XRP is down about 26 percent so far in 2026 from the start of the year, widening market frustration.

According to blockchain outlet BeInCrypto on May 22, XRP recently traded around $1.36 to $1.37. That left it about 62 percent below its all-time high of $3.65 set in July 2025.

Daily trading volume held at $1.65 billion to $1.77 billion, but price action was weak. XRP has also moved in a narrow $1.35 to $1.38 range recently, and the market has continued to assess selling pressure as dominant.

The slump is drawing more attention as positive factors in the Ripple ecosystem have continued. Ripple secured regulatory progress by resolving its legal dispute related to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and a spot XRP exchange-traded fund and an institutional product, Ripple Prime, have also come to market. But XRP has not rebounded.

Technically, the $1.30 to $1.35 range is cited as a key support level. Chart analyst ChartNerdTA said it spent 5 days below an upward support line and judged that if $1.30 breaks, it could fall further to the low $1 range within the next few weeks.

As weak prices drag on, investor reactions are also becoming harsher. Some traders and holders pointed to a gap between Ripple's long-term messaging and actual market performance. Among X users, criticism also emerged that price performance is weak compared with promotion, along with fatigue over XRP.

Ripple has presented XRP as a means for cross-border payments and has stressed bank partnerships, interoperability and its role in global financial change. But the price gains some retail investors expected have not appeared, and XRP has shown relatively weak performance among major cryptocurrencies in 2026.

Supporters, meanwhile, see XRP shifting in character toward an institutional asset rather than short-term speculation. They see the XRP Ledger, custody services, liquidity solutions and expanding regulatory clarity as a foundation for long-term growth. But that direction is clashing with the expectations of retail investors seeking quick profits.