XRP rose above $2 on Friday for the first time since mid-December, extending a strong start into 2026, as traders signaled stable spot ETF inflows and improving US regulatory sentiment.
Data cited by SoSoValue showed that US XRP spot ETFs raised $13.59 million on January 2, bringing total inflows since launch to $1.18 billion. Steady demand has helped tilt near-term supply and demand dynamics in favor of XRP, even as broader crypto benchmarks remain rangebound.
The move also comes as traders reassess the regulatory context following the departure of SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, which some market participants saw as paving the way for a more crypto-friendly policy stance.
Crenshaw had been among the most skeptical of crypto spot ETFs and had opposed the SEC dropping its appeal in the Ripple case, according to market commentary.
Speculation about upcoming legislation added to the momentum. Traders flagged a possible increase in the Market Structure Act on January 15, which kept political expectations high during the first quarter and contributed to the token’s outperformance.
XRP’s strength stood out against mixed flows in other major crypto ETFs.
The same data set cited by analysts showed weaker demand for bitcoin funds over the period, reinforcing the view that the XRP rally is being driven more by token-specific catalysts than a broad risk-on move.
XRP was last trading just over $2, up about 8%, while bitcoin was around $90,000 and ether was trading around $3,000, both only slightly higher on the day.
