According to Finbold, Ripple's XRP has demonstrated impressive performance in November and early December 2024, capturing the attention of investors and capital deployment. Despite this success, various indicators suggest that XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger (XRPL), may soon face a corrective downturn, raising concerns within the trading community.
On December 3, XRP reached an all-time high market capitalization of $165.74 billion, with each token valued at $2.90. This achievement occurred despite the token trading below its all-time high price of $3.40. The rally propelled XRP to become the third most valuable cryptocurrency by market cap, surpassing Solana (SOL) and Tether's USDT. The peak market cap indicates significant demand, even as Ripple continues its token unlocks and sales, contributing to circulating supply inflation. Ripple, the largest holder of XRP, is reportedly preparing for what could be its final major sale of 2024.
As demand for XRP peaks, technical indicators point to potential market fatigue. The daily relative strength index (RSI) for XRP has been above 75 points since November 11, signaling an overbought condition. During the peak market cap, the RSI reached 95 points, a level often associated with impending corrections. The weekly RSI also presents a concerning signal, currently at 91.17, suggesting a possible overdue correction. Historically, when XRP's weekly RSI reached similar levels, the token experienced a significant decline, dropping nearly 80% from November to December 2020.
Additionally, decentralized finance analyst Andrei has cautioned traders against excessive leverage. He highlighted CoinGlass's funding rate heatmap, which reveals an imbalanced crypto market heavily skewed towards long positions. Currently, XRP long position traders are required to pay short-sellers a 66% annual percentage rate (APR) funding rate, indicating a potential long squeeze that could drive XRP's price downward.
Despite these warning signs, XRP may still find the momentum to continue its upward trajectory, as it has done in the past. However, the inherent volatility and unpredictability of cryptocurrencies necessitate caution from traders and investors navigating this turbulent market.
