Ripple (XRP) continues to decline, with institutional investment infrastructure expansion and ETF market growth expectations.

XRP continues its 40% plunge at the $1.34 mark, recording the worst returns of 2026, but the expansion of institutional investment infrastructure and the growth of the ETF market are seen as future rebound drivers. As of the afternoon of the 28th, XRP is trading at $1.34, down over 40% since the beginning of the year.

Despite declaring 2026 as the year of institutional investment, prices remain at the lowest level of the year.

Ripple’s President Monica Long announced 2026 as the “Year of Institutional Investment,” stating that by acquiring Hidden Road for $1.25 billion, they have gained access to the U.S. Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation and the National Securities Clearing Corporation. Currently, there are six spot XRP ETFs in operation, with total assets exceeding $10 billion. With the SEC and CFTC officially classifying XRP as a commodity on March 17, regulatory uncertainty has been significantly alleviated.

According to a survey by Coinbase of 351 institutions, 25% of respondents plan to include XRP in their portfolios in 2026. However, despite the continuous expansion of institutional infrastructure, XRP’s price remains trapped in the $1.32-$1.42 range, down 40-43% from its early-year high of $2.40-$3.65, performing at the bottom among major cryptocurrencies.

Dependence on Bitcoin reaches 0.80; whale sell-offs drag down prices.

XRP’s weakness stems from its high correlation coefficient with Bitcoin (0.80). In a weak Bitcoin market, XRP’s downward trend has become the norm. Since the peak, whale investors have continued to sell off $60 billion of profits, with 60% of the circulating supply in a loss zone, forming a strong resistance band in the $1.44-$1.76 range.

The rebalancing pressure from institutional investors in Q1 also constitutes a selling factor. In the process of clearing underperforming assets, XRP has been listed among the main sell-off targets. Technical analysis shows that the 200-day moving average at $1.38 provides support, while $1.45-$1.50 is viewed as a short-term resistance line.

Some analysts point out that market volatility has contracted to the lowest level in 2026, with the potential for large price movements accumulating.

Anticipation for ETF approvals heats up; derivatives market performs strongly.

As the SEC’s deadline for approving spot ETFs approaches (March 27-28), optimism spreads in the derivatives market. The open interest and funding rates are on the rise, suggesting investors are increasing long positions. Currently, there are seven XRP funds in operation, attracting $14 billion in inflows, and Grayscale is also preparing to convert existing trust products into ETFs.

While the Ripple network maintains partnerships with over 300 banks and continues to expand its cross-border payment infrastructure, specific roadmaps were not disclosed that day. The company instead emphasized strengthening connections with traditional financial systems through the acquisition of Hidden Road.

The target price for XRP in 2026 has been significantly lowered by Standard Chartered from $8 to $2.80, but the possibility of reaching $28 by 2030 remains. FX Empire has proposed a short-term target price of $5.

With up to 1 billion XRP released from escrow accounts monthly, additional selling pressure continues to build. As of the afternoon of the 28th, XRP is trading at $1.34, down 1.77% over 24 hours, with trading volume decreasing to $2.2 billion (a 6.59% week-on-week drop). The market cap remains at $81.9 billion, ranking fifth in the cryptocurrency market capitalization leaderboard.

Market analysis suggests that while the institutional investment infrastructure has been initially established, translating it into actual demand growth will still take time. The expansion of the ETF market and obtaining DTCC access will be key variables for medium to long-term price rebounds.

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