Are others afraid while I am greedy? Ripple reveals three major catalysts, XRP flashes a buying opportunity on dips

Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty Reveals Three Major Forces in 2026: Quiet Adoption, Digitalization of Real-World Assets, and Integration with Traditional Finance. Ripple USD (RLUSD) Stablecoin Achieves Milestone on XRP Ledger. Despite XRP dropping 15%, the $1.60 support level has attracted buyers, rebounding from this level in April to $3.60, indicating a long-term bullish outlook.

The Three Hidden Forces Reshaping the Cryptocurrency Landscape

Stuart Alderoty, the lawyer behind Ripple’s biggest courtroom victory, pointed out in his latest commentary that cryptocurrencies will undergo a qualitative change by 2026. The first major force he emphasizes is “quiet adoption,” which differs from the hype cycles of 2017 or 2021. Instead, it is a more steady and low-key infiltration into everyday commercial activities. Merchants accepting crypto payments are doing so less to chase trends and more to meet actual customer needs; consumers using digital assets are no longer just speculating but are solving real problems like cross-border remittances or privacy protection.

The second force is the digitization of real-world assets (RWA). This trend is fundamentally changing asset ownership and trading methods. Real estate, art, bonds, equity, and even carbon credits are being tokenized and circulated on blockchains. The high throughput and low transaction costs of XRP Ledger make it an ideal platform for RWA tokenization. When a commercial property worth millions of dollars can be divided into millions of tokens, allowing global investors to participate with small amounts, liquidity and accessibility will experience a revolutionary shift.

The third force is the integration of traditional financial institutions with the cryptocurrency sector. Alderoty emphasized: “Traditional financial institutions are beginning to incorporate crypto services into their existing systems, making things easier.” This integration is not about replacing traditional finance but embedding blockchain technology as an infrastructure layer into current processes. Banks are conducting cross-border settlements via Ripple solutions, asset management firms are issuing tokenized funds, and payment companies are providing seamless crypto-to-fiat conversions—all concrete examples of traditional finance embracing digital assets.

Synergistic Effects of the Three Forces

· Quiet adoption lowers entry barriers for users, expanding the market base

· RWA digitization creates practical use cases, enhancing the intrinsic value of tokens

· Integration with traditional finance provides regulatory compliance frameworks and trust endorsements

Ripple USD Stablecoin as a Strategic Turning Point

The launch of Ripple USD (RLUSD) is widely regarded as a milestone for XRP Ledger. This USD-pegged stablecoin fills a critical gap in Ripple’s product lineup. Previously, Ripple’s cross-border payment solutions were efficient but still required conversions between fiat and XRP, with price volatility being a concern for many financial institutions. The emergence of RLUSD addresses this pain point, enabling Ripple to offer a stable store of value and exchange medium while retaining the speed and cost advantages of blockchain.

RLUSD and XRP play complementary roles within the ecosystem. XRP, as a bridge currency, focuses on providing liquidity and facilitating rapid conversions between different fiat currencies, driven by network effects and speed advantages. RLUSD offers stability, allowing users and enterprises unwilling to bear crypto volatility risks to enjoy blockchain benefits. This dual-token strategy enables Ripple to serve clients with different risk preferences simultaneously.

For financial institutions, RLUSD reduces the risks associated with adopting Ripple technology. Banks can use RLUSD for internal settlements and customer services without directly holding or trading XRP, which is especially important in jurisdictions with unclear regulations. However, as usage grows, these institutions will gradually recognize XRP’s unique value in liquidity management and cross-currency conversions, increasing actual demand for XRP. Therefore, the success of RLUSD will ultimately feed back into an increase in XRP’s value.

Deeper strategic significance lies in RLUSD’s ability to position Ripple within the larger USD stablecoin market. Currently dominated by USDT and USDC, this market has a total market cap exceeding $150 billion and continues to grow. With its deep experience in cross-border payments and compliance, Ripple has the potential to capture a significant share of this market. As RLUSD is integrated into more exchanges, wallets, and DeFi protocols, the overall activity and network value of XRP Ledger will be significantly enhanced.

The Historical Significance and Technical Analysis of the $1.60 Support Level

(Source: Trading View)

XRP Over the past 7 days, XRP has fallen 15%, with a sharp decline over the weekend, raising concerns about short-term trends. However, from a technical analysis perspective, this correction may present a strategic buying opportunity. XRP is currently finding support near $1.60, a level that has historically proven important. In April, XRP rebounded strongly from this zone and climbed to $3.60 over the following months, a gain of over 125%.

The formation of the $1.60 support level has logical reasons. This price range represents a concentration of early investors and institutional buy-in, who tend to add positions or hold firm when prices fall to this level rather than panic sell. Psychologically, $1.60 is close to key retracement levels in multiple bullish cycles, and market participants see it as an important risk/reward boundary.

Volume data offers additional insights. Although the weekend saw a sharp sell-off, the trading volume was only about $5.5 billion, relatively low. This suggests that the weekend plunge was mainly driven by liquidity shortages and speculative selling rather than fundamental deterioration. Low-volume declines often lack sustainability, and once normal market liquidity resumes during the weekdays, buying interest can quickly regain control.

On a longer timeframe, XRP remains in a phase of long-term upward trend correction. The three pillars proposed by Stuart Alderoty provide strong fundamental support for XRP’s price outlook. Quiet adoption indicates increasing actual usage; RWA digitization creates new application scenarios; and integration with traditional finance offers institutional demand. These long-term drivers are unlikely to change due to short-term price fluctuations, and $1.60 may again serve as a level to reverse market sentiment.

Long-term XRP Price Forecast and Risk Factors

Alderoty’s three pillars lay a solid foundation for XRP’s long-term growth, but investors should evaluate potential risks rationally. First, regulatory uncertainty remains. Although Ripple achieved a major victory against the SEC, the global regulatory environment continues to evolve. Regulations like the EU’s MiCA, US stablecoin legislation, and various countries’ central bank attitudes toward private digital assets could impact XRP’s use cases and market performance.

Second, increased competition is a concern. Stellar, Algorand, and even traditional financial institutions developing their own blockchain solutions are vying for cross-border payments and RWA tokenization markets. XRP’s first-mover advantage and Ripple’s banking network are important moats, but continuous innovation is necessary to maintain leadership. The launch of RLUSD exemplifies this innovation effort. Whether Ripple can keep launching market-driven products will determine its long-term competitiveness.

Technical risks also exist. If XRP fails to hold the $1.60 support, the next key support levels are around $1.20 to $1.30. Breaking below this zone could alter the mid-term technical structure and trigger deeper corrections. Conversely, a breakout above $2.00 and stabilization could open the path toward the previous high of $3.60. Investors should set reasonable stop-loss and profit targets based on their risk tolerance.