XRP's Roaring Rally Meets Veteran Warnings: Bollinger and Brandt Sound Alarms on Fragile Momentum

John Bollinger recently highlighted XRP's amazing 32% rise into early 2026, reaching around $2.38 amidst a bigger cryptocurrency breakout driven by Bitcoin. He cautioned, though, that XRP's chart pattern looks weaker than Bitcoin's and lacks the compelling Bollinger Band squeeze resolution found in the market leader. Bollinger underlined that traders should not mistake this momentum for independent strength since XRP's rise seems mostly linked to general market dynamics rather than to unique triggers. His signature indicator presents the asset testing upper bands post-rally; past studies indicate ambitious long-term goals like $32–$110 depending on historical parallels, however he provided no new information for 2026 beyond exhorting caution.

Conversely, Peter Brandt provided a more pessimistic outlook in late 2025, noting a double-top pattern with highs at $3.4 and $3.65, therefore risking a drop to $0.50–$1 if the neckline breach holds. He pointed out that reclaiming over $2 would invalidate this arrangement, temporarily turning bullish in October 2025 on XRP's "purer" long-term chart structure compared to Bitcoin's complexity, but reversed after a market collapse and even profited from shorts. Brandt noted that important issues were dwindling volume and possible cycle exhaustion, now seeing a $1.5–$3.5 trading range.

Both experts emphasize caution for XRP at its present $2.3–$2.4 levels, testing supports around $1.77–$1.99 amid post-SEC transparency and ETF expectations. While Brandt's warns of major downside without a range breakout, Bollinger's bull case depends on upper band continuation. This mixed attitude fits with more general 2026 volatility, therefore advising traders to keep an eye on on-chain flows, ETF developments, and chart updates for clearer direction.