Amid the turbulence of a cryptocurrency market as volatile as it is unpredictable, Ripple's XRP token is once again at the center of the debate. The recent acquisition of Hidden Road by Ripple has generated a wave of speculation among investors and analysts.

However, beyond the initial enthusiasm, critical voices warn that this movement may have little or no effect on the price of the altcoin.

Criticism against the real utility of Ripple's XRP token

The renowned Latin American analyst, David Battaglia, reignited an old debate in the ecosystem: What is the utility of XRP? According to Battaglia, in incisive comments against the blockchain, he warns about market manipulation.

"I’ve never seen such market manipulation. But it’s to be expected from a cryptobaron who launches a memecoin and is going to place XRP in a sovereign reserve," said Battaglia amid the trade war between the US and Canada.

Although Ripple maintains that its network is resilient and efficient, the use of a limited list of approved validators reduces the distribution of power. This approach, closer to an authority system than to a true distributed network, limits participation and reinforces the idea that Ripple Labs maintains substantial control over the protocol.

In this context, the purchase of Hidden Road —an institutional digital asset brokerage— was seen by many as a potential catalyst for the rise in the price of the altcoin.

However, analysts like @DarkhorseDNME4 were direct: the impact will be minimal. The reason lies in Ripple's own on-demand liquidity (ODL) model, where any injection of XRP into the market is counterbalanced by a proportional withdrawal, thus nullifying any sustained upward pressure.

Análise de preço do XRP. Fonte: X/@DarkhorseDNME4XRP price analysis. Source: X/@DarkhorseDNME4

XRP price and community optimism: unfounded hope?

Despite technical skepticism, the 'XRP Army' community maintains its faith intact. One of its most visible spokespersons, EGRAG CRYPTO, argued —based on historical data— that XRP could reach values like $19, $27, or even $45 if a cycle similar to 2017 or 2021 repeats.

"Men lie, women lie, but charts don’t! […] In 2017, the price found strong support at the EMA 21 and experienced the last high. […] In 2021, the price broke both the EMA of 21 and the MA of 33 and then rose, resulting in a final stretch that marked the peak of the cycle. […] XRP mimics the movement
"Now, here is my measured move: if #XRP mimics any of these cycles, we could see price movements of 2,700% or 1,050%, placing #XRP around $45 or $19. […]", stated EGRAG CRYPTO.

XRP price analysis. Source: X/@egragcrypto

In contrast, analysts like Ali Martínez do not rule out a drop in the price of Ripple's token to $1.30. As reported by BeInCrypto, the price of XRP has experienced notable volatility in recent sessions: Can the price of the altcoin recover and thus face the criticisms of the community?

Do you have something to say about XRP price predictions or any other topic? Write to us or join the discussion in our Telegram channel. You can also find us on Facebook or X (Twitter).

The article 'Ripple and XRP in the eye of the storm: criticisms, acquisitions, and doubts about decentralization' was first seen on BeInCrypto Brazil.