XRP Price Stabilizes Above $2.60 as Trump Tariff War Triggers Risk-Off Sentiment

Ripple (XRP) has been on a downtrend for the past three days, with multiple bearish catalysts, including escalating trade tensions between the US and Canada.

Ripple (XRP) price fell as low as $2.60 on Sunday, February 2, down 17% in 3 consecutive losing days, as escalating trade tensions between the US and Canada sparked a risk-off sentiment in the market, impacting XRP price. However, on-chain data suggests whale accumulation and a long-term approach from retail traders could provide support for XRP price.

As the US-Canada trade war escalates, with former President Donald Trump announcing new tariffs and Canada preparing for retaliatory measures, fears of a prolonged economic standoff gripped markets on Sunday. The announcement of these tariffs triggered a sell-off in key US Stock indices, and the crypto market followed suit, with Bitcoin (BTC) dropping to $96,000.

Amid the market turmoil, gold gained traction as investors shifted toward safe-haven assets, reflecting the classic risk-off sentiment observed during times of geopolitical instability. However, despite the losses, Ripple price action showed relative resilience compared to other mega-cap altcoins.

While XRP posted a 10% daily drop, some of last week’s top gainers, like SUI and Polkadot, experienced steeper declines, exceeding 15% in the same period. This performance suggests that XRP might be attracting strategic buyers looking to enter the market at a discount amid the uncertainty.

A key metric to assess investor sentiment is the total XRP reserves on Binance. CryptoQuant’s data reveals that XRP deposits on Binance have dropped to a 40-day low, decreasing from 3.04 billion XRP on January 16 to 2.55 billion XRP as of February 2. This implies that 490 million XRP coins have exited Binance in just over two weeks.

This decline in exchange reserves may indicate that long-term investors and whales are accumulating XRP and moving their holdings into cold storage. Binance handles over 40% of the global retail crypto market, making this metric particularly relevant in gauging investor sentiment.

Another interpretation of this trend is that institutional players are accumulating XRP in anticipation of regulatory clarity surrounding exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Bloomberg analysts recently suggested that a Litecoin ETF may be approved first, raising expectations that other altcoins, such as XRP, could follow. Institutional investors often acquire assets ahead of major regulatory developments, which could explain the recent outflows.

At current prices, the 490 million XRP removed from Binance is valued at approximately $1.3 billion. This supply reduction could act as a buffer against further downward price action, potentially stabilizing XRP at $2.60 while other cryptocurrencies experience more extreme losses.

Despite XRP’s recent decline, the asset appears to be holding up better than some of its peers. Whale accumulation, declining exchange reserves, and the ETF narrative could provide strong tailwinds for XRP’s price action once broader market conditions stabilize.

The Elliott Wave structure on the daily chart suggests that XRP recently completed its fifth wave up, followed by a sharp corrective move—a typical market cycle behavior. The Fibonacci retracement levels highlight a key support zone around $2.5990, coinciding with the 0.618 retracement level, which has historically acted as a strong reversal point for bullish recoveries.

If XRP manages to hold this level, buyers could regain confidence, potentially driving a move toward the 0.382 ($2.8439) or even $3.0562 resistance. However, the MACD indicator presents a more cautious outlook, with the signal line crossing below the MACD line, confirming weakening bullish momentum.

If selling pressure persists and XRP loses the $2.60 support, a deeper retracement toward $2.50 remains likely. Nevertheless, if buyers absorb the current supply and the MACD histogram begins to show diminishing red bars, it could confirm bottoming out, positioning XRP for a relief rally.