Popular analyst Peter Brandt has provided a bearish outlook for the XRP price, predicting that the altcoin could drop below the $2 support. As part of his analysis, he highlighted a head-and-shoulders pattern that could spark the breakdown below $2. 

Peter Brandt Identifies XRP Head And Shoulders Pattern

In an X post, Brandt revealed that XRP is forming a textbook head-and-shoulders pattern, which has caused the altcoin to range-bound. He added that the head-and-shoulders pattern projects a price decline to as low as $1.07. The analyst’s accompanying chart showed that XRP could witness a freefall to this target if it loses the $1.9 support. 

Related Reading

Crypto analyst CasiTrades had also recently raised the possibility of XRP dropping to as low as $1.54. She revealed that a break below the $2.25 support and lower support at $1.90 could lead to this breakdown to $1.54. However, the analyst suggested that the probability of this happening was really low, as the $2.25 support is holding really strongly. 

Meanwhile, crypto analyst Ali Martinez also discussed the head-and-shoulders pattern that had formed for the XRP price. In an X post, he stated that if XRP can break above $3, it would invalidate the current head-and-shoulders pattern, a development that could flip the altcoin’s outlook to bullish. In his analysis, Brandt had also hinted that a rally above $3 could invalidate the bearish pattern. 

Martinez’s accompanying chart showed that XRP could drop to as low as $1.25 if this head-and-shoulders pattern plays out. In another post, he again raised the possibility of XRP suffering this price breakdown, while stating that the $2 price level remains the critical support level for the crypto. 

Bullish Outlook For The Altcoin

In an X post, crypto analyst Dark Defender provided a bullish outlook for the XRP price, predicting it could reach as high as $23.20. The analyst claimed that the third wave targets a rally of between $5.85 and $8.076. Meanwhile, the fifth wave is expected to finish the move between $18.22 and $23.20. 

Related Reading

This prediction came as part of Dark Defender’s analysis of the 3-month candle. He affirmed that XRP boasts a clear bullish momentum on this higher timeframe. He added that there are ups and downs in smaller time frames, but the higher frames supersedes the smaller ones. 

In another post, the analyst assured XRP’s consolidation will be over soon. He revealed that the altcoin has formed a great bullish rectangle pattern and that the next leg up will send it to new all-time highs (ATHs). 

At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $2.25, down over 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com

The Trump family has made headlines lately over potential ventures with Binance and the BNB Chain. Rumors started circulating that the Trump Organization is considering buying a stake in Binance’s US arm, while Trump recently launched his USD1 stablecoin on BNB Chain. This nature of the President’s involvement has raised concerns over decentralization. 

BeInCrypto spoke with representatives from Galxe, Komodo Platform, Kronos Research, Yellow Network, and Solv Protocol to gather further insights on what Trump’s involvement could mean for the centralized exchange and the decentralized blockchain. 

Initial Reactions to Trump’s Binance Ventures

A series of events in the last month seem to have brought US President Donald Trump and Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao closer together. 

Just two weeks ago, reports circulated that the Trump family may be negotiating to acquire a stake in the US arm of the world’s largest crypto exchange. Then, on Tuesday, World Liberty Financial officially launched its very own stablecoin, known as USD1.

Though Binance’s actual involvement in the launch remains unclear, USD1 is native to the BNB Chain. Though BNB is decentralized, community members raised concerns that a stake in Binance could indirectly influence the blockchain’s greater ecosystem. 

As a result, a vital question has erupted: Are these latest ventures good for market adoption and crypto’s reputation, or do they go against crypto’s decentralized and community-driven ethos?

Industry experts proved to be divided in their responses. 

Does Trump Involvement Signal Market Growth?

Trump has completely changed the political landscape in the United States, creating a more favorable environment for cryptocurrency adoption. Given his endeavors in the industry, Trump’s approach has been particularly novel. 

Announcements like the creation of World Liberty Financial and the launch of his meme coin were initially celebrated by the community for the increased visibility they gave to the crypto industry. 

Now, with rumors of a potential stake acquisition in Binance and the launch of USD1 on the BNB Chain, some expect similar results. They argue that The Trump family’s involvement could bring significant traffic to Binance and, consequently, to the BNB Chain.

“A Trump stake in Binance could actually be bullish for BNB Chain, as it may drive‬‭ greater attention, adoption, or even institutional involvement. There have been multiple moves related to Trump and the crypto space. Personally, I see them‬‭ all as contributing to the industry’s development—at least for now. Whether driven by political motives or‬ not, these moves are undeniably giving crypto more visibility and mainstream recognition,‬” said Ryan Chow, CEO and Co-founder of Solv Protocol.

