Ripple (XRP) Price Analysis: $5 Forecasts Surge on Kalshi as Kraken Whale Moves 17,555,420 XRP

Ripple (XRP) prices found firm support at the $2.80 level on Sunday, Sept 28, after closing the week with a 4% rebound from its 75-day low of $2.74 recorded last Thursday. While broader crypto sentiment remained subdued, critical XRP market movements suggest a more optimistic response after the resilient close to the week.

Bitcoin and Ethereum both remained locked under major resistance at $110,000 and $4,000, respectively. By contrast, XRP managed to reclaim the $2.80 resistance and even printed intraday highs of $2.83, signaling stronger resilience compared to its mega-cap peers.

Real-time data from Kalshi prediction markets highlighted significant repositioning among traders in response to the latest macroeconomic swings, which saw Gold (XAU) price surge above $3,700 to new all-time highs.

Kalshi data showed a 3% increase in bets on XRP reaching $5 before year-end. At the same time, bets on XRP achieving $4 and $3.75 fell by 10% and 5% respectively. This reflects traders’ perception of XRP’s latest rebound as a potential springboard toward higher valuations.

Whale Spotted Buying 17,555,420 XRP Amid Weekend Consolidation

Further emphasizing the optimist outlook on XRP price action, community analysts identified a major whale transaction on Sunday.  Prominent community contributor, pseudonym @RippleXrpie alerted their over 425,000 followers to a whale acquisition of 17,555,420 XRP, valued at roughly $48.9 million.

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🚨BREAKING: A whale purchased 17,555,420 #XRP, which is worth $48.9 million! pic.twitter.com/NrABabTdjm

— JackTheRippler ©️ (@RippleXrpie) September 28, 2025

Blockchain data revealed the tokens were purchased on Kraken before being promptly transferred to an external wallet address. The move adds weight to the narrative that large investors are capitalizing on current market dips to beef up their XRP holdings rather than exit. 

This activity may also explain XRP’s relatively stronger rebound compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum. While both BTC and ETH prices stalled below key ceilings at $110,00 and $4,000, active whale demand has been pivotal to XRP’s steady price consolidation above $2.80 at press time. 

XRP Price Forecast: Can Bulls Push Toward $3 After the $2.80 Recovery?

After reclaiming $2.80, with a 4% weekend rebound, XRP price trajectory for the week ahead now hinges on whether the $48.9 million whale inflows and increased speculative bets from platforms like Kalshi can offset headwinds from broader market stagnation.

From a technical perspective, XRP’s contracting Bollinger Bands indicate volatility has subsided in recent sessions, with XRP trading near the lower band around $2.73. A sustained defense of this zone increases the likelihood of a rebound attempt toward the mid-band resistance at $3.01, which also aligns with the Parabolic SAR point.  

The MACD line is attempting to converge with the signal line from below, which further hints at a potential bullish crossover, especially if the strategic whale purchases persist into the coming week.

If the XRP price holds and closes above the $2.80 support, and the MACD confirms a bullish crossover, a rebound toward $3.00 could be in the cards. After that, the next breakout target lies at the $3.18 upper Bollinger Band. 

Conversely, failing to hold $2.80 would invite renewed selling pressure, with an immediate downside risk toward the $2.73 support level. A rapid correction below this level could drag XRP back toward $2.60, potentially retesting deeper support at $2.40 if market conditions further deteriorate.

In conclusion, XRP’s trajectory now hinges on whether renewed interest from whales and speculative bets from platforms like Kalshi can offset broader stagnation in the cryptocurrency market. If momentum turns, XRP could emerge as one of the few large-cap tokens attempting a late-2025 breakout.

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