Top Trader Opens Massive XRP Short. Here’s the Total Position Size

Market sentiment deteriorated further over the weekend as cryptocurrency prices continued to weaken, prompting several high-risk traders to open sizable leveraged short positions across multiple digital assets.

Data from the analytics platform Lookonchain indicates that a well-known high-volume bettor associated with Roobet and Stake.com initiated a new series of strongly leveraged short positions involving Bitcoin, XRP, and Zcash.

According to the publicly available figures, the trader activated positions totaling approximately $196 million in notional value. The allocation involved 40x leverage for Bitcoin, 20x for XRP, and 10x for Zcash.

The breakdown includes 1,555.56 BTC ($148.5 million), 12.34 million XRP ($27.4 million), and 31,016 ZEC ($20.4 million). These positions were opened during a period when Bitcoin temporarily fell to $92,900, coinciding with the Fear & Greed Index dropping to 10, a level not observed since 2022.

Trader Predicts Deep Decline in XRP

Among the assets targeted, the leveraged short position in XRP has attracted significant attention. The token has recorded a weekly decline of more than 0.64%, trading near $2.16 despite the recent introduction of multiple XRP-based exchange-traded funds. Several market participants have argued that XRP remains mispriced relative to its fundamentals and that further corrections are likely.

A prominent trader known as Crashius Clay reiterated his earlier views, forecasting that XRP could reach $0.20. He stated that, in his view, the asset would still be overvalued even at that level.

His concerns focus on reduced retail participation, weakening demand, and rising competition from stablecoins. He also cited the declining performance of the XRP/BTC pair, noting that the pair’s current trend indicates deteriorating relative strength against Bitcoin.

Consistency With Previous Critiques

Clay’s renewed warnings reflect comments he made in October when he described XRP as one of the most compelling short positions of the current market cycle. In his earlier assessment, he asserted that structural changes in global payments had limited the asset’s original value proposition.

He referenced developments involving stablecoins, emerging central bank digital currency initiatives, and SWIFT’s blockchain-based shared ledger, which has support from financial institutions such as JPMorgan and HSBC. According to him, these developments reduce the likelihood that XRP will gain a central role in global settlement systems.

Clay has previously disclosed successful trades involving XRP shorts. Earlier this year, he reported shorting positions totaling $1 million, which he claimed produced more than $800,000 in gains during a significant market drawdown. He has also referred to XRP as one of the most straightforward short opportunities he has encountered in his trading activity.

Divergent Expectations for XRP’s Long-Term Outlook

Despite the growing number of bearish predictions, a segment of the XRP community remains confident in the asset’s longer-term prospects. Supporters emphasize Ripple’s ongoing efforts to expand internationally, its partnerships with financial institutions, and the continued rollout of regulated investment products such as spot ETFs.

Several analysts continue to argue that XRP could reach valuations between $8 and $10 before the end of the year. However, this perspective remains highly debated in current market conditions.

The opposing views between leveraged traders and long-term supporters highlight the increasing uncertainty surrounding XRP’s price trajectory, with near-term volatility likely to remain elevated as macroeconomic factors and market liquidity continue to shift.