XRP trades higher in controlled range-bound action as institutional participation supports accumulation above the $2.38 zone, even as derivatives data point to declining speculative interest. News Background XRP advanced modestly during Tuesday’s session, trading between $2.38 and $2.41 while maintaining a narrow $0.05 band. The cryptocurrency continued consolidating above key support despite broader uncertainty, with multiple intraday rejections near $2.43 resistance highlighting capped momentum. Trading volumes reached 79.86 million — roughly 94% above the 24-hour average — during a midday support retest, confirming institutional presence. That spike coincided with a rebound from the $2.38 base, suggesting accumulation behavior from larger holders as retail participation remained subdued. Price Action Summary The session’s most active window occurred during midday trading, when sellers briefly drove XRP toward $2.38 before aggressive dip-buying reversed losses. The subsequent recovery to $2.41 restored the prior consolidation structure, leaving the token confined to a 2% intraday range. Hourly data show a mild upward bias, with XRP advancing from $2.397 to $2.405 around 01:47 on elevated volume. Multiple higher lows formed along this stretch, supporting the short-term bullish channel even as broader crypto sentiment stayed mixed. Technical Analysis XRP’s chart continues to display ascending channel characteristics, with higher lows confirming controlled accumulation. The $2.38–$2.39 zone remains key structural support, validated by volume spikes during testing periods. Resistance remains concentrated near $2.43, where repeated failures mark the upper bound of the consolidation. Derivatives data reveal reduced speculative activity: open interest declined 1.4%, while total trading volumes dropped 24% day-on-day. Funding rates turned slightly negative at -0.0007%, suggesting traders are leaning short. Yet on-chain data show a 3.36% drop in exchange reserves since early October — a historically bullish signal tied to long-term whale accumulation. What Traders Are Watching XRP’s ability to sustain above the $2.38 support area keeps the current accumulation thesis intact. A confirmed breakout above $2.43–$2.48 would reset momentum and open room toward the $2.65 extension zone. Conversely, failure to defend $2.38 risks a pullback to $1.96 support. Traders are monitoring volume behavior closely — another spike near 80M+ on an upside attempt could confirm institutional accumulation and precede a volatility expansion phase.