One crypto commentator, Austin Hilton, posted a video addressing fellow XRP owners and discussing what has been a difficult but strong year for the asset. XRP fell more than 15% to around $1.90 by the end of the year, but Hilton notes that this loss was even worse than the rest of the altcoin market, with numerous coins falling more than 40% as retail activity continued to decline.
XRP Price Action Influenced by Macro Pressure
Hilton cites macro forces globally, which took a heavy toll on crypto markets in 2025. Trade tension, uncertainty over tariffs, and changing expectations at the Federal Reserve created a risk-off position that sold off speculative assets. Even with these headwinds, XRP had been able to defend key levels more than most large-cap altcoins.
Unlike previous cycles that were led almost exclusively by retail trading, Hilton notes that institutional inflows erased unwarranted declines in XRP. The focus on payments, pilot schemes and growing corporate interest prevented major sell-offs, although retailers were exiting the market.
Why Hilton remains optimistic in 2026
Trying to look to the future, Hilton believes 2026 is the year to look forward to, as he believes regulatory certainty can open up a new era of demand. He points to developments in US cryptocurrency law, such as laws like the GENIUS Act, which may allow banks and financial institutions to have broader exposure to digital currencies like XRP.
XRP 2026 projections differ greatly among analysts. Some exchanges have conservative estimates for
Adoption trends
Hilton cites broader blockchain adoption studies showing that 25 percent of institutions are increasing their use of payment technology annually. With such trends in place, the utility-based story of XRP may become more powerful than the speculative one of the tokens. Hilton encourages its holders to monitor regulatory changes, institutional news, and the overall Bitcoin market cycle. It suggests that a bitcoin price exceeding six figures would become an event that would boost high utility coins like XRP.
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