### Crypto Market Shows Signs of Life with Institutional Volume Surge
The crypto market has experienced a refreshing bounce in the last 24 hours, driven by a notable increase in institutional trading activity. Bitcoin and various altcoins have made respectable gains after a prolonged period of stagnation. XRP, now a favorite among institutional investors, has taken the lead in recovery efforts, sparking excitement for a potential bull run. As of this writing, XRP has surged by 6.5% today, bringing its weekly gains to 9% and trading above $2.68.
### XRP’s Institutional Volume Surge
In the past 48 hours, significant purchases of XRP by large investors, or “whales,” have been observed, coinciding with positive on-chain indicators. Traders have also noted a decrease in exchange volumes, suggesting that investors are focusing on long-term holdings. The movement of assets to centralized exchanges tends to dampen market sentiment, especially when retail sales are high, as seen in recent weeks. The anticipation surrounding a spot XRP ETF in the United States has become a key benchmark for institutional interest, especially following the success of Bitcoin-related products last year. Recent filings for these products have further lifted market spirits, alongside global developments.
The XRP community erupted with excitement after Hashdex received approval to launch the first spot XRP ETF in Brazil. This news, along with filings from WisdomTree and Canary Capital, has heightened expectations. In the fourth quarter, XRP’s price broke the $3 mark for the first time in years, fueled by substantial institutional inflows following Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. Presidential elections. Additionally, XRP’s price saw increases due to a broader market recovery. Earlier this month, crypto assets faced a downturn after the U.S. government announced tariffs on Mexico and Canada. Prior to that, the launch of the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek resulted in significant losses for tech stocks and Bitcoin prices. Bitcoin’s drop below $100k from its all-time high of over $109k marked the beginning of a bearish sentiment in altcoins.
In the last 24 hours, altcoin prices have gained traction and recovered from previous weekly losses. Ethereum’s price rose by 2% to $2,736, while XRP’s impressive 6.5% spike led the way for top altcoin gains. Solana and Cardano also followed suit.
### Positive Crypto Regulations
Among the factors contributing to XRP’s rise is the improvement in U.S. regulations, which has opened new avenues for growth. Last year, Trump committed to making the U.S. the crypto capital and fostering innovation in the sector, which has significantly boosted institutional demand for XRP and other digital assets. Moreover, the establishment of a crypto task force has led to strong speculation about a potential pause in ongoing lawsuits.
Eleanor Terrett noted, “On the @SECGov pausing ongoing litigation against #crypto firms — I’m told by multiple legal sources that the SEC has been prioritizing cases with imminent court deadlines, which is one explanation for why we haven’t seen pause requests in the @Ripple and @krakenfx cases. Ripple’s next court deadline is April 16, and it looks like Kraken’s is March 31.”
