XRP has remained above the $1.13 breakout level, a price zone many traders had been watching as a major resistance area.

The move has shifted attention to higher resistance levels. Market analyst Dark Defender identified $1.22, or approximately $1.2269, as the next upside target, citing Elliott Wave analysis and Fibonacci extension levels.

XRP a clear break and expected to complete the 5 Wave structure we set on 30 Jun. I will add it as a second post for you to check! $1.13 is the KEY. $1.22 is in sight. (NFA) Enjoy your day! #XRPArmy #ripple pic.twitter.com/gPCyQQgfzO — Dark Defender (@DefendDark) July 21, 2026

Dark Defender's analysis indicates that maintaining support above the breakout zone remains important for the bullish structure to remain intact. A sustained move above the current range would strengthen the technical setup, while a decline back below the breakout level could lead to another test of lower support.

Golden cross adds to XRP's technical setup

Another development drawing attention is the appearance of a golden cross, a chart pattern that occurs when a shorter-term moving average—commonly the 50-day—crosses above a longer-term moving average such as the 200-day. The pattern is one of the most widely recognized trend signals in technical analysis.

The signal has historically been associated with improving medium-term momentum. While a golden cross does not guarantee higher prices, it is widely viewed as a stronger confirmation signal when it appears alongside a confirmed breakout.

The combination of a resistance breakout and a golden cross has created a stronger technical backdrop than either signal would have provided on its own. Market focus is now on whether XRP can build enough momentum to test the next resistance area identified by Dark Defender.

Whale accumulation rises as selling pressure declines

On-chain data also shows a notable shift in the behaviour of large XRP holders. Recent blockchain metrics indicate that whale selling pressure has fallen to its lowest level recorded since 2025.

Earlier in the year, large holders were regularly transferring hundreds of millions of XRP to exchanges, increasing potential selling pressure. Those exchange inflows have since declined sharply, suggesting that major holders are becoming less active as sellers.

At the same time, blockchain data points to accelerating whale accumulation, indicating that some large investors are increasing their XRP holdings rather than reducing them. Large-wallet activity is closely watched in crypto markets because whales—addresses holding significant token balances—can influence liquidity and order flow when they move assets to or from exchanges.

Buying activity from large wallets typically reduces immediate selling pressure in the market. However, whale accumulation alone does not determine future price direction. A sustained rally still depends on broader market demand and continued buying interest from both institutional and retail participants.

XRPL payment activity surpasses 500,000 daily transactions

Beyond price action, the XRP Ledger has also recorded stronger network usage. Daily payment activity on the XRPL recently rose above 500,000 transactions, marking one of the strongest levels of network utilisation in recent months.

The XRP Ledger is a decentralized blockchain designed for fast, low-cost payments and was originally launched in 2012. Payment volume is one of the key indicators used to measure blockchain activity because it reflects how often a network is being used for transfers and settlement.

The increase in payment activity comes alongside growing development across the XRPL ecosystem, including projects focused on integrating artificial intelligence with blockchain infrastructure. While these initiatives remain in development, they point to broader activity on the network beyond token trading.