XRP price surges to $2.16 as US-China trade talks spark market optimism

XRP price has seen a surge in the past 24 hours, reaching $2.16 as crypto assets edge higher following reports of potential progress in US-China trade relations.

XRP price saw a surge in the past 24 hours, reaching $2.16 as crypto assets edged higher following reports of potential progress in US-China trade relations.

This price movement comes alongside Bitcoin briefly surpassing $97,000, with Ethereum and most altcoins also breaking out of consolidation patterns.

At the time of writing, XRP trades at $2.13, showing a nearly 2% rise on the day. Technical indicators suggest the possibility of continued upward momentum, though several resistance levels remain overhead.

The crypto’s price increase broke a four-day downtrend, coinciding with news about upcoming trade discussions between the United States and China. This shift in market sentiment appears to have benefited digital assets broadly.

XRP faces critical resistance from the overhead trend line and the 50 and 100 EMA lines. Recent technical indicators show a negative crossover between the MACD and signal lines.

Despite these technical challenges, a potential breakout above the 100-EMA line at $2.21 could push XRP toward the 23.60% Fibonacci level at $2.45.

Strong Q1 Performance

In the first quarter of 2025, XRP delivered impressive results against its larger crypto counterparts. According to Ripple’s Q1 report, XRP outperformed Bitcoin by 10% based on the XRP/BTC ratio.

XRP-based investment products attracted substantial capital, recording $37.7 million in inflows during Q1. This brought their year-to-date total to $214 million, nearly overtaking global Ethereum funds.

The average daily trading volume for XRP has remained stable around $3.2 billion over the past six months. This consistent trading activity reflects ongoing market interest in the token.

Between November 2024 and early 2025, XRP outperformed Bitcoin by an impressive 350%. However, Bitcoin has recently strengthened against the altcoin despite XRP’s 10% lead in Q1.

Ripple reportedly controls a substantial portion of the XRP supply. As of March 31, 2025, the company held 41.69 billion XRP tokens, representing about 75.8% of the circulating supply of approximately 55 billion tokens.

US-China Trade Talks Spark Market Optimism

The recent upward price movement coincides with developments in US-China trade relations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed plans for discussions between US and Chinese officials in Switzerland over the weekend.

“The world has been coming to the US, and China has been the missing piece. We will meet on Saturday and Sunday to discuss our shared interests,” Bessent stated in a recent interview.

This news comes amid a broader slowdown in the US economic recovery, with the government reporting a smaller-than-expected rise in employment and a decline in wages in April.

Despite the mixed signals, the labor market remains relatively strong, and consumer spending remains robust.

We will meet on Saturday and Sunday to discuss our shared interests. The current tariffs and trade barriers are unsustainable.

We don't want to decouple. What we want is fair trade.

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) May 6, 2025

He added that current tariffs and trade barriers are unsustainable, suggesting potential changes to the trade landscape.

The statement triggered positive reactions across financial markets, with the NASDAQ 100 and S&P 500 jumping nearly 1% despite a weaker opening.

China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed that Vice Premier He Lifeng will visit Switzerland as the Chinese representative for China-US Economic and Trade Affairs.

The ministry stated that “China has carefully evaluated these messages, taking into full account global expectations, China’s own interests, and the appeals of American businesses and consumers.”

This development has energized both US and crypto markets. Bitcoin rose by nearly 3%, while Ethereum gained more than 1.50%, contributing to XRP’s 1.85% increase.

On the daily price chart, XRP appears to be testing the $2 level, which coincides with the 200-day moving average. This level could provide support to prevent further decline.

The XRP Ledger showed some decreased activity in Q1, with network activity dropping by over 30%, reflecting a broader market contraction during that period.

Ripple has indicated it will periodically update its XRP holdings over the next 42 months, which may impact future supply dynamics for the token.

The upcoming weekend discussions between US and Chinese officials could prove pivotal for global markets and risk assets like cryptocurrencies, potentially providing further momentum for XRP’s price action.