XRP Derivatives Selling Pressure Hits 2026 High as Price Holds Above $1.40

XRP is facing its strongest derivatives selling pressure of 2026, with aggressive bearish positioning on Binance even as the token's price holds above a critical support level following a massive rally. The divergence between the derivatives market and spot prices has become a key focal point for traders.

The activity follows a sharp price surge that saw XRP climb approximately 70% from a low near $1.00 on August 17 to a three-month high of about $1.69 by August 22. This rapid advance, which outpaced gains in Bitcoin and Ethereum, triggered a significant pullback. By August 26, XRP had retreated to trade near $1.37, marking one of the steepest declines among the top ten cryptocurrencies over a 24-hour period.

Despite this pullback, the token has shown resilience, stabilizing in the $1.40 to $1.45 range. This level is now viewed as a critical battleground. A sustained hold above $1.40 would suggest the market is consolidating gains, while a decisive break below could signal a deeper correction.

Data from the analytics platform CryptoQuant indicates that the recent rally has attracted intense speculative activity. On Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, XRP's net...