XRP Mid-Year Recap 2025: Surge, Setbacks, and the Road to ETF Approval

In the first half of 2025, XRP regained significant market attention after years of underperformance, driven by a powerful combination of political influence, major legal progress, and rising speculation over a spot XRP ETF.

While the token has not yet returned to its all-time high, it successfully crossed the key $3 mark, a combination of political influence, legal progress, and ETF speculation has kept the Ripple token in the spotlight. Investors are closely watching its trajectory as it faces a defining moment in the broader crypto narrative.

Political Winds and Legal Developments Fuel Growth

The XRP performance in 2025 began on a high note, as the confirmation of Donald Trump as the 47th U.S. President caused an immediate surge in the token’s price.

That momentum pushed XRP to a yearly high of $3.20 in January. Later, in March, a Trump executive order that mentioned Ripple as a key part of the U.S. Crypto Strategic Reserve injected fresh optimism into the market, helping the price to stabilize. A significant legal victory followed in May, when Ripple withdrew its appeal in the long-running SEC lawsuit, effectively ending the case and pushing the price up to $2.53.

Macro Headwinds and XRP Volatility

The first half of the year was not without its setbacks. Geopolitical disruptions such as the Israel-Iran conflict from April to June sparked a temporary market-wide selloff. XRP fell to $1.79 before bouncing back as tensions eased.

Broader macroeconomic indicators, such as the Q1 GDP release, monthly CPI data, and the Federal Reserve’s ongoing interest rate decisions, also played a key role, influencing investor sentiment and causing several periods of consolidation where XRP traded in a tight range between $2.15 and $2.40.

Spot ETF Approval is the Next Catalyst for XRP Price

With the Ripple SEC lawsuit ending, the upcoming months are shaping up to be decisive for XRP’s long-term outlook, as the narrative now shifts entirely to institutional adoption. With Solana’s staking ETF greenlit, market analysts believe XRP could be next in line.

The SEC’s final decision on the XRP ETF is expected by October 17. Until then, increasing engagement from the SEC is being interpreted as a promising indicator.

Moreover, Ripple’s recent collaboration with OpenPayd to support its RLUSD stablecoin has bolstered confidence. This partnership is just one of many moves Ripple is making to grow its ecosystem and boost token utility.

XRP Events to Watch in July

July promises several key developments. Investors should monitor updates on the XRP ETF, legal progress with the SEC, and important economic data.

Core CPI, unemployment rates, PPI, and inflation figures will all play roles in shaping short-term price direction.