The Calm Before the Storm？ XRP Price Down Despite Increased Bullish Events

$XRP could be witnessing a “calm before the storm” situation as its price has remained under pressure amid bullish developments.

$XRP continues to face price pressure despite a wave of strong developments across the $XRP Ledger ecosystem. While the broader market downturn has dragged $XRP lower, on-chain data and DeFi growth show rising activity and adoption.

This disconnect between $XRPs falling price and improving fundamentals has led multiple community figures to see the current phase as a buildup period. According to these individuals, $XRP could be witnessing the “calm before the storm.”

Key Points

• The $XRP price has dropped 27.3% this year and 2.91% in March despite an impressive growth in network activity.
• $XRP burn rate surged to 1,851 on March 19, marking a 270% increase from the 500 daily average since August 2025.
• Successful transactions climbed to 3.111 million on March 23, the first time above 3 million in over a year.
• Average transactions per ledger jumped 129% from 83 on March 7 to 190 on March 23.
• AMM pools on the XRPL have grown from 24,462 at the start of 2026 to 27,860, adding 3,398 pools.
• Amid these improving network metrics, community figures believe $XRPs price downturn indicates a “calm before the storm.”

Surge in $XRP Burned as Fees

One major sign of increased activity appeared in $XRPs fee-burning system. On March 19, the total number of $XRP tokens burned as fees rose to 1,851. This figure stands above the usual daily average seen in recent months.

Specifically, since August 2025, the network had maintained an average of 500 $XRP burned per day. The jump to 1,851 marks a 270% increase from that level.

$XRP Burned as Fees | XRPScan

This kind of rise usually indicates more transactions taking place or a sudden cluster of activity within a short time that raised fees higher. Either way, it shows that more users are interacting with the network, which suggests growing adoption.

$XRP Transaction and AMM Growth

Transaction data also shows an upward trend. On March 23, the number of successful transactions reached 3.111 million, moving past the 3 million mark for the first time in over a year. This represents an upsurge compared to the period between August 2025 and December 2025, when daily transactions stayed around 1.6 million.

Successful $XRP Transactions Executed | XRPScan

At the start of 2026, activity began to increase steadily. Transactions sometimes crossed 2 million and mostly stayed above 1.9 million. Notably, the gradual rise continued until the sharp jump above 3 million on March 23.

The network has also become more active at the ledger level. The average number of transactions per ledger reached 190 on March 23. This represents a 129% increase from the low of 83 recorded on March 7. Before this jump, the average had stayed close to 90 transactions per ledger each day.

No of Transactions Per Ledger XRPScan

Meanwhile, the DeFi side of the ecosystem has grown. The number of automated market maker (AMM) pools increased from 24,462 at the beginning of the year to 27,860 at press time. This means 3,398 new AMM pools were added within the first three months of 2026.

$XRP Seeing Institutional Adoption

At the same time, institutional interest has also increased. Recent regulatory filings show that more than 30 institutions now hold positions in $XRP ETFs worth a total of $210 million. Leading the group is Goldman Sachs, with $153.81 million in exposure.

Other firms involved include Jane Street, Logan Stone Capital, DRW Securities, and Millennium Management. Each of these holds $XRP ETF positions worth millions of dollars.

“The Calm Before the Storm”

Despite these positive developments, $XRPs price has continued to move with the broader market. At the start of the year, it rose from $1.84 to a high of $2.41 by Jan. 6. However, the rally faced a roadblock, as the wider market downturn pulled the price down to $1.1 by Feb. 6.

After this drop, $XRP saw some recovery but stayed below the key $1.5 level. It later climbed to $1.6 on March 17 amid the Iran conflict, but failed to break past that resistance. The price then fell again and now sits at $1.33.

At this level, $XRP is down 27.3% since the start of the year and has fallen 2.91% in March alone. It is also on track to record its sixth straight monthly loss, something not seen in 12 years. Still, many in the community believe the steady growth in activity and adoption shows $XRPs price is in a “calm before the storm” phase. It remains to be seen if this suggestion is accurate.