- XRP remains above the $1.13 breakout level.
- Whale sales decline as larger whales accumulate.
- Daily XRPL payments exceeded 500,000 transactions.
XRP recently moved above the $1.13 level, a price area that many traders were monitoring as a major resistance area.
Staying above this level has shifted attention towards higher resistance levels, with market analyst Dark Defender identifying $1.22, or roughly $1.2269, as the next upside target using Elliott Wave analysis and Fibonacci extension levels.
XRP is a clear breakout and is expected to complete the five wave structure we established on June 30th. I’ll add it as a second article for you to check out!
$1.13 is the key. $1.22 on the horizon. (nfa)
Enjoy your day!#XRPArmy #ripple pic.twitter.com/gPCyQQgfzO
— Dark Defender (@DefendDark) July 21, 2026
Dark Defender analysis indicates that maintaining support above the breakout zone remains crucial for the bullish structure to remain intact.
A sustained move above the current range would strengthen the technical setup, while a drop below the breakout level could lead to another test of lower support.
The golden cross and breakout boost the technical picture for XRP
Another development attracting attention is the appearance of a golden cross, a chart pattern that occurs when the short-term moving average crosses above the long-term moving average.
This signal has historically been associated with improving medium-term momentum.
Although a golden cross does not guarantee a price rise, it is widely considered one of the strongest confirmation signals when it appears alongside a confirmed breakout.
The combination of the resistance breakout and the golden cross created a stronger technical backdrop than either signal would have provided independently.
The focus now is on whether XRP can build enough momentum to challenge the next resistance area identified by the Dark Defender.
Whale accumulation replaces heavy selling pressure
On-chain data also showed a noticeable change in the behavior of large XRP holders.
Recent blockchain metrics indicate that whale selling pressure has fallen to the lowest level recorded since 2025.
Earlier in the year, hundreds of millions of XRP were regularly transferred by major holders of the coin to exchanges, adding to potential selling pressure.
Since then, stock market flows have declined sharply, suggesting that large holders are becoming less active sellers.
At the same time, blockchain data indicates that whale accumulation is accelerating, suggesting that some large investors are increasing their positions in XRP rather than reducing them.
Buying activity from large portfolios usually reduces immediate selling pressure in the market.
However, whale accumulation alone does not determine future price direction. A sustained rally remains dependent on broader market demand and continued buying interest across both institutional and retail participants.
XRPL network activity is reaching an important stage
In addition to the price action, the XRP Ledger also recorded stronger network usage.
Daily payment activity on XRPL recently rose to over 500,000 transactions, representing one of the strongest levels of network usage in recent months.
Payment volume is one of the main indicators used to measure blockchain activity because it reflects how frequently the network is used for transfers and settlement operations.
The increase in payment activity comes alongside increased development across the XRPL ecosystem, including projects focused on integrating artificial intelligence with blockchain infrastructure.
While these initiatives are still evolving, they point to broader activity occurring beyond simple token trading.
