Key takeaways:
Not like 2017, long-term XRP holders have already shifted from euphoria into doubt.
The XRP/BTC pair stays 90% beneath its 2017 peak and is caught in a distribution zone.
A number of XRP (XRP) analysts are referencing previous bullish charts to foretell new value booms, with a number of commentators, together with CRYPTOWZRD and JD, arguing that XRP’s present value construction mirrors its 2017 bull run.
Again then, XRP spent months consolidating inside a large symmetrical triangle earlier than breaking out, briefly retesting assist, after which accelerating by over 11,900% in below a 12 months.
Chartists say at the moment’s consolidation part is displaying the identical sample, anticipating XRP to succeed in a cycle goal of $20.
Circumstances in 2025 are vastly totally different, nevertheless, making a repeat of 2017’s beneficial properties removed from assured.
Lengthy-term XRP holders doubt larger costs
One approach to check whether or not XRP’s 2025 rally actually mirrors 2017 is by wanting on the Web Unrealized Revenue/Loss (NUPL) for long-term holders.
In 2017, when XRP broke out of its big triangle and commenced its monster rally, the long-term holder NUPL went straight into the Euphoria–Greed zone (blue).
Which means holders had been sitting on huge income and had been nonetheless assured sufficient to trip the rally larger.
Importantly, sentiment by no means slipped again into the “Perception–Denial” stage (inexperienced) till properly after the highest, displaying robust conviction in the course of the parabolic rise.
In 2025, the scenario appears totally different. Regardless that XRP has rallied strongly, the NUPL knowledge reveals long-term holders have already moved from Euphoria–Greed down into Perception–Denial.
This part suggests buyers are questioning whether or not the rally can final, an indication of hesitation fairly than conviction.
As an alternative, their temper appears extra prefer it did in 2021, when pleasure gave approach to doubt simply earlier than the market cooled.
XRP value stays weak versus Bitcoin
In 2017, XRP’s surge within the US greenback phrases additionally accompanied sharp beneficial properties in opposition to Bitcoin (BTC).
Again then, the XRP/BTC pair climbed by greater than 3,700% to over 0.00023 BTC inside a 12 months. That transfer mirrored XRP’s place on the time as one of many few large-cap altcoins providing a payments-focused narrative.
In 2025, the construction is totally different.
XRP/BTC has rebounded to round 0.000025 BTC in September from mid-2024 lows close to 0.000010 BTC. Nonetheless, the pair stays about 90% beneath its 2017 peak.
It’s additional testing a long-term distribution zone at 0.000025–0.000030 BTC, the place rallies stalled a number of instances between 2019 and 2022.
The 2017 ICO-driven surge additionally had fewer rivals, with XRP being one of many oldest cryptocurrencies. At this time, it contends with rivals like Ether (ETH), Solana (SOL), and Sui (SUI), alongside rising stablecoins within the cross-border settlement house.
Associated: Altseason received’t begin till extra crypto ETFs launch: Bitfinex
In different phrases, it will likely be a lot more durable for XRP bulls to realize five-digit proportion beneficial properties this time as they did in 2017.
This text doesn’t include funding recommendation or suggestions. Each funding and buying and selling transfer includes danger, and readers ought to conduct their very own analysis when making a call.