XRP forecast: is the pullback over as Ripple CTO clarifies loss of XRP Ledger blocks?

• The XRP price is currently holding above $3 amid whale accumulation and network growth.
• Ripple CTO defends not resetting ledger after early data loss.
• A break above $3.30 could trigger a rally toward $4 and beyond.

Following the week-long price decline, investors are sceptical about the next XRP move, with most turning to XRP forecasts for any clues.

The third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap has lost over 9% in the past seven days, despite earlier momentum that saw it break above the $3.50 mark.

Amid the market uncertainty, Ripple CTO David Schwartz is in the spotlight with detailed explanations about the long-standing mystery surrounding the XRP Ledger’s missing early blocks — a topic that has raised both technical and ethical questions within the crypto space.

Whale activity helping XRP stay afloat

Despite the recent pullback, XRP has held above the crucial $3.50 psychological level, with strong support building near $2.95.

This stability comes at a time when whale accumulation has intensified.

On-chain data reveals that large holders, wallets holding between 10 million and 100 million XRP, have increased their total holdings to over 8.3 billion XRP, representing 14% of the circulating supply.

This accumulation is significant because it reduces market volatility and cushions against sharp selloffs.

By limiting the amount of XRP available for sale, whales are effectively providing a price floor.

Consequently, retail investors often follow such movements, anticipating a stronger rally in the near term.

XRP Ledger sees network growth

In addition to whale behaviour, network data shows that the XRP Ledger is experiencing a noticeable rise in new wallet creations.

On July 18, daily new addresses peaked at approximately 11,000, and the network has since maintained an average of 7,500 new wallets per day.

This surge signals growing demand and heightened adoption, especially as traders seek faster, low-cost blockchain alternatives.

Moreover, XRP has outperformed Bitcoin over the past month, gaining over 30% against BTC.

This relative strength reinforces bullish sentiment, particularly among investors looking for altcoins with strong technical fundamentals and institutional backing.

XRP price action battles resistance

Currently, XRP is trading at $3.24 after bouncing from a low of $2.99 last week.

The 24-hour range remains tight, hovering between $3.17 and $3.32, while the all-time high of $3.65 (set on July 18) still looms as a psychological barrier.

Holding above $2.95, which aligns with the monthly volume-weighted average price (VWAP), is essential for XRP to maintain a bullish structure.

Technical setups indicate that a break above $3.30 could trigger a push toward the $3.82 mark, as projected by Fibonacci extensions.

Notably, prominent trader CasiTrades recently stated that “What’s promising is that we have not made a new low. Instead, it appears to have completed a subwave wave 2 of a new trend reaching a deep .854 retrace.”

🚨 XRP Tests Critical $3 Support: Is Wave 3 About to Begin? 🚨

Unfortunately, $XRP could not hold the $3.21 resistance, and ultimately has come back down to backtest the $3.00 major support.

What’s promising is that we have not made a new low. Instead, it appears to have… pic.twitter.com/bVD3HAwRBN

— CasiTrades 🔥 (@CasiTrades) July 25, 2025

Ripple’s CTO explains loss of 32,000 XRP Ledger blocks

As XRP’s price battles resistance, Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz has responded to renewed scrutiny over the XRP Ledger’s early history.

Specifically, critics have questioned the integrity of the network due to the loss of its first 32,000 ledgers, which span the initial ten days of its existence.

Schwartz explained that the missing blocks were the result of a software bug during the early development stages, when multiple independent ledger streams were created.

One of these streams experienced a failure, leading to unrecoverable data loss. He emphasised that this was a known issue and not an act of fraud or negligence.

Calls to reset the ledger have surfaced repeatedly, particularly from sceptics.

However, Schwartz stated that such a move would have worsened the situation by erasing additional historical data that is currently preserved.

“Nothing we could do would restore the missing information,” he wrote in a recent post on X.

What XRP traders should watch next

With XRP still up 428% year-on-year and supported by strong fundamentals, the question now is whether the pullback is over.

Whale accumulation, combined with consistent network growth and Ripple’s public response to technical concerns, provides a foundation for confidence.

That said, price must hold key levels. Any break below $2.90 could invalidate the current bullish setup.

Conversely, a move above $3.30 could ignite fresh momentum, potentially targeting $4 in the near term.

For now, XRP’s resilience, transparency from Ripple leadership, and growing adoption suggest that the market may be preparing for its next leg up — assuming broader sentiment holds steady.