XRP traded near $1.54 on Sept. 25 as analysts focused on the $1.65 resistance area, where two separate technical setups now place a key level in the latest XRP price prediction debate. CoinMarketCap data showed XRP up about 3% over 24 hours after the token recovered from its recent pullback.

The technical discussion comes as Ripple continues expanding payment infrastructure around stablecoins and XRP Ledger assets. Chief Executive Officer Brad Garlinghouse has previously argued against an XRP-only approach to digital payments, and the company's current products support several stablecoins alongside multiple fiat settlement routes. The two readings come from independent technical analysts EGRAG Crypto and Dark Defender, who work from the monthly and daily charts respectively.

EGRAG Crypto Pins Long-Term Structure to $1.65

EGRAG Crypto identified $1.65 as the main area to watch within XRP's long-term price structure. On the monthly chart, the zone sits close to a broader technical band that has shaped price behavior across previous cycles. At the time of writing, XRP traded near $1.52, up around 16% over the last week.

The setup also tracks the 33-month and 77-month exponential moving averages. The chart keeps the longer-term XRP price roadmap unchanged, with projected levels at $7.50, $13 and $30. Those targets depend on XRP continuing to follow the macro structure shown on the monthly chart. As a result, the asset would need to move through $1.65 before any of the longer-term levels become relevant.

The monthly structure also follows a large descending formation that stretches back several years. XRP price has moved away from its 2025 lows, but the chart still places the market below the upper boundary of that structure.

Dark Defender Says September Forecast Is Tracking

Dark Defender compared XRP's September 24 daily structure with a forecast published on September 3, saying the token's latest move aligns with his earlier roadmap. The earlier setup mapped an ABC correction before projecting a stronger move higher. The latest chart follows much of that sequence, including the decline toward the projected C-wave area.

XRP price then recovered through several Fibonacci retracement levels. The daily chart marks $1.2939 at the 50% level and $1.3798 at 61.8%. It places the 70.2% level at $1.4445 and the 85.4% level at $1.5692. Price recently pushed toward the $1.57 area before pulling back. The chart also marks $1.8815 at the 161.8% extension and $2.9032 at the 200% level.

Dark Defender says Wave 3 has started despite expected pullbacks during the move. XRP's daily RSI sits above the midpoint on the supplied chart, while the indicator remains below overbought territory. That keeps momentum positive without placing RSI near its upper extreme.

Read side by side, the two roadmaps carry closely spaced near-term reference points. Dark Defender's 85.4% retracement at $1.5692 sits just below EGRAG Crypto's $1.65 monthly threshold, leaving both frameworks with key markers in the same zone above the current price, while the larger extension and cycle targets on each chart stand further out on their respective timeframes.

Garlinghouse Rejects an XRP-Only Payment Approach

The technical outlook arrives as Ripple's chief executive takes a broader view of cryptocurrency payments. Garlinghouse has said XRP and stablecoins can serve different payment needs based on customer requirements, adding that he does not consider himself an XRP maximalist and supports several cryptocurrencies for different reasons.

His comments focus on customer requirements rather than a single settlement asset. XRP may work best as a bridge asset in some payment flows. In other cases, a stablecoin may provide a better match for the customer's needs.

The distinction matters for XRP's role in Ripple's business: rather than anchoring the entire payments stack to a single token, the company positions XRP as one option within a broader multi-asset lineup.

Ripple's platform supports XRP alongside RLUSD, USDC, USDT and fiat options for funding, settlement and payouts. The company also backs RLUSD with cash, U.S. Treasury assets and cash equivalents. Together, that lineup of one bridge asset alongside several stablecoins and fiat routes serves as the practical expression of the multi-asset stance Garlinghouse describes.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or advice. Technical forecasts are conditional and may not materialize.