Is XRP Price Heading To $8? Whales Surge and Ripple Claims 'No IPO'

Key Takeaways

XRP whale activity hits a three-month high.
Ripple has announced it plans to stay private.
Bullish forecasts have emerged.

Large XRP transactions surged to a three-month high this week, signaling renewed activity among major holders as bullish long-term price forecasts resurface across the crypto market.

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Whales Surge

Blockchain analytics firm Santiment said the XRP Ledger recorded a sharp increase in “whale” transactions—defined as transfers worth $100,000 or more.

On Monday, the network logged 2,170 such transactions, rising to 2,802 on Tuesday, the highest level seen in three months.

Historic surges in whale moves usually correlate with a price increase, but XRP’s recent rally has stalled over the past 24 hours.

At the time of reporting, XRP was trading at $2.07, down approximately 7.49% in the past 24 hours.

XRP Price to $8?

The move comes after Standard Chartered analyst Geoffrey Kendrick forecast that XRP could climb to $8 by 2026, implying upside of more than 300% from current levels.

Kendrick cited improving regulatory clarity in the U.S. and the possibility of exchange-traded fund (ETF) access as catalysts that could materially expand XRP’s investor base and real-world usage.

The forecast builds on other bullish outlooks that emerged last year, including an optimistic prediction of $33 to $50 from investment research group Sistine.

Ripple Remaining Private

The renewed price forecasts come as Ripple signals it is in no rush to enter public markets.

In a recent Bloomberg interview, company President Monica Long said Ripple intends to remain privately held.

She said the company was “in a really healthy position to continue to fund and invest in our company’s growth without going public.”

The comments follow Ripple’s recent $500 million funding round, which valued the company at $40 billion late last year.

Whether this will impact XRP’s ability to reach the bullish prediction of $8 remains to be seen.

CCN asked ChatGPT and Grok for their take.

ChatGPT’s Take

ChatGPT was not convinced that a move to $8 was possible.

“XRP might be widely known, but it’s not magic,” the AI model said.

According to ChatGPT, a move toward $8 would take a complete financial shift that has never been seen before.

“A rally of that magnitude would take mountains to move,” it said.

Grok’s Outlook

Grok was also skeptical and somewhat combative of the prediction.

“When large holders start moving coins en masse, it’s often preparation, not celebration,” the chatbot said.

“History shows whales tend to move first — and retail figures out why later.”

Grok said whether traders will find out whales are moving bullishly remains to be seen, but the price prediction is unlikely.

“An asset doesn’t triple in value just because access improves,” it said. “It triples when demand overwhelms supply, and where is the proof for that?”

CCN’s XRP Price Outlook

Victor Olanrewaju, an analyst at CCN, previously said XRP’s daily chart supported a bullish outlook.

“If momentum holds and buyers remain active, XRP could break $2.49 and extend toward $2.94,” Olanrewaju said.

However, he cautioned that weakening demand could invalidate the bullish setup, potentially pulling the token back toward the $1.77 level.

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About the Author

Kurt Robson

Kurt Robson is a London-based reporter at CCN, specialising in the fast-moving worlds of crypto and emerging technology. He began his career covering local news in Cornwall after graduating from Falmouth University with First Class Honours in Journalism. There, he cut his teeth on everything from council meetings to missing swans.

He quickly rose through the ranks to become a frontline journalist at several of the UK’s leading national newspapers. Over the years, he has interviewed musicians and celebrities, reported from courtrooms and crime scenes, and secured multiple front-page exclusives.

Following the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kurt shifted his focus to technology journalism—just ahead of the AI boom. With a natural curiosity and a trained eye for emerging trends, he has found a new rhythm in reporting on innovation.

At CCN, Kurt's work focuses on the cutting edge of crypto, blockchain, AI, and the evolving digital world. Drawing on his background in people-first reporting and his deep interest in disruptive tech, Kurt delivers stories that are insightful, entertaining, and human-centric.

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XRP Whales Surge and Ripple Pushes Back on IPO Rumours— Can Price Surge to $8?