Alexis Sirkia, Chairman of Yellow Network, delivered a similar verdict.

“‬‭A‬‭ Trump‬‭ stake‬‭ would‬‭ be‬‭ bullish,‬‭ not‬‭ bearish.‬‭ It‬‭ would‬‭ draw‬‭ attention,‬‭ capital,‬‭ and‬‭ momentum. The community would more strongly rally behind it than back away,” Sirkia told BeInCrypto.

However, others received the news with much more skepticism.

Concerns Over Centralized Power

When rumors surfaced that the Trump family had held talks to buy a stake in Binance, some criticized the move over potential conflicts of interest. Reports also suggested that these negotiations resembled a plot by CZ to get Trump to pardon him following his guilty plea for money laundering charges in 2023. 

They also cautioned that a stake could give Trump centralized power to a broader industry working to build a decentralized financial system. 

“‬‭Blockchain‬‭ was‬‭ created‬‭ as‬‭ an‬‭ answer‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ shortcomings‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ traditional‬‭ financial‬‭ system,‬ ‭with‬‭ the‬‭ idea‬‭ that‬‭ no‬‭ one‬‭ entity‬‭ should‬‭ have‬‭ full‬‭ control‬‭ over‬‭ it,‬‭ let‬‭ alone‬‭ an‬‭ individual.‬‭ The‬ idea‬‭ of‬‭ an‬‭ influential‬‭ political‬‭ figure‬‭ like‬‭ Trump‬‭ having‬‭ an‬‭ influence‬‭ over‬‭ one‬‭ of‬‭ crypto’s‬ ‭stalwarts challenges the whole ethos of Web3,” Charles‬‭ Wayn, Co-founder of Galxe, told BeInCrypto.

A move like this, Wayn added, could have significant long-term implications on Binance and BNB Chain.

“If‬‭ Trump‬‭ does‬‭ take‬‭ a‬‭ stake‬‭ in‬‭ Binance.US,‬‭ this‬‭ would‬‭ certainly‬‭ polarize‬‭ the‬‭ community‬‭ and‬‭ lead‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ erosion‬‭ of‬‭ trust,‬‭ especially‬‭ from‬‭ the‬‭ more‬‭ ideological‬‭ users.‬‭ They‬‭ would‬‭ likely‬‭ start‬‭ questioning‬‭ the‬‭ integrity‬‭ of‬‭ Binance‬‭ and‬‭ how‬‭ aligned‬‭ –or‬‭ not‬–‬‭ it‬‭ is‬‭ with‬‭ web3‬‭ values.‬‭ This‬‭ will‬‭ inevitably‬‭ have‬‭ an‬‭ impact‬‭ on‬‭ their‬‭ perception‬‭ of‬‭ BNB‬‭ Chain‬‭ and‬‭ could‬‭ potentially‬‭ push developers and users to explore alternatives,” he said. 

However, the way in which Trump could potentially exert power over these entities looks different in each case.

Binance vs BNB Chain: What’s The Difference?

While Binance is a centralized exchange, BNB Chain is a decentralized blockchain ecosystem. Though Binance initially played a central role in creating the BNB Chain, the ecosystem rebranded itself in 2022, evolving toward a more decentralized and community-driven effort. 

Considering their separate natures, Trump’s potential position holds different meanings for Binance and BNB Chain.

“It’s important to recognize that Binance is, by nature, a centralized entity. If Trump were to acquire a‬‭ stake in Binance, the key difference, in my view, would be that Binance could shift from being purely‬‭ profit-driven to being influenced -at least in part- by political factors,” Chow explained. 

Meanwhile, BNB is a blockchain. Manipulating the technology itself is practically impossible.

“BNB Chain’s decentralization is determined by its validators, not endorsements or political affiliations. A Trump stake wouldn’t inherently compromise its structure,” explained Kronos Research analyst Dominick John.

Instead, the BNB Chain could be influenced by other factors, like governance decisions.

The Impact of Politics on Governance

Despite the technical distinction between Binance and BNB Chain, the potential for political influence raises questions about the platform’s independence.

“‭Governance decisions might be seen as influenced by political interests, eroding confidence in the platform’s neutrality. Additionally, increased regulatory scrutiny could lead to compliance measures that restrict certain activities, weakening the chain’s appeal to privacy-conscious users. With a majority power potentially coming from the political realm, the true decentralization of BNB Chain would be questioned, as the community might fear that decisions are driven by centralized, external forces rather than the collective will of the network,” John added.

At this point, the lines between Binance and BNB Chain become blurred. Despite their technically separate entities, BNB is, after all, a product born out of Binance. 

