Author: Maham Arslan

Ripple just made headlines with its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road, a major prime broker serving over 300 institutional clients.

Crypto researcher SMQKE noted that Hidden Road plans to move its post-trade clearing operations onto the XRP Ledger (XRPL) which puts the scalability and efficiency of the blockchain in the spotlight.

Once approved this will be the first time a crypto-native company will own a global prime brokerage and blend blockchain infrastructure into traditional finance.

Ripple’s goal is clear: expand XRP’s use cases beyond cross-border payments to core financial services like custody, financing and clearing. This is a big step in showing that blockchain can modernize institutional trade infrastructure.

Key Points:

• Hidden Road clears over $3 trillion annually.
• Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin will be used as collateral.
• Regulatory approval expected within months.

The broader crypto market sees this as a big win for XRPL adoption and XRP’s real world use cases.

[[XRP/USD-graph]]

XRP Ledger Powers New Institutional Infrastructure

Ripple is going to integrate XRPL into Hidden Road’s global clearing operations. This is a direct attempt to show XRPL can handle high volume institutional flows – something no other major blockchain has done at this scale yet.

According to reports by Times Tabloid and BLM Business the integration could mean faster settlement times and better trade execution for hedge funds and asset managers. Crypto influencer Amelie also noted this on X, it bridges the gap between traditional finance and crypto ecosystems.

Why It Matters:

• Strengthens XRP’s utility narrative.
• Shows blockchain in institutional markets.
• Boosts Ripple’s credibility with regulators and traditional players.

If successful this could open the floodgates for more prime brokerages to use decentralized infrastructure.

XRP Price Analysis: Holding $2.20 With Eyes on $2.30

As of now [[XRP/USD]] is trading around $2.20 after briefly touching $2.22. Technicals are bullish with XRP making higher lows above an ascending trendline.

• Pivot Point: $2.18
• Immediate Resistance: $2.25
• Next Resistance: $2.30
• Immediate Support: $2.18
• Next Support: $2.1350 EMA ($2.18) above 200 EMA ($2.13) so bullish bias. MACD is flat so not much breakout pressure.

If XRP breaks $2.25 with volume it could retest $2.30. If sellers take over expect a pullback to $2.18 or $2.13 before the next push higher.

Bottom Line:

XRP’s price stability, backed by a major institutional catalyst, offers cautious optimism. Traders should watch the $2.25 breakout level closely before entering new positions.

XRP is trading at $2.19 after being rejected at $2.30 earlier in the week. It dipped to $2.11 before bouncing, showing some strength as the broader crypto market cools.

Despite the caution, XRP still has a bullish setup that’s catching the eye of institutional traders.

Right now, XRP is above the 100-day EMA on the 8-hour chart at $2.15—a level that’s also the neckline of an inverse head and shoulders pattern. Holding this support could be the catalyst for a breakout. Short term resistance is at the 200 EMA which has risen to $2.22. A clean break above this could take XRP to $2.74—25% higher.

CME Futures Fuel Institutional Confidence

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives exchange, announced they will be launching XRP futures on May 19 pending regulatory approval. The contracts will be micro (2,500 XRP) and standard (50,000 XRP) so all types of investors can get involved. This is the same path Bitcoin and Ethereum took before institutional adoption.

Coinbase Derivatives also rolled out XRP futures this week, further solidifying XRP’s position in the derivatives market. According to Giovanni Vicioso, CME’s Global Head of Crypto Products, this is in response to growing demand from both institutional and retail investors.

These launches mean XRP is entering a more mature market where investors will have tools to hedge or speculate more effectively.

Technicals Suggest Breakout

On the 2-hour chart, XRP is consolidating at $2.19 and holding the trendline at $2.17 which is supported by the 50 EMA ($2.1718). The 200 EMA is below at $2.1223 and is structural support. Price action is healthy in this channel but momentum has cooled short term.

Updated Levels:

• Pivot Support: $2.17
• Immediate Resistance: $2.2351
• Next Resistance: $2.30
• Immediate Support: $2.1186
• Next Support: $2.0671

If bulls can get above $2.2351, XRP could retest $2.30 and build to $2.74. But a close below $2.1186 would invalidate the setup and open up a retracement.

Market Sentiment is Mixed

While the technicals are bullish, sentiment is split. XRP’s RSI is at 55.98 and approaching the 50-line which means momentum is waning. According to Coinglass, Open Interest (OI) dropped 0.21% to $3.86 billion.

Liquidations data:

• Longs: $5.63 million
• Shorts: $1.99 million
• 4H Liquidations: $1.13 million (longs) vs. $3,430 (shorts)

This shows bearish pressure building. But the structure remains intact as long as price is above $2.17. A clean break above $2.22 could flip sentiment fast and give bulls a clear path to $2.74.