From sudden flash crashes to speculative echoes of past bull runs, XRP’s recent price gyrations are stirring both excitement and skepticism. In the last few days, the cryptocurrency suffered a brutal intraday plunge — a crash of roughly 40–42 % from peak to trough — only to claw back much of those losses in a sharp rebound.
Against that background, a prominent chart analyst known as XRP CAPTAIN on X has staked a bold claim: the current setup mirrors the path that, in 2017, preluded approximately 6,000 % rally — and thus, a similar explosive move may lie ahead.
The Anatomy of the Recent Flash Crash
The extreme wick that formed was not the result of a collapsed narrative, but rather a structural breakdown of liquidity. Thin order books, aggressive leverage, and cascading stop-loss triggers combined to pull XRP from ~$2.70 to lows near ~$1.60 before buyers reasserted control.
Such moves are painful in real time, but many technical analysts argue they serve a cleansing role — washing out weak hands and resetting the balance between accumulation and distribution.
#XRP In 2017 Right Before 6,000% Pump It Flash Crash Almost -53%#XRP Flash Crash -48% Last Week
You Know What Im Thinking I Have A Guess Price Explosion In The Coming Weeks pic.twitter.com/M2KgNtC05V
— XRP CAPTAIN (@UniverseTwenty) October 13, 2025
2017 Echo: Why the Historical Parallel Matters
Proponents of the analogy highlight a repeating pattern: a violent purge, followed by sideways absorption in overlooked bands, then a sharp acceleration. In 2017, that sequence laid the groundwork for XRP’s parabolic ascent.
While no two cycles are identical, chartists see structural continuity in the overshoot-recovery oscillation, especially given current capital flows and on-chain signs.
Yet replicating a 6,000 % gain from today’s base is more illustrative than predictive. With XRP hovering around $2.50–$2.80 in recent trading, a 6,000 % leap would push it near $150+, underscoring the audacity of the parallel rather than serving as a practical, immediate target.
Counterflows: Whale Selling, Technical Weakness & Risks
The bullish thesis is far from unanimous. Large holders — whales — are offloading roughly $50 million in XRP daily, shunting supply onto exchanges and intensifying downward pressure. Technical patterns, including a descending triangle, suggest that breaking below key support near $2.75–$2.80 could open a slide toward $2.20 or worse.
Legendary trader Peter Brandt has flagged XRP as a potential short candidate if that triangle resolves downward. So long as capital continues flowing to the sell side, parabolic dreams remain under threat.
Catalysts to Watch & Timing Considerations
For the bullish thesis to gain traction, a few elements must align. Holding support above $2.75–$2.80 is critical; a decisive breakout above $2.90–$3.10 would validate upside conviction. On the fundamentals front, speculation over an XRP spot ETF has drawn interest and could act as a trigger.
Meanwhile, macro factors — regulation, rate moves, and institutional flows — will amplify market direction. Worth noting: XRP CAPTAIN recently signaled that the “final run up” could begin within 2–4 weeks. That timeframe aligns with the typical window following a liquidity purge in prior cycles.
A Setup, Not a Script
XRP CAPTAIN’s dramatic invocation of the 2017 percentage move has reignited bullish fervor, but it is not a guarantee — it is a hypothesis grounded in chart symmetry and market behavior. The recent flash crash was a harsh but potentially cleansing event. Now the price must prove strength above key zones, while on-chain flows must reverse from net selling to net accumulation.
If whales pause their dump and traders show renewed conviction, the stage could be set for a strong momentum phase. But if support fails and distribution continues, the historical echo risks fading into wishful noise. Regardless of the outcome, the next few weeks will prove pivotal.