“‬The‬‭ question‬‭ is‬‭ more,‬‭ how‬‭ decentralized‬‭ is‬‭ BNB‬‭ Chain‬‭ right‬‭ now?‬‭ Binance‬‭ has‬‭ been‬‭ criticized‬‭ for‬‭ having‬‭ a‬‭ great‬‭ deal‬‭ of‬‭ influence‬‭ over‬‭ the‬‭ choice‬‭ of‬‭ validators‬‭ on‬‭ BNB‬‭ Chain,‬‭ and‬‭ the‬‭ blockchain’s‬‭ decentralization‬‭ is‬‭ often‬‭ brought‬‭ into‬‭ question‬‭,” Wayn said.

Though direct control of the decentralized BNB Chain is unlikely, a stake in Binance could indirectly influence the BNB Chain ecosystem.

How High Are the Stakes?

The existence and size of a potential Trump family Binance stake remains uncertain. From what Sirkia has heard, Trump is looking at a 5% stake or lower. 

If that turns out to be true, Sirkia doesn’t think Trump’s participation is something to worry about so long as the President prioritizes transparency. 

“‬We‬‭ are‬‭ talking‬‭ about‬‭ a‬‭ minority‬‭ stake‬‭ in‬‭ Binance‬‭ US.‬‭ It‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ small‬‭,‬‭ distinct‬‭ offshoot‬‭ of‬‭ Binance‬‭ that‬‭ has‬‭ no‬‭ vote‬‭ on‬‭ BNB‬‭ Chain.‬‭ Everybody‬‭ should‬‭ be‬‭ allowed‬‭ to‬‭ invest.‬‭ But‬‭ if‬‭ you’re‬‭ a‬‭ politico‬‭,‬‭ then‬‭ a‬‭ Blind‬‭ Trust‬‭ or‬‭ public‬‭ disclosure‬‭ is‬‭ the‬‭ answer‬‭.‬‭ Transparency‬‭ is‬‭ key‬‭,” Sirkia told BeInCrypto. 

Chow agreed.

“‬I see this similarly to a political figure holding stakes in any enterprise. This is not uncommon, and with‬‭ proper disclosure –especially given the level of scrutiny surrounding Trump– I personally don’t find it‬‭ inherently problematic. In an extreme scenario where a blockchain is explicitly branded as a ‘Trump‬‭ Chain’ or an ‘American Chain,’ does it really matter? I don’t think so. The market will decide its‬‭ relevance,” he said.

Wayn, on the other hand, argues that the size of the stake is irrelevant.

“‬Even‬‭ if‬‭ this‬‭ stake‬‭ is‬‭ small,‬‭ politicians‬‭ have‬‭ the‬‭ ability‬‭ to‬‭ wield‬‭ outsized‬‭ control,‬‭ and‬‭ this‬‭ would‬‭ be‬‭ unlikely‬‭ to‬‭ go‬‭ down‬‭ well‬‭ with‬‭ the‬‭ BNB‬‭ community.‬‭ Even‬‭ though‬‭ Binance‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ centralized‬‭ crypto‬‭ entity,‬‭ outright‬‭ political‬‭ involvement‬‭ would‬‭ be‬‭ a‬‭ step‬‭ too‬‭ far‬‭ and‬‭ the‬‭ community‬‭ would‬‭ almost certainly push back,” Wayn said, adding that “while‬‭ Trump’s‬‭ influence‬‭ may‬‭ not‬‭ make‬‭ BNB‬‭ Chain‬‭ more‬‭ centralized,‬‭ he‬‭ could‬‭ certainly‬‭ wield‬‭ control‬‭ over‬‭ key‬‭ decisions.‬‭ More‬‭ importantly,‬‭ the‬‭ perception‬‭ will‬‭ be‬‭ that‬‭ BNB‬‭ is‬‭ falling‬‭ under‬‭ the‬‭ US‬‭ government’s influence, and perceptions are often what drives user behavior.”

Meanwhile, other considerations also arise. 

Regulatory Scrutiny Likely To Increase

When Trump launched his meme coin, the move drew significant scrutiny from regulators, especially as speculation over insider trading started to surface. The same happened when the Trump Organization disclosed that it had a 75% stake in World Liberty Financial’s net revenue.

Trump’s stablecoin announcement and potential Binance stake acquisition will likely have the same effect.

“The involvement of a sitting US president within a crypto exchange could attract heightened regulatory scrutiny, as concerns over political influence may affect market dynamics. This could lead to regulations that stifle innovation, create barriers for smaller players, and ultimately harm the growth and inclusivity of the crypto industry,” John said.

