XRP extended its recent pullback on January 16, slipping below the $2.10 level as sellers regained control after failing to clear short-term resistance. The token traded near $2.06 as of writing, signaling a loss of momentum following last week’s highs and highlighting a market grappling with near-term selling pressure.

Resistance Holds and Price Faces Rejection

Throughout the session, XRP repeatedly tested the $2.13 zone, only to be met with consistent supply. Each attempt to push higher was capped, resulting in a series of lower highs that compressed price action and maintained a defensive structure. The most significant rejection occurred during the U.S. trading session, when volume surged sharply as XRP reversed, suggesting that active selling rather than low liquidity drove the decline.

Source: TradingView

Later in the day, the token experienced a brief, rapid flush down to the $2.05–$2.06 range, accompanied by a spike in trading volume indicative of forced selling rather than gradual profit-taking. Buyers stepped in near those levels, producing a short-lived rebound back toward $2.07, though the move did little to alter the prevailing downward pressure.

Intraday Structure and Market Sentiment

XRP continues to trade below the key $2.13 resistance band that defined the session. Short-term rallies were consistently sold into, and follow-through buying has remained limited, reflecting an ongoing defensive posture among market participants. Intraday swings covered approximately $0.10, pointing to elevated volatility as traders adjusted positions amid mixed sentiment.

Market observers, including Analyst Pepe is friend, note that XRP’s current price behavior demonstrates the influence of technical resistance levels on short-term trends. The inability to reclaim former support, now acting as resistance, underscores the challenges the token faces in shifting market control from sellers to buyers.

$XRP is giving off a pretty uncomfortable vibe right now – not crashing hard, but definitely no longer strong.

Dropping below $2.10 isn’t a good sign, since this was previously a solid support area. If price doesn’t reclaim it quickly, a retest of $2.03 looks very likely. And… pic.twitter.com/u5dNwtLLrL

— PEPE is friend (@pepeisfriend) January 16, 2026

Historical Context and Broader Trends

XRP has a history of consolidating around major resistance and support levels following volatility spikes. Recent activity follows similar patterns, where the token experiences aggressive testing of key zones before establishing a clearer directional bias. These dynamics are consistent with broader market behavior seen across major cryptocurrencies in periods of sideways or choppy trading.

The broader crypto market remains mixed, with buyers selectively engaging cryptocurrencies while larger benchmarks like bitcoin and ether consolidate. XRP’s performance serves as a near-term gauge of market sentiment, particularly among altcoins sensitive to short-term technical levels and liquidity conditions.

Implications for Traders and Investors

For now, XRP remains capped below $2.13, and the persistence of selling pressure suggests that short-term downside risks remain. Traders are likely to monitor whether buyers can stabilize the token above current support levels or whether further tests of demand near $2.05–$2.06 will be necessary. The session illustrates the continued role of technical levels in guiding market behavior and reinforces XRP’s sensitivity to short-term supply-demand imbalances within the broader crypto ecosystem.