XRP’s price movement in 2025 has been dynamic rather than simply drifting sideways. After a strong rally earlier in the year that pushed it to new all-time highs, the cryptocurrency has spent recent months digesting those gains through pullbacks and consolidation.
A chart shared by Steph on social media platform X suggests XRP’s current market behavior is starting to resemble the prolonged compression phase that preceded its breakout in 2017.
XRP Completes Nearly 400 Days of Sideways Accumulation
According to Steph’s analysis, XRP has just completed roughly 393 days of sideways accumulation, closely matching the 395-day consolidation phase it experienced between 2016 and 2017. During that earlier cycle, XRP traded within a relative range for months, resulting in choppy price action. Such extended consolidation typically reflects a balance between buyers and sellers, where neither side is strong enough to establish a decisive trend.
In 2017, that balance led to a transition into a descending channel before the eventual breakout. The current setup in 2024-2025 shows XRP once again spending an unusually long time building a base within a range.
A closer look at the chart reveals another key similarity: the transition into a descending channel. In the 2016-2017 cycle, XRP moved from sideways trading into a descending channel that gradually lowered the price over several months. This downward-sloping structure ultimately resolved with a sharp breakout to the upside. The 2024-2025 chart shows XRP moving through a comparable descending channel, with the price compressing toward the lower boundary and showing early signs of a breakout while market attention remains low.
What to Expect for XRP
The 2016-2017 chart shows XRP trading for about 395 days in a broad sideways range between approximately $0.005 and $0.01. After breaking out of the descending channel in early 2017, the price moved up rapidly, first reclaiming $0.01, then surging past $0.03 and $0.05 within days. The rally continued, eventually pushing XRP into the $0.40 region later that year—marking its first 5,000% move in history.
The 2024-2025 chart shows XRP peaking near the $3.40 zone before entering a sideways consolidation phase throughout 2025. The price action is now within a descending channel, gradually compressing around the $1.70-$1.90 area. This channel appears similar in structure to where XRP was in 2017 before its breakout, adjusted for scale. A comparable 5,000% move from the current price zone would mathematically project XRP to around $100.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs XRPs 2017 Sideways Trend
Beginner Questions
Q What does sideways trend mean
A It means the price of XRP wasnt going significantly up or down for an extended period It was mostly moving within a narrow range like a flat line on a chart
Q When exactly did this sideways trend happen in 2017
A It occurred from late January to midMay 2017roughly four monthsafter a huge initial price spike
Q Why is the 2017 trend important to look at now
A History doesnt repeat exactly but it often rhymes Understanding how XRP behaved in past consolidation phases can help set realistic expectations during similar quiet periods today
Q What happened to the price after the sideways trend ended
A It broke out dramatically XRPs price surged from around 003004 in May to an alltime high near 340 by January 2018
Intermediate Market Dynamics Questions
Q What caused the sideways trend in 2017
A Primarily it was a period of consolidation and profittaking after a massive 1000 price surge in late 2016early 2017 The market needed time to absorb those gains before the next move
Q Were there any major news events during this period
A Yes but they were more about building foundations Key events included Ripples increasing number of bank partnerships and the ongoing development of the XRP Ledger which created a buy the rumor sentiment that fueled the later breakout
Q How did trading volume behave during this time
A Volume typically declined during the sideways phase indicating lower interest and uncertainty A sustained increase in volume later signaled the start of the breakout
Q Is a long sideways trend bullish or bearish
A In context its often a bullish sign It can indicate that the asset is building a strong base or support level after a runup allowing it to gather energy for its next major move This is what happened in 2017
Advanced Analytical Questions
Q What technical patterns were observed during this consolidation
A The price action formed what traders call a consolidation rectangle or base The