TLDR
- XRP surged beyond $1.40 during Asian trading hours with significant trading volume
- The token reached $1.4148 before stabilizing above the $1.40 level
- Critical resistance level positioned at $1.420, with potential targets at $1.435 and $1.450
- Ripple returned 700 million XRP to escrow following the monthly 1 billion token unlock
- Market analyst CW identified record long-position accumulation over a two-week period
XRP rallied above the $1.40 threshold during Asian market hours on May 4, 2026, tracking the broader cryptocurrency market’s upward momentum alongside Bitcoin. The advance featured substantial volume increases, suggesting genuine market engagement rather than thin-liquidity price action.
The digital asset peaked at $1.4148 before settling into a consolidation pattern between $1.4040 and $1.4060. XRP maintains its position above the $1.40 threshold and the 100-hour Simple Moving Average.
The hourly chart displays a developing bullish trend line with support established near $1.3920. The price action reveals a pattern of ascending lows heading into the breakout, indicating sustained accumulation pressure.
XRP had been confined within a narrow trading corridor between $1.35 and $1.45 for an extended period. This latest advance represents a fresh effort to escape that compression zone, with volume data validating the push through $1.40.
Critical Resistance Zones Under Watch
The primary resistance barrier stands at $1.420. A decisive push through this level would expose $1.435, followed by $1.450. Should momentum continue, market participants are monitoring $1.480 and $1.50 as subsequent objectives.
For downside scenarios, $1.3880 represents initial support. The $1.380 level below that aligns with the 50% Fibonacci retracement measured from the $1.3460 low to the $1.4148 high. A breakdown below $1.380 would likely direct price action toward $1.350, with $1.322 as the next floor.
Cryptocurrency analyst CW highlighted substantial net long-position accumulation in XRP, describing it as the most significant volume observed over the past two weeks. The analyst observed that while price action remained range-bound, market participants appeared to be positioning for a substantial upward movement.
Ripple Escrow Activity
Coin Bureau revealed that Ripple returned 700 million XRP to escrow within 24 hours following its monthly 1 billion XRP unlock. Based on Whale Alert tracking data, this action represents Ripple’s routine monthly supply management protocol.
The hourly MACD indicator shows bullish momentum while the RSI holds above the 50 midpoint, both technical factors supporting the continuation scenario provided price maintains elevation above $1.40.
The $1.40 level functions as the crucial pivot point. Sustained trading above this threshold preserves the current breakout framework, while a reversal below would indicate a rejected attempt and probable return to the recent range boundaries.
MACD and RSI measurements on the hourly timeframe remain positioned in bullish zones according to current market data.
