XRP Price Trapped Near $2.46 After Choppy Week

XRP price traded near $2.46 on May 16, holding steady after a choppy week

The price of XRP was trading near $2.46 on May 16, remaining in a choppy week that saw Bitcoin slip from highs of $104,000.

The world’s leading cryptocurrency attempted to hold the $100,000 level, while Ethereum was trading around $2,600. Most other altcoins remained in key support zones as bullish momentum appeared to be fizzling out. XRP showed relative resilience, managing to stay above the $2.40 handle despite capital flows shifting towards memecoins and high-beta tokens.

The broader cryptocurrency market responded positively to the recent U.S. CPI report, which showed inflation cooling faster than expected. The report showed that Core CPI fell to 3.6% year-over-year, sparking renewed risk appetite across equities and digital assets. The 10-year Treasury yield dipped below 4.3%, and Fed funds futures now reflected growing confidence in a rate cut by September.

This macro backdrop provided a tailwind for crypto prices - though XRP’s rally seemed more structural than reactive. Open interest in XRP perpetuals had risen modestly, suggesting that both retail and institutional traders were positioning for further price action. Spot volumes also remained elevated, indicating healthy market participation despite the market’s attention shifting elsewhere.

Attention was now turning to XRP’s midterm structure and whether it could flip its BTC pair decisively.

Judge Rejects Ripple SEC Settlement Motion, Case Drags On

Judge Analisa Torres denied a joint motion by Ripple and the SEC on May 15, halting a proposed $50 million settlement deal. The motion, filed under Rule 62.1, sought an indicative ruling that would reduce Ripple’s $125 million penalty and lift an injunction on certain XRP sales.

Judge Torres rejected it, calling it “procedurally improper.” Since the case was under appeal in the Second Circuit, her court no longer held jurisdiction to issue substantive rulings. More importantly, Judge Torres said that even if the court had regained jurisdiction, she would still deny the motion for failing to meet the Rule 60 standard.

Rule 60 requires parties to show exceptional circumstances to modify a final judgment. Neither the SEC nor Ripple addressed this. They also did not explain why lifting a permanent injunction or cutting the penalty served the public interest. Torres cited the SEC v. Citigroup case, reinforcing the court’s duty to protect integrity in enforcement settlements, not just rubber-stamp them.

The SEC and Ripple now planned to refile under Rule 60. Ripple CLO Stuart Alderoty confirmed the plan and stated that the rejection did not undo previous wins. The final judgment was issued in August 2024, giving them until August 2025 to act, but both parties were expected to move sooner.

XRP community members reacted with irritation and fatigue as the case dragged on. Many criticized Ripple’s legal team for filing under the wrong rule. Others, like legal commentators James Filan and Fred Rispoli, pointed out the steep procedural hill ahead. Despite the noise, the community’s core support remained, though frustration was growing.

XRP Price Fizzles After Breakout, Reclaims Wedge Trendline

The XRP USD pair broke out of a multi-month falling wedge pattern earlier in May but failed to hold the post-breakout momentum. The structure extended from the December 2023 high to the April 2025 lower highs. Falling wedges generally indicate bullish reversals, forming as the price consolidates between two downward-sloping trendlines. The breakout was confirmed when XRP closed above the resistance trendline.

However, the rally faded soon after, with the May 15 Ripple SEC settlement ruling forcing XRP prices to plunge over 7%. XRP price failed to sustain above the Fibonacci 0.786 level and is now testing the former resistance line of the wedge as a support level. A successful retest here would keep the bullish structure intact. A breakdown, however, would risk invalidating the breakout and bring lower Fib retracement levels into play.

XRP has immediate resistance from the 0.618 Fibonacci level. Flipping the immediate resistance would help the Ripple token price target the resistance near the 0.786 level. The final resistance is the projected price target, which is derived from the wedge pattern. This is calculated by taking the maximum height of the wedge and projecting that distance upward from the breakout point.

On the downside, XRP’s first key support rests at the 0.382 Fib level. Below that, the 0.236 retracement offers additional footing. The wedge’s lower boundary remains the last major support in case of a deeper pullback.

RSI has cooled from recent highs and now hovers near neutral. The retest zone will likely determine XRP’s mid-term direction. Bulls must hold the line.