XRP Surges Above $2 on January 2, 2026 Amid Regulatory Optimism
XRP rose above $2 on January 2, 2026, gaining about 8%, marking its first move above $2 since mid-December. Concurrently, U.S. spot XRP ETFs drew $13.59 million on that day, bringing total inflows since their launch to $1.18 billion.
The rally appears driven by improving regulatory sentiment in the U.S. and expectations of crypto-friendly policies following the departure of SEC Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw. Crenshaw had opposed crypto spot ETFs and objected to dropping the Ripple case appeal, and her exit is seen by some traders as potentially clearing the way for more favorable crypto regulations.
Traders also pointed to a forthcoming Market Structure Bill markup scheduled around January 15, which has lifted expectations for policy developments in the first quarter. XRP's strength is considered to be due to token-specific catalysts rather than a broad market trend, as demand for bitcoin funds remained weaker.
On the day, XRP traded just over $2, while bitcoin was around $90,000 and Ethereum about $3,000, with only modest increases observed.
