The XRP price slid 5% on Wednesday as a wider market pullback dragged most 
major tokens lower, knocking the altcoin back to roughly $1.43. Experts point 
to the same recurring forces behind the swing: persistent geopolitical 
tensions in the Middle East and a shortage of fresh, bullish catalysts. 
Despite the near-term weakness, market observers remain upbeat about XRP’s 
longer-term prospects, centering their optimism on an anticipated policy 
development in Washington. Potential Surge In Adoption And ETF Inflows 
Industry analysts widely believe that passage of the CLARITY Act — the 
proposed crypto market-structure bill in the US Congress — would materially 
improve XRP’s institutional outlook by formally classifying the token as a 
digital commodity. That legal status would place XRP on a regulatory footing 
similar to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) and, according to proponents, 
remove a major barrier to large-scale adoption by banks, asset managers, and 
payment providers. Related Reading: Citigroup Lowers 12-Month Bitcoin Price 
Forecast To $112,000, ETH To $3,175—Here’s The Reason In a new analysis, Sam 
Daodu of 24/7 Wall St. argued that the CLARITY Act is the single most 
important catalyst that could propel the XRP price past key resistance levels. 
He noted that commodity designation would allow US banks to use XRP for cross- 
border settlement via Ripple’s payment rails without the looming uncertainty 
that a regulatory reclassification might later introduce. That legal clarity, 
Daodu said, would unlock institutional confidence and encourage sizeable 
inflows into XRP investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs). XRP 
Price Targets Lifted Daodu also cited forecasts from Standard Chartered’s 
Geoffrey Kendrick, who previously set an $8 target for XRP in 2026, premised 
on the passage of the CLARITY Act. Kendrick’s model anticipates $4 billion to 
$8 billion in cumulative ETF inflows by year-end if the bill passes. Consensus 
among many analysts places the XRP price between $5 and $10 should the 
legislation clear Congress, with an $8 price implying a market capitalization 
near $490 billion — a level Daodu argues is plausible if banks adopt XRP for 
actual payment use rather than the token remaining a retail trading vehicle. 
Daodu went further in outlining further upside scenarios: if the CLARITY Act 
were approved and Ripple’s application for a master account at the Federal 
Reserve were also successful by late 2026, some models project XRP could trade 
in a $15–$30 range under full bank adoption. Related Reading: This Week Could 
Be The Most Volatile For Bitcoin In 2026, Top Expert Warns The CLARITY Act 
passed the House in July 2025 by a 294–134 vote and moved through the Senate 
Agriculture Committee on January 29. However, the Senate Banking Committee has 
yet to schedule a new markup since January, and negotiators have not published 
a reconciled draft that satisfies both crypto and banking stakeholders. 
However, on Wednesday, pro-crypto Senator Cynthia Lummis indicated renewed 
momentum when she said that the Banking Committee plans to mark up the bill in 
April, following the Easter recess. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from 
TradingView.com

XRP Price Projections Soar To $15-$30 On CLARITY Act Prospects And Bank Adoption

The rollout of encrypted AI models by Venice could set a new standard for 
privacy in AI, potentially influencing industry-wide practices.
The post Erik Voorhees&#8217; Venice rolls out end-to-end encrypted AI modes, VVV 
token surges 10% appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Erik Voorhees’ Venice rolls out end-to-end encrypted AI modes, VVV token surges 10%

U.S. fiscal strain is deepening as national debt surpasses $39 trillion and 
could reach $50 trillion, according to an economist, as rising borrowing 
costs, persistent deficits, and geopolitical spending intensify pressure. US 
Fiscal Imbalance Worsens as Debt Climbs Beyond $39 Trillion Concerns about 
U.S. fiscal stability are intensifying as borrowing continues to accelerate, 
with economist […]

US Debt Surges Past $39T as Schiff Warns of $50T Explosion Within 3 Years

Algorand Foundation cuts 25% of staff as macro pressure weighs on operations, 
with ALGO down 19% year to date near $0.09.
The post Algorand Foundation cuts 25% of staff as macro pressure and crypto 
slump weigh on operations appeared first on Crypto Briefing.

Algorand Foundation cuts 25% of staff as macro pressure and crypto slump weigh on operations

Bitcoin dropped below $71,000, but the market’s tilt toward bulls holds as 
spot ETF inflows and BTC buying from Strategy boost investor sentiment.

Cryptocurrency price in NZD