Usman Salis
XRP is looking seriously weak against Bitcoin (BTC) after forming a rare double death cross pattern that historically led to major selloffs, with analysts now eyeing a potential 28% drop.
XRP/BTC Just Flashed One of Crypto's Most Feared Signals
XRP versus Bitcoin just triggered what traders call a "double death cross" – and trust me, it sounds as ominous as it is. This happens when both the 23-day and 50-day moving averages slice through the 200-day moving average like a hot knife through butter. When you see this setup, it's basically the charts screaming that trouble's coming.
What's really concerning here is how cleanly both those shorter averages have dropped below the long-term line. This isn't some wishy-washy crossover that could reverse tomorrow – we're talking about a full-blown bearish flip that typically sticks around for weeks or even months. Technical folks know this pattern doesn't mess around.
XRP's price action is already telling the story. Every time it tries to bounce back, it gets smacked down harder than before. The buyers just aren't showing up with enough firepower to push back against this bearish momentum, and that's exactly what you'd expect to see when the moving averages line up like this.
History Says XRP Could Get Crushed Against Bitcoin
Here's the thing that should really worry XRP holders – we've seen this movie before, and it didn't end well. Back in late 2024, the exact same double death cross pattern showed up on the XRP/BTC chart. What happened next? XRP got absolutely demolished, dropping 21% against Bitcoin over the following weeks.
But this time might be even worse. Based on where the charts are pointing now, analysts are looking at a potential target around 0.0000155 BTC – which would mean XRP could tank about 28% from current levels. That's a bigger beating than what happened last time, and it shows just how brutal this setup can be.
The silver lining? That 0.0000155 level lines up with a major support zone from November's big breakout move. So if XRP does fall that far, at least there might be some buyers waiting to catch the knife. But getting there would mean serious pain for anyone holding XRP and measuring their success against Bitcoin.
BTC Strength Makes XRP's Pain Even Worse
What makes this whole situation extra painful is that Bitcoin isn't just sitting around – it's actually doing pretty well. Unlike the last time we saw this pattern, BTC is holding strong and even creeping higher. That puts XRP in a really tough spot because it's not just falling on its own; it's falling while Bitcoin rises.
Bitcoin dominance has been climbing like a rocket, which basically means money is flowing out of altcoins and into BTC. When that happens, smaller coins like XRP get left behind like yesterday's news. It's like being in a race where your competitor gets a head start while you're running with ankle weights.
The contrast couldn't be more obvious right now. Bitcoin keeps attracting both big institutions and regular investors, while XRP seems to be losing its appeal. This creates a nasty cycle where weakness leads to more weakness as traders dump their XRP bags to chase Bitcoin's momentum instead.
XRP Needs a Miracle to Avoid This Bitcoin Beatdown
For XRP to dodge this projected 28% haircut, it would need to pull off something pretty spectacular – and fast. We're talking about flipping both those death cross moving averages back to bullish territory, which means sustained buying pressure that can overpower all this bearish momentum.
But let's be real here – the odds don't look great. Death crosses don't move prices by themselves, but they carry serious psychological weight in the trading community. Once traders see this pattern, many start betting against the asset, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that pushes prices exactly where the technicals suggest they'll go.
XRP holders are basically caught between a rock and a hard place right now. Bitcoin keeps getting stronger while XRP's charts keep getting uglier. Unless something changes dramatically and quickly, that 28% drop to 0.0000155 BTC might not be a question of "if" but "when." It's definitely not the kind of setup you want to see if you're long XRP against Bitcoin.
Usman Salis
