XRP is trading near $2.06 as spot ETFs logged $1.28B of inflows, helping offset selling pressure. Price consolidates in a descending triangle around $2.05, with downside targets near $1.91 and potential resistance toward $2.19. Coinbase's criticism of a Senate draft on stablecoins may add headwinds for crypto sentiment.

On January 18, 2026 (9:08 AM UTC update), Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko argued that Solana must continually iterate to remain viable, signaling future versions that may not come from Anza, Solana Labs, or the Foundation. His stance contrasts with Vitalik Buterin's 2026 focus on decentralization, privacy, self-sovereignty and resistance to centralization.

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has pushed back on reports of a rift with the White House, saying the administration remains engaged on the CLARITY Act even after Coinbase withdrew support for the current draft. He argued the bill's latest version could damage DeFi, tokenized stocks and stablecoin yield products, and indicated lawmakers are revising the proposal after a Senate Banking Committee markup was postponed.

According to the analysis, QNT rose 12.33% over the past 36 hours as daily volume tripled since Friday, 16 January. The study highlights weekly support near the 78.6% retracement at $75, a short-term invalidation on a 4‑hour close below $72.5, and overhead supply at $90–$110, while BTC's defense of $94.5k could allow a push toward $100k.

In the first week of the year, XRP jumped from under $1.90 to $2.40 before slipping below $2.10. ChatGPT expects consolidation above $2.00 and beneath $2.30, while Grok warns a close under $2.00 could revisit under $1.90. Perplexity and Gemini see scope to reclaim $2.20–$2.25 and potentially retest the $2.40 peak on January 6.

On January 17, The Sandbox token SAND rose nearly 15% after a tight consolidation. The surge came with spot volume around $140 million and Open Interest near $25 million, while price closed above the 20- and 50-day EMAs. Holder counts kept climbing through mid-January, signaling broader participation.

Recent price action shows Ethereum breaking from its usual correlation with the Russell 2000, even as U.S. small-cap stocks continue to climb. At the same time, the ETH/BTC pair has risen about 8% since October, pointing to stronger relative demand for Ethereum and hinting at a potential shift in altcoin market dynamics.

Analysts suggest XRP could climb toward the $7–$8.50 range in 2026 if it maintains support between $1.90 and $3.40 and breaks above its $3.40 all‑time high. Expectations are built around Ripple’s multibillion‑dollar global expansion, improving regulatory clarity, growing DeFi use cases, and rising institutional demand for XRP‑linked products.