOL) and XRP ETFs could attract up to $14 billion in new investments, with XRP potentially drawing between $4 billion and $8 billion. As the surge continues, many analysts are drawing comparisons to XRP’s meteoric rise in 2017. On Wednesday, popular analyst Javon Marks highlighted that in 2017, XRP briefly faced resistance at the 1st Fibonacci level before surging to the 1.618 Fibonacci level. As per the pundit, presently, the 1.618 Fibonacci level sits at $16.57, over 400% higher than XRP’s current price, suggesting a major surge may be underway. “A massive XRP surge can be commencing,” Marks tweeted. Notably, on December 30, the pundit had projected an even more ambitious price target of over $100, expecting a breakout move with a more than 45X increase from current levels, following a break above XRP’s 2018 peak. Meanwhile, analyst Cryptobull shared with his 155,000 X followers that XRP could surpass $20 in this bull cycle, reaching $13 within weeks. Based on Elliott Wave theory, the pundit pointed to the five-wave pattern that drove XRP from $0.002 to $3.84 in 2017, a 70,000% gain. He believes the current wave could propel XRP from $0.50 to as high as $26, yielding a 6,000% gain. Elsewhere, Digital Asset Investor pointed out that Google search trends for XRP have seen more than double the interest over the past two months compared to the 2017 run, when the coin surged over 60,000% to reach its all-time high, suggesting a similar bull run could be underway. However, analyst Alex Thorn offered a word of caution, noting that despite the surge, XRP has yet to surpass its 2018 all-time high of $3.31. Adjusting for inflation, Thorn stated that XRP would need to reach $4.24 to exceed its previous peak in 2018. At press time, XRP was trading at $2.42, reflecting a 1.87% surge in the past 24 hours. CoinOtag

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2 no-brainer mid-cap cryptocurrencies to buy in February

The cryptocurrency market has experienced one of its most severe liquidations in history, wiping out $2.24 billion in value within 24 hours, with total estimates reaching as high as $10 billion . Bitcoin ( BTC ) continues to struggle past the $100,000 mark, as risk-off sentiment grips investors amid escalating global tensions. Yet, even as panic selling dominates certain mid-cap cryptocurrencies—those with market capitalization between $1 billion and $100 billion, are emerging as strong picks for long-term growth. Among them, Solana ( SOL ) and Chainlink ( LINK ) stand out as two no-brainer picks for February, supported by on-chain activity and institutional interest. While short-term price swings persist, these assets could offer strategic entry points for investors looking to capitalize on the market downturn. Solana (SOL) Currently trading at $198.15, with a market cap of $96 billion, Solana is the second-largest blockchain by DeFi total value locked (TVL), surpassing Tron ( TRX ) in Q4 2024. Solana seven-day price chart. Source: Finbold According to the State of Solana Q4 2024 report by Messari , its DeFi TVL surged 64% QoQ to $8.6 billion, driven by major protocols like Raydium, Kamino, and Jupiter Perps, fueled by memecoin and AI token speculation. Institutional investors are also taking note. VanEck projects SOL could reach $520 by 2025, citing Solana’s rising market share in the smart contract platform (SCP) sector, which is expected to grow from 15% to 22% by the end of 2025. The firm highlights Solana’s developer dominance, expanding decentralized exchange ( DEX ) volumes, and growing base of active users as key factors supporting its long-term bullish outlook. Furthermore, the SEC’s recent acknowledgment of Grayscale’s Solana ETF filing marks a notable shift in regulatory tone, opening the door for potential institutional inflows. Given its remarkable growth in DeFi, surging revenue expansion, and rising institutional interest, Solana stands out as a buy, with multiple catalysts fueling its upside potential heading into 2025. Chainlink (LINK) Chainlink is emerging as a standout in the altcoin market, with institutional accumulation and network activity hitting multi-month highs. LINK seven-day price chart. Source: Finbold Currently trading at $19.25 with a $12 billion market cap, LINK has seen its highest whale activity in 14 months, with 1,659 transactions exceeding $100,000—the most since December 6, 2023—and 9,531 unique active addresses, the highest since December 11, 2024, according to Santiment. Beyond on-chain activity, Chainlink’s fundamental expansion in DeFi and traditional finance continues to drive its long-term outlook. The Ronin Ecosystem, a major gaming blockchain, has integrated Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to enable cross-chain asset transfers. Furthermore, Chainlink’s influence extends into traditional finance. Notably, 21X, a fintech firm in Europe, has integrated Chainlink’s infrastructure to support tokenized securities. This move strengthens its relevance in some of the world’s most tightly regulated financial markets. As the altcoin market prepares for a potential rebound, LINK remains one of the top assets to watch, backed by growing real-world utility and increasing investor confidence. With strong on-chain metrics, rising adoption, and growing institutional interest, Solana and Chainlink emerge as top picks for investors eyeing significant upside in the next phase of the altcoin market’s expansion. However, given the cryptocurrency market’s inherent volatility, traders must remain vigilant, closely tracking trends and developments to navigate risks and capitalize on opportunities. Featured image via Shutterstock The post 2 no-brainer mid-cap cryptocurrencies to buy in February appeared first on Finbold . CoinOtag