XRP's $1.45 Wall Faces Real Demand From Japan's Rakuten and European Institutions

XRP is trading at $1.41, up 4%, with momentum building toward the $1.45 resistance level. Every prior rally to $1.45 has failed due to break-even selling pressure from holders who bought between $1.45 and $1.47 earlier this year. Approximately 1.24 billion XRP tokens are held in wallets at those prices, forming a dense wall of supply that has repelled rallies three times already in 2026. This time, the buying behind the move is different.

Rakuten Wallet listed XRP for spot trading and payments on April 15. Now, 44 million Rakuten Pay users can convert loyalty points into XRP and spend it across 5 million merchant locations in Japan. Most users won’t make the switch, but even minimal adoption generates organic demand untethered from speculation—something no prior exchange listing has delivered. That integration creates real-world utility and consistent buying pressure.

At the same time, XRP investment products pulled in $119.6 million in net inflows for the week ending April 11, the strongest weekly inflow since December 2025. About 70% of global crypto fund flows that week came through Swiss exchange-traded products, with FINMA’s clear regulatory stance enabling European institutions to build positions while U.S. firms remain sidelined. Switzerland alone accounted for $157.5 million in inflows, dwarfing activity in U.S.-listed products.

U.S. institutions are waiting on the CLARITY Act markup expected in late April. The SEC’s crypto roundtable on April 16, led by commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda—both vocal supporters of the bill—adds regulatory credibility. If the markup is scheduled, anticipation alone could push XRP through $1.45 before any vote occurs.

A successful break above $1.45 would target $1.55 and beyond, marking the first durable rally of 2026.