XRP climbs toward $1.38 as Japan's Rakuten integrates token for payments

Markets Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email XRP climbs toward $1.38 as Japan's Rakuten integrates token for payments Breakout backed by institutional flows and whale buying, with Japan adoption adding a fresh demand narrative. By Shaurya Malwa Apr 15, 2026, 4:53 a.m. Make preferred on What to know : XRP is rallying on strong trading volume and whale accumulation, but it remains within a broader downtrend and has yet to confirm a sustained bullish reversal. Rakuten’s integration of XRP into its payments app for 44 million users, including the ability to spend and earn XRP via loyalty points, marks a major step in real-world adoption in Japan. Traders are watching $1.37 as a key pivot, with a break above $1.40 to $1.42 needed to signal stronger upside momentum and a drop below $1.32 to $1.30 likely invalidating the breakout. XRP is pushing higher again, with volume confirming the move, but it still has to prove this is more than a short-term breakout. The rally is holding for now, and the addition of real-world usage through Rakuten gives it a stronger narrative than recent moves. News Background • Japan’s e-commerce giant Rakuten is integrating XRP into its payments app, allowing 44 million users to spend it across more than 5 million merchants. Users can also buy XRP using loyalty points and hold it within Rakuten Wallet, embedding the token into a major consumer ecosystem. • The move ties XRP into one of Japan’s largest rewards systems, where over $23 billion worth of points are in circulation. Ripple called it one of the most significant milestones for XRP adoption, reinforcing its push into Asia alongside long-standing partnerships like SBI Ripple Asia. Price Action Summary • XRP moved from $1.32 to $1.38, breaking out of the $1.325-$1.33 resistance zone on strong volume. • The rally built gradually with sustained buying rather than a single spike, indicating accumulation. • Price is now consolidating just below $1.38, holding gains but not yet extending into a fresh leg higher. Technical Analysis • The breakout stands out because of volume. The move was backed by clear participation, not thin liquidity. • Whale accumulation and rising open interest show positioning is building behind the move. • Despite this, XRP is still trading within a broader downtrend channel, so the structure has not fully flipped bullish. • ETF outflows and continued realized losses suggest longer-term conviction remains mixed even as short-term momentum improves. What traders should watch • $1.37 is now the key pivot. Holding above it keeps the breakout intact and supports continuation. • $1.40 to $1.42 remains the real test. A clean break here would shift momentum more meaningfully. • A move back below $1.32 to $1.30 would invalidate the breakout and return XRP to its prior range. More For You Ether-bitcoin ratio bounces from 2026 lows, signaling broader crypto recovery By Shaurya Malwa | Edited by Omkar Godbole 13 minutes ago The ETH/BTC ratio hit its highest since January as Ethereum's network added 284,000 new users in Q1 and stablecoin supply reached a record $180 billion. What to know : Ether has recently strengthened against bitcoin, with the ETH/BTC ratio rising to about 0.0313, its highest level in three months but still well below its January peak. The improved ratio is supported by robust on-chain activity on Ethereum, including an 82% quarterly jump in new users, record transaction volumes and... Read full story Latest Crypto News Ether-bitcoin ratio bounces from 2026 lows, signaling broader crypto recovery 13 minutes ago SOL, ADA, DOGE pullback, bitcoin holds above $74,000 as Asia recoups Iran war losses 49 minutes ago Bitcoin's $76,000 breakout fails but a rare signal is hinting at major market bottom 8 hours ago The next Fed chair has crypto exposure in his portfolio. Here are the details 9 hours ago Rakuten to allow XRP to be used as payment method by its 44 million customers 10 hours ago Popular DeFi platform warns users to stay away from its site after security breach 10 hours ago Top Stories Goldman Sachs files for bitcoin income ETF in crypto push 13 hours ago JPMorgan CFO warns stablecoins risk becoming ‘regulatory arbitrage’ play 15 hours ago Visa and Zodia Custody join Stripe’s new blockchain for machine payments 16 hours ago Bitcoin climbs to highest level since Feb. 5 crash that sent price plunging to $60,000 14 hours ago XRP Ledger adds zero-knowledge proofs targeting institutional privacy gap 15 hours ago Tether introduces crypto wallet to bring stablecoin and bitcoin payments directly to users 16 hours ago