However, John added that he considered this result unlikely. Sirkia agreed, arguing that Trump’s participation would boost regulatory clarity.

“‬‭If‬‭ true,‬‭ this‬‭ would‬‭ be‬‭ a‬‭ huge‬‭ plus.‬‭ It‬‭ would‬‭ send‬‭ a‬‭ message‬‭ that‬‭ crypto‬‭ is‬‭ not‬‭ on‬‭ the‬‭ fringes‬‭ but‬‭ part‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ future‬‭ financial‬‭ landscape‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ US‬‭ Regulatory‬‭ clarity‬‭ could‬‭ actually speed up under a pro-crypto approach,” he said. 

However, the news has already polarized the broader political arena. The Senate Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs Committee Minority under Senator Elizabeth Warren has already spoken against Trump’s ties with Binance.

Similarly, users who strongly adhere to blockchain’s core principles of decentralization and privacy may feel more inclined to migrate elsewhere.

Potential for User Migration Toward DEXs

Wayn believes a Trump stake in Binance could urge users to transition from centralized exchanges to decentralized alternatives.

“‭There‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ real‬‭ possibility‬‭ that‬‭ users‬‭ and‬‭ developers‬‭ might‬‭ flee‬‭ for‬‭ decentralized‬‭ alternatives‬‭ if‬‭ they‬‭ perceive‬‭ BNB‬‭ Chain‬‭ to‬‭ be‬‭ falling‬‭ under‬‭ political‬‭ influence.‬‭ But‬‭ that’s‬‭ not‬‭ necessarily‬‭ bad‬‭ news‬‭ for‬‭ the‬‭ industry‬‭ as‬‭ a‬‭ whole‬‭– ‬‭ it‬‭ could‬‭ push‬‭ users‬‭ to‬‭ explore‬‭ alternative‬‭ blockchains‬‭ and‬‭ decentralized‬‭ exchanges.‬‭ It‬‭ would‬‭ also‬‭ be‬‭ an‬‭ opportunity‬‭ to‬‭ highlight‬‭ the‬‭ advantages‬‭ of‬‭ decentralized‬‭ technologies‬‭ more‬‭ broadly,‬‭ which‬‭ are,‬‭ by‬‭ default,‬‭ unbiased‬‭ as‬‭ they‬‭ operate‬‭ off‬‭ of code and not beliefs,” he said.

Kadan Stadelmann, Chief Technology Officer at Komodo Platform, doesn’t necessarily think a mass migration will occur. He does think, however, that these announcements will further reinforce crypto aficionados’ beliefs on privacy.

“Those‬‭ who‬‭ use‬‭ crypto‬‭ for‬‭ its‬‭ privacy‬‭ potential‬‭ have‬‭ long‬‭ been‬‭ suspicious‬‭ of‬‭ centralization‬‭ in‬‭ any‬‭ chain,‬‭ and‬‭ gravitate‬‭ towards‬‭ those‬‭ projects‬‭ which‬‭ offer‬‭ privacy.‬‭ Trump’ s‬‭ stake‬‭ in‬‭ Binance‬‭ won’t‬‭ surprise‬‭ them,‬‭ though‬‭ it‬‭ might‬‭ make‬‭ them‬‭ more‬‭ hardcore‬‭ in‬‭ their‬‭ preferences‬‭ for‬‭ truly‬‭ decentralized systems,” Stadelmann told BeInCrypto.

Meanwhile, those in crypto exclusively for profit reasons will remain indifferent to any potential Trump-related conflicts of interest.

Financial Gains Over Decentralized Ideals

For crypto users primarily motivated by profit, the nuances of data control and decentralization are often secondary concerns.

“Much‬‭ of‬‭ the‬‭ public‬‭ globally‬‭ is‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ dark‬‭ about‬‭ what‬‭ companies‬‭ do‬‭ with‬‭ their‬‭ data‬‭ and‬‭ they‬‭ don’t‬‭ feel‬‭ as‬‭ though‬‭ they‬‭ have‬‭ any‬‭ say‬‭ in‬‭ how‬‭ the‬‭ companies‬‭ handle‬‭ their‬‭ data.‬‭ The‬‭ resignation‬‭ suggests‬‭ crypto‬‭ users‬‭ interested‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ technology‬‭ for‬‭ its‬‭ money-making‬‭ potential‬‭ won’t‬‭ protest‬‭ Trump’s‬‭ stake‬‭ in‬‭ Binance,‬‭ and‬‭ the‬‭ platform‬‭ will‬‭ continue‬‭ to‬‭ grow—especially‬‭ with‬‭ financial‬‭ backing from the monied-classes of which Trump is a part,” Stadelmann concluded.

