XRP Nears $1 Support as Senate Delays CLARITY Act, Macro Pressure Builds

Ripple’s XRP is once again testing the market’s patience as fading U.S. regulatory momentum and a deteriorating macro backdrop push the token toward a key psychological level. XRP was last changing hands around $1.016 in Thursday U.S. Eastern Time, down roughly 2.9% over the past 24 hours and about 4.6% over the week, leaving the closely watched $1.00 support line increasingly vulnerable.

The immediate catalyst was Washington. The U.S. Senate has pushed back a vote on the proposed ‘CLARITY Act’—legislation aimed at defining digital asset market structure and jurisdictional boundaries—until September. The bill has been viewed by many market participants as a potential step toward clearer rules of engagement for exchanges, issuers, and token projects, and XRP has been frequently cited as one of the assets that could benefit most from improved regulatory ‘predictability’ in the U.S.

With the vote delayed, traders quickly repriced near-term optimism. Analysts at multiple crypto market outlets pointed to the postponement as the core reason sentiment turned defensive, arguing that the market had partially leaned on a “regulatory relief” narrative that is now on hold. The result was a burst of disappointment selling that pushed XRP back toward a level that has served as both technical support and a psychological anchor for bulls.

Regulation, however, was only part of the pressure. Broader risk appetite has also weakened as the U.S. dollar strengthened and Treasury yields climbed—conditions that typically tighten financial conditions and weigh on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. Market watchers said the tone worsened after the latest U.S. nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data, which reinforced a ‘risk-off’ posture across markets and compounded downside pressure in digital assets.

Those macro headwinds are reflected in XRP’s rolling performance. Over the past 30 days, XRP has fallen about 6.3%, and over 60 days it is down roughly 12.4%, underscoring an increasingly clear intermediate downtrend. Trading activity has risen alongside the decline: 24-hour volume was reported near $1.77 billion, up about 25% day over day—often interpreted as sell pressure arriving with conviction rather than a low-liquidity drift lower.

From a technical perspective, several market commentators have converged on the same line in the sand: $1.00. While XRP is still hovering just above that threshold, analysts warned that a decisive break could open the way to the next major support zone around $0.90. That potential air pocket has heightened caution, particularly as derivatives markets continue to show a broadly bearish tilt in positioning.

At the same time, on-chain and positioning signals are not fully aligned. Some analysts noted signs of accumulation by large holders—often referred to as “whales”—even as derivatives indicators remain negative. An LCX research note described the combination as a common “mixed signal” seen during potential bottoming phases, when longer-horizon buyers begin to scale in while leveraged traders keep leaning short.

Notably, ecosystem developments have so far failed to shift price action. Reports indicate Ripple has secured approval under the European Union’s MiCA framework via Luxembourg, a milestone that could strengthen its operational footing and expand its ability to serve EU markets under a unified regulatory regime. Separately, the XRP Ledger (XRPL) is expected to roll out version v3.3.0 this week, and some data providers have highlighted that exchange-held XRP supply has fallen to a seven-year low—factors that could, in theory, support price by signaling tighter available supply.

Still, traders appear more focused on near-term demand than long-term fundamentals. Analysts said expectations for spot ETF-related inflows remain muted and have so far undershot what would be needed to offset the market’s broader risk aversion. Without a clear resurgence in ‘institutional demand’, positive ecosystem headlines have struggled to become immediate price catalysts.

XRP’s market capitalization stands near $63.55 billion, representing about 2.9% of the total crypto market, with a fully diluted valuation estimated around $101.62 billion. For now, the market’s center of gravity remains the $1.00 level, with September’s rescheduled Senate timetable for the ‘CLARITY Act’ emerging as a key near-term variable. Until regulatory clarity improves and macro conditions stabilize, traders are bracing for continued volatility around this pivotal support zone.