Cryptocurrency Archives - Page 29 of 277

Despite geopolitical tensions rattling global markets, XRP price recovery may be closer than it seems. Last week, Ripple’s XRP (XRP) slid roughly 8% amid escalating Middle East conflict, as traders reacted to U.S. airstrikes in Iran. But even with macro uncertainty weighing on sentiment, several key indicators—technical, on-chain, and institutional—are flashing bullish signals for XRP.

Here are three reasons analysts believe a recovery in XRP’s price is not only possible but increasingly likely.

1. XRP Is Bouncing From a Historical Support Zone

As of June 23, XRP had already rebounded more than 7.5% from its local low of $1.90, recovering toward the $2.05 range. This bounce occurred at a strong technical support confluence that previously triggered a major rally.

The support zone includes a multi-week ascending trendline and the 50-week exponential moving average (EMA), both aligning in the $1.80–$2.00 range. In past market cycles, XRP has shown resilience when testing this band, including a notable 65% surge earlier this year.

Analysts are closely watching for a breakout above the upper boundary of XRP’s symmetrical triangle pattern. If confirmed, this could pave the way for a rally to $3.71—an all-time high that would signal a full XRP price recovery and renewed investor confidence.

2. No Panic Selling From XRP Whales

Market dips often prompt fear-driven exits, especially among retail investors. But data from blockchain analytics firm Glassnode suggests the opposite is happening with XRP. The number of wallet addresses holding at least 10,000 XRP tokens—typically seen as “whales” or high-net-worth individuals—has remained not just stable, but rising.

As of June 20, there were over 295,000 addresses with balances exceeding 10,000 XRP. That’s a record high, even as the token briefly dropped below $2 during geopolitical turbulence.

This behavior implies whales are not fleeing the market. On the contrary, they appear to be accumulating, signaling long-term conviction in XRP’s fundamentals and recovery potential.

This trend has historically preceded price rallies, reinforcing the case for a possible reversal in the current downturn.

3. Institutions Are Still Buying XRP

Retail conviction is one thing—but institutional flows offer another powerful indicator of future price action. According to CoinShares, XRP-focused investment products saw $2.7 million in weekly inflows during the recent sell-off. Month-to-date, institutional flows into XRP stand at $10.5 million.

That puts XRP among the top-performing altcoins in terms of capital inflows during a risk-off period, alongside Solana (SOL) and Sui (SUI). For comparison, many other digital assets—including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH)—saw outflows during the same stretch.

These inflows suggest that larger financial players view the XRP price recovery as both probable and potentially lucrative. With Ripple continuing to expand its global payments partnerships and regulatory clarity improving in some jurisdictions, institutional sentiment appears to be turning more favorable.

What to Watch Next for XRP

While XRP has shown promising signs of bottoming out, the broader macro environment remains a wildcard. Continued tensions in the Middle East could introduce volatility, and a stronger dollar or tighter monetary policy from the Federal Reserve could weigh on crypto markets in general.

Still, the combination of technical support, whale accumulation, and institutional flows makes a compelling case for a potential XRP price recovery. If momentum continues, traders could see XRP push back toward $3 or higher in the coming months.

The Bottom Line

While the past week saw XRP under pressure, the outlook may not be as bleak as it seemed. The presence of solid support levels, committed large holders, and increasing institutional interest signals that XRP could rebound strongly if broader market conditions stabilize.

As always, investors should monitor global news, regulatory updates, and on-chain metrics—but for now, XRP price recovery appears more possible than not.

Iran Bitcoin Sales: Fueling Conflict or Overblown Fear?

Written by Stephanie Bedard-Chateauneuf on June 23, 2025. Posted in Cryptocurrency.

The role of Iran Bitcoin sales in funding its military ambitions has once again come under scrutiny amid rising geopolitical tensions. A controversial claim by investor Mike Alfred alleges that Iran is rapidly offloading Bitcoin—allegedly obtained through cyberattacks—to finance its missile programs and nuclear infrastructure. While dramatic, the accuracy and implications of this claim are far from straightforward.

Bitcoin and the Nobitex Hack

The allegations surfaced shortly after a high-profile hack of Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, on June 18, 2025. The attackers stole over $90 million in digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), and other altcoins. The group responsible, Predatory Sparrow, is widely believed to have ties to Israel and claimed responsibility as a political act rather than a financial heist.

In a surprising move, the hackers didn’t liquidate the stolen funds. Instead, they transferred the assets into burner wallets—wallets without private keys—effectively destroying the crypto and rendering it inaccessible. Their message was clear: the goal was to disrupt Iran’s crypto-based financial infrastructure, not profit.

This directly contradicts Alfred’s assertion that Iran is selling stolen crypto to fund warfare. In fact, the Nobitex hack represented a significant financial blow to Iran, not a gain.

How Much Bitcoin Does Iran Actually Have?

While the Nobitex hack doesn’t support the narrative, Iran’s broader engagement with cryptocurrencies is well-documented. Facing heavy U.S. sanctions, the Iranian regime has turned to Bitcoin mining and crypto transactions as a workaround for accessing global financial systems.

Iran’s mining operations are believed to generate upwards of $1 billion in Bitcoin annually. However, the exact size of the Iranian government’s crypto reserves remains unclear. The decentralized nature of blockchain makes it difficult to trace national holdings unless wallets are publicly identified.

Even if Iran were to dump a significant portion of its BTC holdings, the global impact on the crypto market would likely be limited. With daily trading volumes for Bitcoin routinely exceeding $20 billion, the market has the depth to absorb such transactions with minimal price disruption.

War and Crypto as a Financial Escape Hatch

Following Iran’s recent missile attacks on U.S. military installations in Qatar, analysts are watching closely for financial movements. Historically, military escalation has prompted a surge in crypto activity out of Iran. This includes both institutional actors and civilians seeking to shield themselves from sanctions, inflation, and a weakening national currency.

Platforms like Nobitex have played a crucial role in this financial escape. Billions of dollars in crypto transactions have passed through Iranian exchanges, largely out of view from international regulators. In times of crisis, Bitcoin becomes both a tool for evasion and a hedge for average Iranians.

This dynamic has prompted concern among Western governments, who view such activity as a breach of international sanctions. As tensions rise, scrutiny of exchanges and wallet activity linked to Iran will likely increase, potentially resulting in further restrictions or legal action.

The Market Impact of Iran Bitcoin Sales

If Iran chooses to liquidate a portion of its crypto reserves, the immediate market effect would probably be temporary volatility rather than a crash. With an estimated $1 billion in annual crypto-based revenue, Iran’s sales would represent a small fraction of global trading volumes.

However, the real concern is not market movement—it’s the regulatory and geopolitical fallout. Nations and exchanges could face pressure to identify and block Iranian-linked transactions. Sanctions enforcement could expand to cover crypto infrastructure, affecting how global exchanges operate.

Bottom Line: More Hype Than Harm?

While Iran Bitcoin sales are a valid area of concern, claims that they will crash the crypto market or suddenly fund a new arms race are exaggerated. The bigger issue is the geopolitical attention it draws. Western governments may clamp down harder on crypto channels that allow rogue states to circumvent sanctions.

For now, the blockchain community—and global financial markets—would do well to separate verifiable fact from speculative fear. The focus should remain on transparency, compliance, and the role of crypto in an increasingly complex world stage.

Featured Image: Freepik

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