As $XRP whales defended the support level around $1 as of August 14, an investor who risked $1,000 at the start of 2026 is counting a double-digit percentage loss.
A crypto trader who purchased $1,000 worth of $XRP on January 1 has seen the portfolio plummet by 45.50% so far in 2026. At the beginning of this year, $1,000 fetched about 543.47 $XRP tokens, which are worth $543.47 at press time.
As such, an investor who purchased $XRP on the first day of 2026 and held through 2026, has seen their portfolio decline by $456.53.
Here is why $XRP price crashed over 45% YTD
Although $XRP fundamentals have improved significantly so far in 2026, the token’s price has been trapped in a macro crypto bear market. The ongoing $XRP bear market, which accelerated after the October 11 2025 sell-off, has largely followed the historical four-year cycle, marked by Bitcoin (BTC)’s halving.
Most importantly, the token’s price has experienced heightened selling pressure following the delayed passage of the CLARITY Act, a United States bill that would create clear rules for the cryptocurrency industry. Nonetheless, token’s adoption has grown through tokenization bids on the $XRP Ledger (XRPL), as Finbold reported.
What’s next for the token investors?
The $XRP price outlook remains heavily impacted by the AI boom, which has been taking air away from crypto, as Finbold pointed out. Nonetheless, the renewed demand for this token through the spot and derivatives market, as Finbold reported, could significantly reduce its near-term selling pressure.
Consequently, if the XRPL tokenization bids continue to grow amid rising demand in the spot and derivatives market, early investors, led by Evernorth Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: XRPN) could ride the next crypto bull market, potentially triggered by the passage of the CLARITY Act.
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