Ripple's XRP Feels the Squeeze as Crypto Kingpin Bitcoin Strengthens its Market Stranglehold

Table of Contents XRP has remained largely stagnant while Bitcoin climbed sharply over the past three months. A technical analyst has warned that XRP continues to lag Bitcoin in relative performance. The update highlights growing pressure on XRP as Bitcoin dominance stays elevated. A UK-based analyst known as ChartNerd said XRP has underperformed Bitcoin for years. He shared the view in a public post on X on Monday. I'm sorry to break this to my $XRP community. i'm just tired of the constant hopium: we have been underperforming #Bitcoin since 2017, with NO signs of any major rotation. In fact, over the last 3 months, BTC has climbed 60K-80K while $XRP/BTC has lost its 20 MEMA. Back to green. https://t.co/24IB42ZWsW pic.twitter.com/CeJibNhoMx — 🇬🇧 ChartNerd 📊 (@ChartNerdTA) May 25, 2026 “I’m sorry to break this to my $XRP community,” he wrote. “We have been underperforming Bitcoin since 2017.” He added that the gap between expectations and market performance has widened. The analyst pointed to recent price action as evidence of continued weakness. Bitcoin rose from about $60,000 to $80,000 in recent months. However, XRP traded mostly sideways during the same period. ChartNerd highlighted the XRP/BTC pair losing its 20-period exponential moving average. Traders use this indicator to track medium-term momentum between assets. He said the breakdown pushed XRP closer to the lower end of its long-term range. That level has historically marked periods of relative weakness. “While BTC has climbed 60-80K, $XRP has done nothing but trend sideways,” he added. He also noted that the pair is currently breaking down. In a separate update on May 21, ChartNerd said the XRP/BTC pair declined for 15 straight weeks. He said this explained XRP’s flat USD performance. XRP traded near $1.36 at the time of writing. It moved within a narrow range between $1.34 and $1.37 over 24 hours. ChartNerd identified $1.30 as a key support level. He also placed resistance near the $1.40 zone on any recovery attempt. He described the $1.40 level as a potential support and resistance flip. This means the level could change roles depending on price direction. The analyst also outlined a lower range between $0.90 and $0.70. He linked this range to weaker broader market conditions. He noted that the two-week regression band lower boundary sits near $1.00. This level may act as another reference point for traders. Bitcoin traded around $77,000 after recovering from a drop near $74,000. The rebound followed reports of progress in US-Iran peace talks. Bitcoin dominance remained above 58% during the same period. High dominance levels often limit capital flows into altcoins. This trend has weighed on XRP and other tokens in recent weeks. Capital concentration in Bitcoin has reduced relative altcoin performance. The latest data shows XRP continuing to trade within a tight range. Bitcoin maintains its lead as dominance stays elevated. Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.