XRP has declined 15 percent over the past week, 26 percent in the last two weeks, and more than 40 percent over the past year. The asset is clearly in a downward trend as the broader crypto market faces bearish conditions. A closer look at its price history and fundamentals may offer perspective on how XRP performs during extended market downturns.
Market sentiment is currently deeply negative. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index recently dropped to 7, signaling extreme fear, a level rarely seen.
XRP in Previous Bear Markets
When evaluating cryptocurrencies, it is important to distinguish between Bitcoin and alternative coins. XRP falls into the altcoin category, which generally means higher volatility compared with Bitcoin and traditional financial assets. Unlike many altcoins, XRP is closely associated with Ripple, a large United States based company focused on building a fast settlement network for banks and financial institutions.
During the 2018 bear market, XRP fell sharply after reaching highs above 3 dollars, eventually trading near 0.30 dollars for most of the downturn. In the 2021 bull cycle, XRP climbed to around 1.70 dollars in April and attempted to revisit those highs later in the year before declining again to roughly 0.35 dollars by spring 2022. It remained in that range until November 2024, when it surged past 2 dollars and eventually reached a new all time high in July 2025.
Investors who bought near bear market lows and sold near cycle peaks saw returns approaching ten times their initial investment. At present, XRP appears to be cooling off after another strong rally, following a similar cyclical pattern.
With a current market capitalization of about 85 billion dollars, expectations of an extreme price explosion may be less realistic. Still, past cycles suggest that XRP has generally moved in line with broader market trends, despite regulatory challenges such as its prolonged legal battle with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Important Considerations
The crypto market can broadly be divided into Bitcoin and all other digital assets, with the latter often showing less durability over time. Ripple continues to expand its operations, launch new products such as the RLUSD stablecoin, and secure regulatory approvals in multiple jurisdictions.
However, XRP is not directly linked to Ripple’s corporate performance. Holding XRP does not grant ownership rights or profit sharing. The token is designed primarily for transactions, a point emphasized during Ripple’s legal dispute with regulators over whether XRP should be classified as a security.
Although XRP has a fixed supply, a significant portion is held by Ripple, which periodically sells tokens to fund operations.
While history shows that altcoins can experience powerful recoveries after prolonged downturns, past performance does not guarantee future results. Further downside remains possible before any sustained recovery takes shape.
This overview is not financial advice but rather an analysis of XRP’s historical performance and its relationship with Ripple.
