Does XRP Risks of Losing 500 Million Threshold Permanently? Network Activity Unable to Recover

Cover image via depositphotos.com Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available. Hesitation of bulls Even more pressure on XRP's price Advertisement XRP is moving into a more fragile stretch as both price action and network usage continue losing momentum at the same time, which raises a bigger question about whether the asset can realistically sustain the 500 million XRP payment volume level over a longer period if conditions do not improve. Recent XRP Ledger data already point to a clear slowdown across multiple areas of activity. Payments between accounts have been trending lower throughout May, while overall payment volume has fallen sharply from the stronger bursts of activity seen earlier in the month. The drop does not look catastrophic yet, but it does show that participation across the network is cooling instead of building. XRP/USDT Chart by TradingView User growth tells a similar story. The network still holds a fairly stable base of active addresses, but the expansion phase that traders usually want to see during a healthy bullish cycle has stalled. Instead of accelerating, growth has flattened out, which removes one of the stronger arguments for sustained upside momentum. HOT Stories JPMorgan: Bitcoin Races Ahead of Ethereum Hyperliquid (HYPE) Back in Bull Mode With 13% Rally, Ethereum (ETH) Risks Losing $2,000 Prematurely, XRP's Only Chance For $2 Comeback: Crypto Market Review That matters because XRP depends heavily on transaction activity and utility-driven narratives to maintain confidence in the market. When the network stops showing meaningful expansion, traders start paying much closer attention to price weakness. Advertisement Hesitation of bulls XRP remains stuck in a tight consolidation range around $1.35 after several months of fading momentum. It continues trading below both the 100-day and 200-day moving averages, and every attempt to push into higher resistance zones loses strength fairly quickly. Buyers still have not shown enough conviction to reclaim control of the broader trend. You Might Also Like Mon, 05/18/2026 - 19:13 $1.80 or $1.00? Analyst Maps Out XRP's Next Big Move By Alex Dovbnya The RSI also continues hovering in neutral-to-bearish territory, which reinforces the idea that traders are reluctant to commit aggressively at current levels. Momentum is not collapsing outright, but it is weak enough to keep the market trapped in a defensive posture. Advertisement Right now, one of the larger problems for XRP is that stability alone is no longer enough. The asset is holding together structurally, but it is not producing the kind of growth, participation, or speculative interest that usually drives a stronger recovery cycle. Network activity remains functional, yet the broader environment feels stagnant rather than constructive, and that lack of energy becomes harder to ignore the longer it continues. For traders, the $1.30 support zone remains the key area to watch. Even more pressure on XRP's price If XRP loses that level decisively, downside pressure could accelerate fairly quickly as weakening confidence pushes more participants out of the market. In that scenario, on-chain activity would likely deteriorate further as lower prices discourage both speculative inflows and transactional usage across the network. You Might Also Like Mon, 05/18/2026 - 19:13 $1.80 or $1.00? Analyst Maps Out XRP's Next Big Move By Alex Dovbnya There is still a recovery scenario on the table, but the market needs stronger confirmation before sentiment can shift meaningfully. If Bitcoin stabilizes and broader crypto conditions improve, XRP could gradually rebuild momentum over time. A recovery in payment volume, renewed growth in active addresses, and a breakout above the moving average resistance cluster around $1.40 to $1.50 would be the first serious indications that strength is returning to both the chart and the network itself. #XRP Ledger #XRP #XRP News