XRP (XRP) has been one of the most unpredictable altcoins in 2025. Rallies that initially looked unstoppable have often given way to sudden corrections, leaving traders wondering if the token can ever shake off its volatile reputation.
The early-year sell-off tied to Ripple’s regulatory issues hit confidence hard, but XRP has bounced back more than once. By mid-September, it was already trading above $3, benefiting from all the ETF speculation.
Now, as October begins, XRP’s technicals are looking bullish, spot trading volumes are climbing, and sentiment suggests another breakout might be incoming. For many analysts, the XRP price prediction of $5 is a reachable target before the end of the month.
Still, while XRP is rising again, some traders are looking further down the market cap ladder. One presale project, PEPENODE (PEPENODE), is getting attention as a potentially higher-upside play thanks to its “Mine-to-Earn” model and exciting roadmap.
XRP’s September Rollercoaster Sets the Stage for a Bullish October
XRP’s journey through September was anything but smooth. The month kicked off with optimism after Ripple’s $125 million settlement with the SEC in August, which clarified that XRP isn’t a security in secondary markets. That decision should’ve cemented confidence – but instead it led to a wave of selling activity.
Within two days, $1.9 billion worth of XRP was offloaded, sparking a 12% price drop. Plus, XRP’s volatile intraday swings left leveraged traders exposed to heavy liquidations.
But despite that turbulence, institutional buyers kept stepping in. Over $210 million flowed into XRP funds throughout September, showing that the short-term noise didn’t faze these large investors. Key support formed near $2.70, helping price action stabilize.
That support is proving valuable now. October has already opened with momentum – XRP is up 10% since last Friday’s low and is pushing back toward the $3 level. Open interest has climbed to $2.9 billion, while CMC’s sentiment tracker shows that 88% of traders are bullish.
Can XRP Reach $5 This Month?
For XRP to climb to $5 in October, it would need a 67% rally from today’s price – taking it more than a dollar past its previous all-time high and giving the token a near-$300 billion market cap. Ambitious? Definitely – but not entirely out of reach.
The biggest driver could be the SEC’s pending decisions on six spot XRP ETF applications, expected between October 18 and 25. Approval would make XRP only the third crypto with a U.S.-listed spot ETF, opening the door to billions of dollars in institutional flows.
🚨 XRP SPOT ETF TRACKER 🚨
📅 OCTOBER WILL BE HISTORIC:
🔹 Grayscale — OCT 18
🔹 21Shares — OCT 19
🔹 Bitwise — OCT 20
🔹 Canary Capital — OCT 23
🔹 WisdomTree — OCT 24
🔹 Franklin Templeton — OCT 25
🔹 CoinShares — OCT 25🔥 $XRP Are you ready? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/PrNW0GevU4
— John Squire (@TheCryptoSquire) September 26, 2025
Ripple’s U.S. bank charter application is another major driver, with a ruling likely to be announced sometime this month. If granted, Ripple would gain federal trust bank status, boosting its credibility.
Also, new custody solutions, more DeFi integrations, and partnerships linking XRP to global payment infrastructure are all stacking up as tailwinds. With that many catalysts aligning, the path to $5 looks a lot more straightforward.
Why PEPENODE Might Be the Best Crypto to Buy as Mine-to-Earn System Draws Praise
While XRP has momentum on its side, its huge market cap limits the upside case. And at nearly $3 already, a push to $5 wouldn’t be the kind of return that changes portfolios. That’s where smaller, newer projects like PEPENODE stand out.
PEPENODE introduces a unique Mine-to-Earn system that provides crypto rewards without any hardware requirements or technical know-how. Instead of plugging in real rigs, users buy virtual “Miner Nodes” with PEPENODE tokens and build customizable “server rooms.”
Rewards are dished out in PEPENODE, with extra bonuses from leaderboard competitions in the form of meme coin favorites like PEPE and FARTCOIN. And the best part? 70% of every PEPENODE token spent on nodes or upgrades gets burned – creating a deflationary loop that tightens the supply over time.
All this has translated into strong presale demand. PEPENODE has already raised $1.5 million in early funding, with over 951 million tokens staked. Presale buyers can earn an 829% annual return by locking up their PEPENODE.
Analysts have flagged PEPENODE as a potential breakout star – YouTuber Borch Crypto even called it a “100x” candidate. Time will tell whether PEPENODE can post that kind of return, but it’s undoubtedly one of the best cryptos to buy if you’re looking for early-stage upside.
Visit PEPENODE Presale
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