Regardless of the outcome, the ongoing debate surrounding Trump’s potential influence illustrates the inherent tension between pursuing mainstream adoption and preserving crypto’s decentralized ethos.

This tension will likely drive the industry’s evolution. The side that pulls the hardest will shape the final result.

As we enter Q2 of 2025, the global crypto market finds itself steering a complex intersection of macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures. 

BeInCrypto spoke with analysts Leena ElDeeb of 21Shares and Max Shannon of CoinShares, who offer distinct but insightful perspectives on the crypto space’s outlook for the new quarter.

Bitcoin’s Future: Bullish or Bearish?

The two analysts share a bullish outlook on Bitcoin, albeit with differing views on its short-term fluctuations. Leena ElDeeb sees the potential for Bitcoin to surpass $90,000, driven by macroeconomic factors such as a possible rate cut by the US Federal Reserve. 

“February’s softer-than-expected CPI print boosted rate cut expectations. If rate cuts materialize, a wave of liquidity could reignite bullish momentum, pushing equities and Bitcoin past key resistance levels,” she told BeInCrypto. 

In her view, Bitcoin could eventually hit a range between $150,000 and $200,000 by the year’s end, bolstered by growing regulatory clarity and political support, such as President Trump’s proposal for a strategic crypto reserve.

Max Shannon, on the other hand, remains more cautious about Bitcoin’s immediate future. He predicts that Bitcoin will continue to trade within a wide range of $70,000 to $90,000 in Q2, constrained by persistent tariff issues.

“The moment they [tariffs] get lifted will likely be a massive boon for the equities and crypto market,” he notes, indicating that a resolution could pave the way for Bitcoin’s next big move. 

However, the analyst also suggests that the market may experience volatility as these macro factors play out.

Will Ethereum Bounce Back?

Both analysts acknowledge Ethereum’s struggles, particularly its nearly 40% drop in Q1. However, they also highlight key developments that could support a recovery in the next quarter.

ElDeeb points to Ethereum’s upcoming upgrade, the Pectra upgrade, which is expected to improve staking and network scalability.

“Ethereum’s staking is also about to be improved with the launch of Pectra. These changes are expected to boost the appeal of staking-enabled products,” she explained.

Additionally, she sees growing competition from other blockchain platforms like Solana and Sui, which are attracting retail users with faster and cheaper transactions. Despite this, ElDeeb remains optimistic about Ethereum’s long-term potential, particularly as scalability solutions begin to take effect.

Shannon is more skeptical of Ethereum’s future, specifically with its ongoing challenges in both the monetary and smart contract spaces. 

“Ethereum is attempting to function both as a monetary asset, where it struggles to compete with Bitcoin, and as a smart contract platform, where it faces strong competition from Solana,” the CoinShares analyst stated. 

Shannon also highlights Ethereum’s changing monetary policy and the increasing technical debt as concerns that could limit its growth in the short term.

DeFi and AI: The Next Big Trend in Crypto?

The rise and fall of celebrity meme coins like TRUMP, MELANIA, and LIBRA were hot topics in Q1 2025. Both analysts agree that the hype around this category of tokens is unlikely to be sustained in the long run.

ElDeeb points to the growing importance of decentralized finance (DeFi) and artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the next trend. 

“The forthcoming cryptocurrency market rally is anticipated to be driven by significant advancements in decentralized finance (DeFi), particularly through innovative mechanisms that enhance token holder engagement,” she notes, citing Aave’s recent proposal to share revenue with AAVE token holders as a prime example of this trend.

On the flip side, Shannon suggests that the decline in meme coins and altcoins could be a sign of broader challenges in the altcoin market. 

“The Melei controversy, pump.fun decline, and declining centralized and decentralized exchange volumes show altcoins could have a very hard time this year in my opinion,” he cautions. 

As trading volumes continue to drop, Shannon forecasts that altcoins may continue to underperform.

“Even in a BTC bull run altcoins could underperform,” the analyst added.

The Road Ahead

Looking ahead to Q2 2025, both ElDeeb and Shannon anticipate continued market volatility. External macroeconomic conditions like US tariffs, interest rate decisions, and geopolitical factors will largely shape the market.

While ElDeeb maintains a generally optimistic view, predicting a recovery for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, Shannon advises caution, particularly with altcoins.

For investors, diversification remains key. ElDeeb emphasizes the value of Bitcoin’s fixed supply and decentralization, which have historically helped it recover from turbulent periods.

“We consider these market corrections as great market entry points,” she says. 

Shannon, meanwhile, stressed the importance of caution in navigating the altcoin space. He added that Bitcoin could be the best bet for those seeking stability.