The start of 2026 presents a mixed picture for XRP, with strong institutional inflows into its U.S.-listed spot ETFs contrasting with a price struggling to break out. According to data from SoSoValue, total cumulative inflows into XRP ETFs have reached approximately $1.21 billion, with net assets around $1.49 billion. This includes a recent inflow of nearly $9 million on Thursday, January 11. However, the price of XRP has been unable to sustain upward momentum and continues to trade near the $2.00 support zone, currently around $2.13.
This divergence between ETF demand and price action is leading some investors to reassess their positions. While the institutional recognition is clear, XRP's near-term performance remains tied to broader market liquidity and technical resistance levels. Notably, the ETFs recorded their first significant net outflow of $40.8 million on January 7, though this is viewed by the market as typical portfolio rebalancing rather than a structural shift in sentiment, similar to patterns seen in early Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF launches.
In this environment, some market participants are exploring diversification into early-stage utility projects. One such project gaining attention is Digitap ($TAP), which is currently in its presale phase. The platform, which combines crypto-enabled payment tools with staking features, has reportedly raised over $3.9 million and allocated more than 185 million tokens during its presale. Its application is already live, supporting payments and multi-rail settlements, with over 120,000 wallet connections reported.
Digitap's model focuses on utility-driven tokenomics. The $TAP token has a fixed supply of 2 billion, with a buy-back and burn mechanism funded by 50% of platform-generated revenue, aiming to link token value directly to platform usage. A key differentiator highlighted is its partnership with Visa, enabling users to spend crypto via virtual or physical cards. The project positions itself as solving a "usability crisis" by bridging crypto and daily consumer banking.
For investors, the presale price of $0.0427 represents a claimed 69.5% discount to a projected exchange listing price of $0.14. While XRP offers institutional validation through its ETFs, its multi-billion dollar market cap limits high-multiplier growth potential, a gap projects like Digitap aim to fill. Analysts note that as with any early-stage initiative, outcomes for Digitap depend on continued execution, adoption, and market conditions.
