Vincent Van Code, a software engineer and long-time XRP advocate, ignited fresh debate across the crypto community by outlining what he believes to be the transformative implications of Ripple’s bid for a US banking charter and a Federal Reserve master account. The developments, which Ripple confirmed 2 July, would position the company at the epicenter of both crypto innovation and traditional financial infrastructure. According to Van Code, the impact of such regulatory approvals would go far beyond Ripple’s current operations. “With Ripple announcing they are seeking a banking charter as well as a Fed master account, this means they will be the very first crypto bank,” he posted via X. He detailed that the move could allow Ripple to hold reserves directly with the Federal Reserve, bypassing commercial banks, and operate as a full-service financial institution offering both fiat and crypto products. This would include the ability to provide FDIC-insured deposit accounts—potentially even for certain crypto assets—up to the $250,000 limit, and lend against crypto collateral such as XRP. “That’s going to be nuts. And XRP is flying it all together,” he wrote, calling the possible integration of insured crypto banking and core cross-border remittances a paradigm shift. “2025 to 2026 will be marked in history as the era which the 100 year banking cartel began to crumble.” A master account would allow Ripple to interact directly with the Fed’s payment rails, including Fedwire and FedNow, giving it full access to the US financial system as a settlement counterparty. Combined with its push into stablecoins through RLUSD and its remittance infrastructure RippleNet, such a regulatory leap could fully embed Ripple into both domestic and international payment flows. Impact On XRP Price In a follow-up post, Van Code did something he says he rarely does: offer a specific XRP price prediction. “I usually don’t predict XRP price but often get asked, so here it is FINALLY,” he wrote. “My opinion is $30–$50. And this is no shill, I don’t expect anyone to agree with me. I am not prophet or time traveller. But my investment in XRP is based on this opinion.” While he didn’t commit to a timeframe, he emphasized that such targets are not arbitrary, but grounded in a set of unfolding macro and market catalysts. Among those catalysts, Van Code cited potential XRP spot ETF approval and an estimated $20–$50 billion in institutional capital inflows. He also pointed to a potential master account approval coupled with RippleNet capturing 20–30% of the $1 trillion cross-border payments market, and global adoption of XRP as a bridge asset for central bank digital currency (CBDC) corridors in over 50 countries. Van Code further noted the rising use case for Ripple’s stablecoin RLUSD, arguing that demand for a Fed-backed digital dollar would reinforce XRP’s utility as a bridge currency. He also floated the idea that XRP could be used in Saudi oil settlements, citing Ripple’s confirmed 2024 collaboration with the Saudi central bank as a possible foundation for that evolution. His posts have struck a chord in the XRP community. “People weighed in on XRP price… Lots of interesting opinions. But common across all is everyone expecting price to at least 5x. This is a great sign,” he said. The idea that XRP could rise to $30–$50 implies a market cap in the trillions, something skeptics will call out as unrealistic. But for XRP holders, especially those who see Ripple’s regulatory path as a backdoor to institutional legitimacy, the confluence of a Fed master account, bank charter, ETF inflows, and global adoption isn’t merely theoretical. It’s a roadmap. At press time, XRP traded at $2.27.

A growing number of technical signals suggest that XRP may be on the verge of a short squeeze, according to prominent crypto analyst CryptoInsightUK. In a post on X, the analyst highlighted key on-chain and derivatives data, painting a picture of dense liquidity stacked above current price levels, rising open interest, and a structure that resembles previous pre-squeeze conditions. XRP Short Squeeze Incoming? “Liquidity on the hourly is interesting,” CryptoInsightUK wrote, emphasizing what he described as “SUPER dense liquidity above us,” adding that in his view, “it’s inevitable this gets taken, probably sooner rather than later.” Accompanying images shared by the analyst indicate that the lower liquidity cluster sits around $1.90, while the upper zone—where a potential short squeeze could be triggered—concentrates around $2.40. The implication is clear: shorts are vulnerable to a cascade of forced liquidations if price begins to accelerate upward. The analysis drew on data from @velo_xyz, showing that open interest has been steadily climbing since an unexplained spike on June 24. Notably, during this time, premium remained heavily negative, and funding rates oscillated between positive and negative. “This suggests to me there have been a net addition of short positions to the Open Interest for $XRP,” the analyst wrote, implying that a crowded short trade could now be structurally exposed. Layering this with TradingDiff’s liquidity heatmap, CryptoInsightUK inferred that “we are at some point looking for a short squeeze here for XRP.” While the timing remains uncertain, the combination of rising open interest, negative premium, and dense liquidity above suggests growing asymmetry in risk for short sellers. Still, the analyst added a critical note of caution. “Both ETH and XRP on the daily do have some liquidity below us,” he said, acknowledging the possibility of a fakeout or liquidity sweep downward before any aggressive upside movement. “As you guys know, it is possible to leave some liquidity behind as some people win their trades. BUT, we cannot count this out.” A final observation focused on Ethereum’s changing liquidity landscape, which may have broader implications for the market as a whole. “Something has changed on ETH,” CryptoInsightUK wrote. “If we look to the liquidity above us we can see the Red has turned Yellow.” He interpreted this shift as a possible signal that shorts are being closed, or that new longs are building below the current price, thereby visually reducing the intensity of liquidity above. Whether XRP can reach the $2.40 liquidity pocket remains to be seen, but the fuse may already be lit. At press time, XRP traded at $2.18.