XRP slips 2% as profit-taking knocks token back below $1.40

$XRP lost ground after another failed push above resistance, with traders taking profits aggressively into strength and knocking the token back under $1.40. The rejection matters because $XRP is still trapped inside the same tightening range that has compressed price action for months, leaving the market increasingly sensitive to sharp moves once support or resistance finally breaks.

News Background

• Analysts continue pointing to $XRP’s multi-month triangle compression, with several traders warning the setup is approaching a decisive breakout point.

• The recent pullback also came after rising optimism around U.S. crypto legislation and stronger $XRP ETF inflows earlier this month.

Price Action Summary

• $XRP fell from $1.4138 to $1.3865 during the 24-hour session ending May 18.
• The sharpest move came during the May 17 23:00 UTC session, when 144.3M in volume pushed price down from the $1.42 area to lows near $1.378.
• Buyers later stepped back in around $1.38, helping $XRP recover part of the overnight losses into the session close.

Technical Analysis

• $XRP remains stuck inside a broader symmetrical triangle pattern that has compressed volatility for months.
• The rejection from $1.42 reinforced that sellers still control the upper end of the range, even as support near $1.38 continues to attract buyers.
• The bounce from session lows mattered because it prevented a clean breakdown below the lower edge of the recent consolidation structure.
• Volume surged heavily during the selloff but faded quickly afterward, suggesting profit-taking rather than full panic liquidation.

What traders should watch

• $1.38 is now the key support level. Losing it would increase the risk of a deeper move toward $1.30.
• $1.39-$1.40 becomes the immediate recovery zone $XRP needs to reclaim to stabilize momentum.
• The broader triangle structure is tightening further, raising the odds of a larger directional move over the coming sessions.