XRP has entered Wave 5, raising the possibility it could climb to $18.

On March 10, blockchain outlet The Crypto Basic reported that XRP has been moving within a five-stage Elliott Wave structure since the collapse of the Terra ecosystem in 2022, and the current correction phase, Wave 4, is nearing its end.

In a recent analysis, market expert Dark Defender raised the possibility that XRP could break out of its decline and rebound. XRP has been in a downtrend since peaking at $3.66 in July last year, which matches the fourth-stage correction in the five-stage wave structure. Wave 1 began with a rise from $0.28 in June 2022 to $0.93 in July 2023, and Wave 2 ended with a drop from $0.93 to $0.38. Wave 3 then advanced to $3.4 in January 2025.

Wave 4 is currently a decline that started from $3.4. It fell to $1.61 in April 2025, then logged $3.66 in July before dropping again to $1.4. Dark Defender said this level is likely to signal an ABC correction and the end of Wave 4.

Dark Defender also suggested the fifth wave could start soon. He said the fifth wave often recovers from the downtrend seen in the fourth wave. The analyst said XRP could lead a large-scale rise during the fifth wave.

If Wave 5 begins, XRP is expected to show a strong uptrend. Dark Defender set the first target for Wave 5 at $1.88, based on a 161.80 percent Fibonacci extension. He said the next area of interest is $5.86, based on a 261.80 percent extension, and that it could ultimately rise to $18.22, based on a 361.80 percent extension. He said that would be a 1,156 percent gain from the current price.