XRP News Today: New York and Texas Licenses Boost Ripple Optimism; BTC at $102K

SEC vs. Ripple Case Takes Back Seat in DeepSeek Meltdown

On Monday, January 27, XRP and the broader crypto market reacted sharply to news of a Chinese AI tool, DeepSeek, surging in popularity. The low cost AI tool overtook ChatGPT in Apple’s App Store downloads. The jump in popularity triggered concerns about US tech valuations, leading to sharp losses in major tech stocks.

Nvidia (NVDA) and Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) tumbled 16.97% and 17.40%, respectively, while Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) dropped by 4.03%. XRP mirrored the sell-off, hitting a session low of $2.6591 before recovering.

The rebound was significant, underscoring investor optimism toward Ripple’s expansion goals and the ongoing SEC appeal in the Ripple case.

Ripple Goes Big in New York and Texas

On January 27, Ripple announced new Money Transmitter Licenses (MTL) approvals in New York and Texas. Ripple President Monica Long highlighted the firm’s progress since key legal rulings, saying:

“$70B+ in payment volumes, 24/7/365 availability, and a global network across 90+ markets – covering 90% of daily FX markets. Payments business doubled in 2024, welcoming new North American customers! 60+ Licenses secured globally, including new Money Transmitter License approvals in NY and TX. I’ve never felt more optimistic about the future of crypto and Ripple.”

CIO and Fund Manager at DWP Advisors, Matthew Snider, commented on the news on the potential impact on XRP:

“All this on top of lots of speculation that the SEC lawsuit against Ripple could be coming to a close. The SEC appealed in October 2024. But with Trump’s nominee Paul Atkins (known for being crypto friendly) up for SEC Chair, things could change fast. […] Think about it for a minute… a company facing legal battles is still growing this fast. That says something about where the market is heading.”

Matthew concluded

“Bottom line: We’re watching a major shift in US crypto. These licenses aren’t just wins for Ripple – they’re signs of what’s coming next. And I believe it’s bigger than most people think.”

Ripple’s expansion could significantly boost cross-border payment volumes and XRP adoption, supporting XRP demand.

SEC Closed Meeting Looms: Will Acting Chair Uyeda Drop the Appeal?

Ripple’s US expansion has continued despite the SEC’s appeal against the Programmatic Sales of XRP ruling. However, speculation about the agency ending its appeal has intensified since Gary Gensler stepped down as SEC Chair.

Trump-appointed Acting SEC Chair Mark Uyeda recently talked about dropping non-fraud-related enforcement cases, saying:

“The Commission’s war on crypto must end, including crypto enforcement actions solely based on a failure to register with no allegation of fraud or harm. President Trump and the American electorate have sent a clear message. Starting in 2025, the SEC’s role is to carry out that mandate.”

The upcoming closed meeting on January 30 could give Chair Uyeda and Commissioner Hester Peirce further opportunity to discuss the Ripple case. While typically requiring at least three Commissioners to meet quorum requirements, the recent rescission of Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 121 suggests they could drop the appeal before Paul Atkins completes the confirmation process.

XRP Price Trends:

On Monday, January 27, XRP gained 1.14%, partially reversing Sunday’s 2.74% drop, closing at $3.0571. XRP outperformed the broader crypto market, which fell 0.67% to a total crypto market cap of $3.42 trillion.

XRP’s price trajectory relies heavily on the SEC’s appeal intentions. A withdrawal could drive XRP above its all-time high of $3.5505. Conversely, pursuing the appeal could push prices below $2.50.

Explore our expert analysis here on the SEC’s next move and its implications for XRP’s future.

Bitcoin Rebounds as MicroStrategy Buys the Dip:

Bitcoin (BTC), meanwhile, recovered from a January 27 low of $97,768. News of MicroStrategy’s (MSTR) latest BTC acquisition likely contributed to the rebound.

Michael Saylor, founder and Chairman of Microstrategy, announced:

“MicroStrategy has acquired 10,107 BTC for ~$1.1 billion at ~$105,596 per bitcoin and has achieved BTC Yield of 2.90% YTD 2025. As of 1/26/2025, we hodl 471,107 BTC acquired for ~$30.4 billion at ~$64,511 per bitcoin.”

The MicroStrategy Chairman had sent clues of an imminent purchase, saying,

“Volatility is a gift to the faithful.”

US BTC-Spot ETF Market Ends Seven-Day Inflow Streak

The US BTC-spot ETF market faced net outflows amid the flight to safety triggered by DeepSeek’s popularity. According to Farside Investors:

• Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) had net outflows of $268.6 million on January 27.
• ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) saw net outflows of $50.1 million.
• Greyscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) reported net outflows of $108.5 million.

Excluding BlackRock’s (BLK) iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), the US BTC-spot ETF market registered $521.5 million in total net outflows, ending a seven-day inflow streak.

US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: A Slow Moving Train

The hope that the US will establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) in the near-term waned after US President Trump signed new crypto executive orders (EO).

On January 23, President Trump signed an EO, creating the Presidential Working Group on Digital Asset Markets. One key task will be to evaluate the creation of a strategic national digital assets stockpile, potentially delaying a vote on Senator Cynthia Lummis’ Bitcoin Act.

The Bitcoin Act, introduced in late 2024, proposes accumulating one million BTC over five years, with a mandatory holding period of 20 years. However, unlike the executive orders, Congress, the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, and the President must approve a strategic reserve asset.

Amicus Curiae attorney John E. Deaton recently highlighted the procedural differences between a stockpile and SBR, stating,

“I’ve been saying for some time: What’s your definition of a SBR? President Trump, via EO, can order that all seized BTC (or any other seized digital asset for that matter) be held in escrow and not sold. If you call that a SBR, then I’m confident we get one. If by SBR, you mean the USG buying BTC, it will take an act of Congress, like the Senator Cynthia Lummis Bill.”

Bitcoin Price Outlook

On Monday, January 27, BTC dropped by 0.58%, following Sunday’s 2.09% loss to close at $102,064. Significantly, BTC fell below the crucial $100k level for the first time in seven sessions. The rebound from Monday’s low of $97,768 underscored investor optimism toward the supply-demand trajectory.

BTC’s future price trends hinge on Trump’s crypto executive orders, SBR developments, and ETF market flows.

US BTC-spot ETF inflows and progress on the SBR could drive BTC beyond the record high of $108,231. Conversely, slow progress toward an SBR and BTC-spot ETF outflows could pull BTC toward $95k.

Market Outlook: Regulatory Clarity in Focus

Regulatory developments could dictate crypto market trends. Ripple’s US expansion and Bitcoin’s strategic reserve potential represent pivotal moments for the industry. Market participants will closely watch SEC decisions and Trump administration policies for signs of clarity in the weeks ahead.

Stay updated with our expert analysis of these developments and their implications for crypto markets. Read more here.