Ripple's Strategic Acquisitions and Regulatory Approvals Advance, But Why Does XRP Price Remain Sluggish?

Ripple has invested approximately $4 billion this year to expand its payments and digital asset ecosystem, and has obtained significant regulatory approvals in Singapore and the UAE. However, the price of XRP remains weak, drawing market attention. On December 4, Ripple announced four major acquisition plans, including GTreasury ($1 billion), Rail ($200 million), Palisade, and Ripple Prime. The aim is to integrate enterprise financial intelligence, stablecoin payments, high-speed custody, and institutional-grade liquidity to provide end-to-end payment and digital asset solutions for enterprises.

In Asia and the Middle East, Ripple continues to gain regulatory recognition. The Monetary Authority of Singapore granted it an expanded Major Payment Institution license, allowing it to conduct a broader range of regulated payment services. The UAE’s FSRA approved Ripple’s fiat-backed stablecoin RLUSD for institutional use, including collateral, lending, and prime brokerage services, further strengthening its market credibility and regulatory compliance.

Despite these initiatives boosting Ripple’s global influence, XRP’s price has not increased accordingly. Data from Santiment shows that XRP’s price has fallen 31% over the past two months, and social media sentiment indicates heightened market panic. CryptoQuant data suggests network transaction activity remains high, but long-term holdings are low. There is significant short pressure in the derivatives market, especially among Korean investors. As of December 4, Korea’s largest domestic CEX holds as many as 6.18 billion XRP, which could increase the risk of future sell-offs.

Analysts warn that in the short term, XRP’s price may retest lows, potentially dropping to $1.90–$2.00. The current trading price is $2.09, down nearly 4% over the past 24 hours. Market observers suggest focusing on technological adoption and enterprise ecosystem development rather than merely on chart patterns. Ripple’s strategic acquisitions, regulatory approvals, and ongoing infrastructure improvements are laying the groundwork for its long-term value. Inflows into an XRP ETF may help ease short-term selling pressure and drive price recovery potential.