XRP saw aggressive swings before an abrupt halt capped the session, leaving traders to debate whether institutional flows or technical glitches drove the erratic pattern. The token moved in a 5% range before trading froze at the $3.00 mark. News Background • XRP gained as much as 5% from $2.97 to $3.10 during the August 18–19 session before sliding back toward $3.00. • The final 60 minutes showed heavy activity — price moved between $3.01 and $2.99 — before freezing completely at 08:19 with zero volume recorded. • The abrupt halt raised speculation of technical disruption or liquidity vacuum in major trading venues. • Volumes peaked at 3.26 million in a single minute (08:00–08:01), consistent with institutional order flow or algorithmic triggers. Price Action Summary • Session range of $0.15 represented a 5% spread between $2.95 lows and $3.10 highs. • Early momentum pushed XRP up 4.4% to $3.10 before sellers capped upside. • Consolidation dragged price back toward $3.00 support in the second half. • Late-session freeze at $3.00 effectively ended trading, sparking trader concerns. Technical Analysis • Support: $3.00 psychological level, defended multiple times despite volatility. • Resistance: $3.08–$3.10 zone, where upside was rejected repeatedly. • Volume surge to 3.26 million signals institutional/algo participation at key inflection points. • Zero volume print at 08:19–08:20 confirms structural abnormality — either exchange-level glitch or liquidity drought. • Broader pattern: $0.15 consolidation range now defines immediate short-term trading band. What Traders Are Watching • Whether the freeze was a technical fault or genuine liquidity disappearance — implications differ for institutional trust. • Next test of $3.00 support: failure risks a break toward $2.95. • Potential breakout trigger remains at $3.10 — a breach would open path to $3.25–$3.30. • Whales’ positioning in the high-volume spike will dictate near-term sentiment.
