Following a tumultuous week that wiped over $1 trillion in crypto market capitalization, recovery signs are appearing with XRP leading the charge. While Bitcoin struggled at $104,000 and Ethereum near $3,400, XRP surged nearly 5% to around $2.31, outperforming the majors.

Analysts attribute this strength to robust fundamentals, including Ripple's strategic partnership with Mastercard and renewed institutional interest following a $500 million investment round.

The Mastercard collaboration signifies one of the first U.S.-regulated banks testing real credit card transactions on a public blockchain through Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin, highlighting a shift towards enterprise-grade payment infrastructure.

Speculation about a potential BlackRock XRP ETF further fuels the momentum. BlackRock's Director of Digital Assets hinted at Ripple's Swell conference that trillions might come on-chain, potentially reshaping institutional exposure to XRP.

This speculation aligns with Ripple's burgeoning valuation, climbing to $40 billion after a fresh funding round led by Fortress Investment Group and Citadel Securities, with backing from Pantera Capital and Galaxy Digital, demonstrating strong institutional trust in Ripple's blockchain payment systems.

Despite market volatility, on-chain data indicates growing conviction among XRP holders, with over 1.4 billion XRP tokens withdrawn from exchanges since September. Network activity also surged, with over 21,000 new wallets created within 48 hours.

If XRP maintains support above $2.30, analysts foresee a potential move to the $2.60–$3.00 range, hinting at a new leadership phase in the crypto cycle.