The cryptocurrency market remained cautious on Friday as traders awaited the release of key US non-farm payrolls (NFP) data, which is expected to provide crucial insights into the state of the economy and influence future Federal Reserve policy decisions. Amid this uncertainty, analysts have provided technical forecasts for several tokens, including Maple Finance (SYRUP), Tezos (XTZ), and Pepe Coin (PEPE).
Maple Finance (SYRUP) is highlighted as a major player in decentralized finance, with its on-chain asset management platform holding over $4.29 billion in assets. The SYRUP token has shown strong performance recently, climbing from a December low of $0.2385 to a current level of $0.3970, marking its highest point since November 17. Technical analysis indicates the token is within a descending channel that forms part of a bullish flag pattern. Key indicators like the Supertrend have turned green, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) are pointing upward. The bullish price prediction targets a 26% rise to the $0.50 psychological level, contingent on a breakout above the channel's upper boundary.
Tezos (XTZ), described as a layer-1 network aiming to rival Ethereum, has faced significant challenges with developer adoption. Its total value locked (TVL) has plummeted to just $35 million from $207 million in 2022, and its stablecoin supply has dwindled to $54 million. The XTZ price bottomed at $0.424 on December 18 but has since rebounded, forming a potential triple-bottom pattern with a neckline at $1.215. With the RSI nearing overbought territory and the Average Directional Index (ADX) rising to 34, signaling strengthening momentum, the outlook is cautiously bullish. The next key target is the $1.00 level, representing a potential 75% gain. A drop below the $0.479 support would invalidate this positive scenario.
Pepe Coin (PEPE) started 2026 strongly, rallying from a December low of $0.000003573 to a high of $0.000007265, buoyed by a broader meme coin surge. The token has since pulled back for five consecutive days as investors took profits and overall market sentiment softened. Despite the retreat, PEPE remains above its 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA), and the Supertrend indicator stays green. The analysis suggests a likely rebound in the coming days, with a potential target at the $0.000010 resistance level. The bearish case would only materialize if the price falls below the key support at $0.0000050.
In a separate but related analysis, the article contrasts the potential of established assets like Ripple (XRP) with newer, high-risk opportunities. XRP, trading around $2.18 with a $132 billion market cap, faces ongoing supply pressure from monthly escrow releases, capping its upside potential despite institutional interest and a nearing conclusion to its SEC lawsuit. Analysts see a long-term target of $5 under optimal conditions.
Conversely, the piece promotes Little Pepe (LILPEPE), a meme coin in its presale phase (Stage 13 at $0.0022), which has raised over $27.6 million. It touts features like staking rewards up to 782% APY, no transaction taxes, and plans for its own Layer-2 chain. The article suggests LILPEPE could follow PEPE's historical path and yield 25x returns for early buyers. Ethena (ENA), the token behind the USDe synthetic dollar with over $7.6 billion in protocol value, is also mentioned as a utility-driven asset with significant growth potential from its current $0.28 price.
