XRP News Today: Can Florida Athletics $XRP Deal Push Price to $2 Soon?

XRP Price Drops 3.5% as Fed Rate Odds Shift Ahead of Sept 16

XRP price fell sharply on Friday, dropping almost 3.51% and slipping to around $1.4056. XRP today is still holding above the $1.40 mark, but traders are on edge.

The drop came right after a surprise US jobs report changed how the market sees the Federal Reserve's next move.

This has become one of the biggest stories in XRP news today, and it is putting pressure on XRP price today ahead of a key Fed rate decision later this month. This XRP price forecast looks at what could move the market next.

Why did XRP price drop today?

The August non-farm payrolls report showed 162,000 new jobs added. That number beat every forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

Unemployment stayed flat at 4.1%. On paper, that sounds like good news for the economy.

But for crypto, it was not. Strong jobs data usually means the Fed has less reason to cut interest rates. Bond yields and the dollar moved higher right after the report, and riskier assets like $XRP took the hit first.

What are the Fed rate decision odds for September 2026?

Markets are now pricing a 59.4% chance the Fed hikes rates at its September 16-17 meeting, against a 40.6% chance of no change. This Fed rate decision is now one of the biggest wildcards for XRP price forecast models heading into mid-September.

That is a big swing. Just one day earlier, hike odds sat at 49.4%. One week ago, they were even lower at 43.0%.

A hike would push the target rate from 350-375 bps to 375-400 bps. That's an odd twist, since new Fed Chair Warsh reportedly got the job under the idea that he would cut rates, not raise them.

How is Trump's trade threat connected to the Fed decision?

Things got more tense this week on the political side too.

President Trump has threatened to stop trading with any country that runs a trade surplus with the US if the Fed does not cut rates. That could affect roughly half of all US trading partners, including Mexico, China, Japan, Germany, and Canada.

If the Fed holds rates steady or hikes on September 16, more than $300 billion in monthly trade volume could reportedly be affected. On top of that, the US House has cancelled the final two weeks of its September session, which means the CLARITY Act could face another delay.

Crypto traders have been watching this bill closely, and more delays would not help Ripple price in the short term.

The Fear & Greed Index sits at 73 right now, still in Greed territory, though slightly down from 74 the day before.

What does the futures and derivatives data show?

According to exchange data, the altcoin is trading around $1.4056, down 3.51% on the day. Futures volume stands near $3.94 billion, and open interest is around $3.13 billion, down 6.32%.

The long/short ratio across the market sits close to 0.994, which is fairly balanced. But big exchanges tell a different story.

Binance XRP/USDT shows a long/short ratio near 2.44, and OKX sits at 2.37. Top Binance traders are leaning long too, with ratios around 2.77 by accounts and 2.17 by positions.

Liquidations over the past 24 hours came to roughly $15.06 million, and most of that, about $14.68 million, hit long positions. Only $378,750 came from shorts.

This heavy long positioning, mixed with falling open interest and price, means it could stay volatile. More long liquidations are possible if selling pressure continues.

What positive news is supporting XRP right now?

Not everything this week was bearish.

The University of Florida signed a multi-year partnership with Ripple, bringing XRP branding to Florida Gators athletics starting with the 2026 football season. That includes logo placement at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and support for financial education programs on campus.

Separately, RLUSD activity on the XRPL has grown fast. Average RLUSD balances on XRPL jumped from $73 million to $539 million year-over-year, a 642% supply increase.

Value transferred through RLUSD rose 925% in the same period, even as the wider stablecoin market shrank for the first time since 2023. XRPL's share of total RLUSD supply grew from 20% to 34%.

XRP price forecast: what does the chart show?

Looking at the daily chart, the token broke out of a long-term descending channel, moving from around $1.00 to $1.55 before pulling back into a smaller descending structure.

If the altcoin holds the $1.35 to $1.40 zone and breaks above $1.45 to $1.50, the pattern points toward another move up, first toward $1.55, then $1.65 to $1.70. A strong breakout past $1.70 could open the door toward $1.90 to $2.00.

On the other hand, if the altcoin loses the $1.35 level, the bullish structure weakens. That could send price back toward $1.29, with $1.15 as the next support zone.

Overall, the chart leans cautiously bullish, with $1.45 to $1.50 as the key zone to watch and $1.35 as the line that matters most for bulls.

Final thoughts on XRP price today

The price today sits at a crossroads. Macro pressure from the Fed decision and Trump's trade threats is creating short-term uncertainty, while network fundamentals like RLUSD growth and new partnerships continue to build in the background.

Traders will likely keep a close eye on the September 16 Fed meeting, along with any updates on the CLARITY Act, as the next big catalysts for Ripple price direction.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency markets are volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.