Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) fell below the $60,000 mark on Friday, briefly hitting a low of $59,100 before recovering. Similarly, XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) dropped to $1.09, but notably, its decrease wasn’t as steep as usual.
Typically, when Bitcoin experiences a decline, XRP tends to fall even more dramatically. From the peak in October 2025 to its current lows, Bitcoin has seen a reduction of approximately 52%, while XRP’s decrease stands at about 69%, surpassing Bitcoin’s drop by about 1.3 times.
However, in the past month, this trend has slightly shifted. Bitcoin has decreased by 26.8%, while XRP’s drop is a lesser 23.3%. This suggests that XRP might be starting to decouple from Bitcoin’s price movements. Should Bitcoin dip below $60K again, towards $55,000 or $50,000, will XRP follow and potentially fall under $1?
XRP’s Response to Bitcoin’s Downturn in 2026
This isn’t the first instance where XRP has been affected by Bitcoin’s fluctuations in 2026. When Bitcoin declined from its $126,000 high in October 2025 to around $80,000 by year’s end, it represented a roughly 36% decrease for BTC. Concurrently, XRP dropped from about $3.00 to $1.85, showing a 38% decline.
The downward trend continued into early 2026, with XRP suffering even more. Bitcoin fell an additional 25%, from $80,000 to about $60,000. In tandem, XRP saw a 40% drop from $1.85 to $1.11, meaning it declined at a rate approximately 1.6 times greater than Bitcoin.
This trend persists as investments are still flowing more heavily into Bitcoin rather than altcoins like XRP. Currently, BTC dominance stands at 58%, close to its peak levels, while the Altcoin Season Index is at 39 out of 100, indicating a strong Bitcoin market phase. Until Bitcoin’s dominance dips below 50%, XRP will likely continue to mirror Bitcoin’s downturns and recover less vigorously during BTC’s rebounds.
Therefore, when Bitcoin dipped below $60K on Friday, market expectations were that XRP would also fall below $1, consistent with its behavior throughout the year—but this time, it held its ground.
XRP’s Behavior During Bitcoin’s Drop Below $60K
Analyzing the last month reveals a clear change in behavior. Bitcoin has decreased by 26.8%, while XRP’s reduction is limited to 23.3%. XRP’s decline now measures just 0.87 times that of Bitcoin, significantly lower than the typical 1.3 to 1.6 times ratio observed during the 2026 downturn. XRP hit a low of $1.08 on June 5, correlating with Bitcoin’s dip to $59,100, but has since rebounded to $1.15, reflecting a 6.5% increase in 24 hours, whereas Bitcoin saw only a 3.2% rise.
The primary factor behind this shift appears to be the rising interest from institutional investors in XRP. While Bitcoin ETFs faced a $2.43 billion loss in May (the worst monthly performance of 2026) and Ethereum ETFs suffered a $540 million decline, spot XRP ETFs saw inflows of $131.94 million during a record month. In early June, these funds added another $4.13 million despite downward pricing pressure.
Additionally, over 25 million XRP tokens were withdrawn from exchanges, and the number of whale wallets (holding at least 10,000 XRP) reached a historic high of 332,230. Long-term holders also increased their positions by 22% between May 31 and June 2.
This surge in institutional interest effectively helped XRP maintain stability during this bear market phase. Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s institutional buyer momentum has decelerated significantly, with $1.5 billion in liquidations occurring on June 5, while XRP managed to hold steady.
Potential Risks to XRP’s $1 Support
Despite the recent decoupling, several factors could still disrupt XRP’s support level. XRP liquidity on Binance has reached its lowest level since January 2020, meaning that even minor trades can significantly impact XRP’s price.
On June 3, XRP ETFs experienced their first net outflow since April 30, totaling $5.34 million, breaking a five-week streak of inflows. Presently, short positions outnumber long positions by nine to one—creating a situation where future movements could swing either way. A Bitcoin rebound could trigger a short squeeze, leading to XRP gains, while continued declines could exacerbate sell-offs. Additionally, Ripple’s June 1 escrow release added 200-400 million XRP to the market amidst falling prices.
Ultimately, Bitcoin’s next moves may heavily influence XRP’s ability to maintain its $1 support. Polymarket currently estimates a 64% probability that Bitcoin will dip below $55,000 before year-end, with a 51% chance of testing $50,000. If Bitcoin falls to $55K—approximately a 10% drop from its current $61,000—the new 0.87 ratio could place XRP at $1.05, just above $1. Conversely, a historical 1.5 ratio would drop XRP to $0.98, slightly under the mark. Should Bitcoin tumble to $50K, XRP could drop to $0.97 based on the 0.87 ratio, or as low as $0.84 under the 1.5 ratio.
While the recent decoupling may protect XRP against minor Bitcoin declines, it may not withstand a significant downturn if Bitcoin tests the $50K level. Below $1, XRP’s next support is roughly $0.95, followed by key accumulation zones at $0.75-$0.85, and potentially $0.53 in a worst-case scenario. Therefore, if Bitcoin can stay above $55K, XRP may remain above $1, but a drop below that point could overpower XRP’s institutional demand.
Factors Influencing XRP’s $1 Stability
While institutional demand has propped up XRP over the past few days, its future stability hinges on several key factors. The first is whether Bitcoin can maintain its $61,000 rebound or dips back below $60K. If Bitcoin revisits the $60K mark, XRP may face similar bearish pressures, although institutional interest might already be waning.
Secondly, it will be essential to observe whether XRP ETF inflows recover following the June 3 outflow. The end of five weeks of inflows coinciding with XRP’s drop below $1.20 suggests a need for renewed buyer interest to support pricing.
Finally, the timing of a Senate vote on the CLARITY Act could be a pivotal moment for XRP and the broader cryptocurrency market.
So, will XRP break the $1 threshold if Bitcoin dips below $60K? As it stands, the answer appears to be no. Institutional interest has supported XRP through this latest phase, but the ongoing trajectory will depend heavily on Bitcoin’s next steps.
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