XRP (XRP 3.51%) saw stretches of very strong bullish momentum in 2025, but trading took a bearish turn later in the year — and weakness has extended into 2026. The cryptocurrency’s token price has fallen 26% year to date as of this writing.

Meanwhile, the token is down roughly 41% over the past 12 months. While inflation has moderated and cryptocurrencies have seen rising adoption in exchange-traded funds (ETFs), XRP and most other leading tokens have still seen dramatic valuation pullbacks over the last half-year of trading. Read on for a look at three catalysts that have driven valuation pullbacks for XRP and other top cryptocurrencies.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. The resurgence of precious metals

While XRP, Bitcoin, and…