XRP is entering a critical phase as a key level that supported prices through most of 2025 now acts as a barrier to recovery.
The $1.80 mark, once a reliable floor, flipped into resistance in January 2026 and has remained out of reach since.
Even as new developments emerge on the XRP Ledger, including AI-driven payment systems, price action continues to reflect a broader downtrend.
Analysts say the token remains under pressure unless it can reclaim that level.
Key level flips to resistance
Throughout 2025, XRP traded within a wide parallel channel, with resistance near $3.45 and support around $1.80.
The token stayed inside that range even after reaching an all-time high of $3.60 in July 2025, though price action weakened with lower highs forming.
That structure broke in February 2026 when XRP closed below $1.80 for the first time.
Since then, the same level has acted as a ceiling. Each attempt to move higher has been rejected below that zone.
AltCryptoGems analyst Sjuul highlighted that the pattern of lower highs and lower lows remains intact on the daily chart, continuing to define XRP’s direction.
Rally stalls below $1.60
A rebound between March 9 and March 16 offered some relief, with XRP recording seven gains in eight days.
The token rose around 15%, reclaiming $1.50 and closing at $1.54 on March 16.
However, the recovery faded quickly. A push towards $1.60 stalled at $1.6074 earlier in the week, followed by three straight days of decline.
XRP is now trading slightly higher than $1.46, up by 0.29% in the last 24 hours.
Source: CoinMarketCap
The rally followed a drop to $1.27 on February 28 during the initial market reaction to the Israel Iran conflict.
The move above $1.50 reflected a rebound rather than a reversal.
Downside zone comes into focus
With resistance holding, attention is shifting to lower price zones.
Sjuul identifies the $1.20 to $1.30 range as a key area if selling pressure increases.
This range saw limited activity during XRP’s rapid rally in November 2024, when the price moved through it quickly, leaving weaker support.
Since then, the zone has acted as a cushion during pullbacks. If XRP continues to fail at $1.80, a move back towards this range becomes more likely.
AI payments add fresh narrative
Developments on the XRP Ledger are adding a new dimension to the token’s long-term story.
t54 announced that autonomous AI agents can make payments natively on XRPL using XRP and Ripple USD.
The system runs on the x402 facilitator, introduced in 2025 by Coinbase and Cloudflare as a standard for machine-native payments.
The update, shared on social media, outlined how agents can handle transactions, manage escrowed tasks, and verify outcomes.
t54, founded by Chandler Fang, is building infrastructure for an agent-driven economy.
The company raised $5 million in a February seed round co-led by Anagram, PL Capital, and Franklin Templeton, with Ripple joining as a strategic investor.
These developments connect XRP to the intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain payments.
Its impact on price will depend on whether agent-based commerce gains adoption at scale.
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