XRP has experienced an extraordinary surge in recent weeks, with its price skyrocketing by 380% over the past 23 days. In just the last four days, the price jumped 75%, reaching a peak of $2.87 on December 2. This rapid ascent appears to be fueled by significant buying activity from large investors, commonly known as “whales.”

Ki Young Ju, CEO of on-chain analysis firm CryptoQuant, highlighted that these whales are primarily operating through the US based exchange Coinbase. On December 2, he pointed out that “Coinbase whales are driving this XRP rally,” noting that Coinbase’s minute-level price premium ranged from 3% to 13% during the surge.

In contrast, Upbit—a Korean exchange with more XRP investors than Binance—showed no significant premium, suggesting the buying pressure is predominantly originating from the United States.

On his alternative X account (@kate_young_ju), Ki Young Ju hinted at possible insider activity influencing the market dynamics, stating, “Someone knew something.”

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Today, he cautioned traders against shorting XRP. “Shorting XRP right now seems risky, imo. $25B XRP deposit before the pump might look like market manipulation but could simply be front-running. This insider whale might know something extremely bullish about XRP, such as spot ETF approval,” he speculated.

He further shared a chart “XRP: Retail Activity Through Trading Frequency Surge (Spot & Futures), which indicates that retail trading activity for XRP has surpassed the highs of 2021 and is nearing levels last seen in January 2018, when XRP reached its all-time high of $3.92.

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Observing the one-year cumulative volume delta (CVD) of taker buy/sell volume, he remarked: “1-year CVD of Taker Buy/Sell Volume for XRP shows a historic rebound. Whales are aggressively using market orders, driving overwhelming demand.”

A 700% Rallye Incoming For XRP Against BTC?

From a technical analysis perspective, crypto analyst Jacob Canfield emphasizes the importance of examining the XRP/BTC pairing. He notes that XRP is currently at a critical resistance zone on the BTC pair chart (XRPBTC), having just reached the $2.75 level on the USDT pair—a resistance point since December 2019.

Canfield suggests that a breakout here could signal a potential 240% move back to key resistance zones from 2017, 2018, and 2019. “If we get real FOMO, then we could be setting up for another 700% move to all-time high against Bitcoin,” he commented, acknowledging the “two of the strongest monthly candles for XRP that we’ve seen in over 5 years.”

Looking at shorter time-frames of the XRP/USD pair, Canfield highlights the utility of support and resistance levels to identify new entry points in these time frames. “In bull markets, you need to use low time frame support/resistance to find new entries. 5 min/15 min are the best. XRP as an example – $2.20 was the clear S/R invalidation. Base of the biggest green candle = base of impulse. Usually the best place to re-enter a trade.”

At press time, XRP traded at $2.63.

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

The altcoin market is entering an unusual phase, with independent trends emerging as Bitcoin drifts away from the broader crypto ecosystem. CryptoQuant CEO predicts a challenging altcoin season where only a few tokens will thrive.

Bitcoin’s dominance is being reshaped by its paper-based Layer 2 ecosystem, including ETFs and funds, limiting its interaction with alternative cryptocurrencies. These assets must innovate by building real Internet money ecosystems or adopting similar paper-wrapped models to attract fresh liquidity.

Altcoin Season Faces Uncertain Path as Market Dynamics Shift

The altcoin market is evolving rapidly, presenting unique challenges for investors. According to Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant, this alt season is unlike any before. In his recent X post, he highlighted how Bitcoin’s ecosystem is increasingly detached from the alternative crypto, with paper-based Layer 2 systems like ETFs and funds dominating its growth. This separation has left alternative coins to navigate a different path, requiring either innovative use of stablecoins or similar paper-wrapped structures to secure liquidity.

The alternative cryptocurrencies, once moving in tandem with Bitcoin, are now displaying independent trends. With limited new liquidity entering the market, only a select few coins are expected to thrive. Ki Young Ju emphasized the need for investors to identify tokens capable of sustaining long-term value in this uncertain environment.

The leading alternative crypto, Ethereum, has gained traction among institutional investors during the shifting market trends. Last week, CoinShares reported $634 million in inflows into Ethereum investment products, boosting its year-to-date inflows to $2.2 billion. In contrast, Bitcoin saw $457 million in outflows, marking its first major decline since September. This trend highlights Ethereum’s rising appeal as Bitcoin faces profit-taking after surpassing the $100,000 milestone.

Binance Founder CZ’s Cryptic Tweet Fuels Cryptocurrency Speculation

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, known as CZ, ignited the crypto community with his cryptic tweet. The riddle quickly sparked discussions on social media. Many believe it subtly hints at the ongoing altcoin season. Zhao’s enigmatic tweets often spark speculation. They align with the market’s current focus on the growing influence of alternative coins in a shifting ecosystem.

Which key is available on Windows and Linux, but not on Mac? pic.twitter.com/z4wfZbPbbD

— CZ 🔶 BNB (@cz_binance) December 3, 2024

Moreover, Binance’s native cryptocurrency, BNB, has also showcased robust performance, reflecting its role as one of the top altcoins. Trading at $651, BNB price saw a 3% increase over the past 24 hours, a 4% rise over the week, and a notable 17% surge over the past month. With a market cap of $93 billion, it ranks sixth among all cryptocurrencies. Its 24-hour trading volume of $2.5 billion highlights strong demand. The coin’s steady growth emphasizes its relevance as the alternative cryptocurrencies continue to reshape investor sentiment amidst evolving market dynamics.

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Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.