Longtime voice of the XRP community Vincent Scott says the present market environment represents one of the difficult periods XRP holders have ever faced, not only due to price charts, but due to structural forces that he believes are working against retail investors.
Institutional behavior, not XRP charts, driving pressure regulation is seen as a missing variable
Scott's comments come as XRP continues to trade below $2 after months of volatility and waning confidence across the crypto market.
XRP/USD every day price chart. Source: CoinMarketCap
Institutional behavior, not XRP charts, driving pressure
According to Scott, recent price behavior shows greater than just routine market cycles. He argues that after a weak fourth quarter, major investment firms are increasingly using retail liquidity to offset losses relatively than allowing organic price discovery.
Source: X
In his view, this dynamic helps explain the rise in aggressive narratives, sudden mood swings and heightened emotional messaging surrounding XRP and other major digital assets.
Scott said these conditions create a level playing field as retail participants absorb volatility while institutions retain structural benefits.
Scott also criticized what he described as a recurring cycle of daring price predictions that didn't come true. He argued that many XRP year-end predictions circulating online rely heavily on chart extrapolation applied to markets that he believes are heavily influenced by liquidity tactics relatively than fundamentals.
When these predictions fail, Scott said, they are sometimes followed by reassurance content as an alternative of accountability, allowing the identical narratives to repeat themselves.
He added that this pattern continues as retail investors often turn to influencers for advice even after several failed calls.
Regulation is seen as a missing variable
At the center of Scott’s argument is regulation. He said that without enforceable and consistently applied rules, markets will proceed to reward opacity over transparency, leaving retail participants vulnerable in downturns.
Scott pointed to ongoing legislative efforts within the US, including work across the CLARITY framework, which is predicted to advance in 2026, as a possible turning point. Until then, he considers significant structural change to be unlikely.
Scott's comments sparked mixed reactions inside the XRP community. Some users shared his fatigue and said that they had completely withdrawn from the crypto markets. Others balked, arguing that overreliance on a single asset brings its own risks.
Source: X
This discrepancy can be reflected within the fund data, as XRP-linked exchange-traded funds continued so as to add assets whilst the spot price remained under pressure, reinforcing Scott's view that institutional participation doesn’t all the time lead to immediate market relief for retail investors. Despite the differing views, Scott argued that, under current conditions, breaking away from the constant market noise might be a rational response.
