Crypto enthusiasts were left stunned as XRP surged to an unexpected $100 per token on Upbit, South Korea’s leading cryptocurrency exchange. This dramatic price movement caught the attention of both traders and analysts, sparking widespread speculation across the XRP community.
With the sudden spike breaking away from its usual trading range of under $2, many are left questioning whether the surge reflects a real market shift or an anomaly caused by liquidity issues on the exchange. Steph Is Crypto, a crypto analyst, noted his surprise in a tweet that has garnered almost 700k views, saying, “XRP just printed a $100 candle on Upbit. WTF is going on???”
🚨 $XRP JUST PRINTED A $100 CANDLE ON UPBIT.
WTF IS GOING ON??? pic.twitter.com/OiyFhq2Mor
— STEPH IS CRYPTO (@Steph_iscrypto) January 14, 2026
Community Reactions to the Surge
Reactions within the XRP community have been mixed, with some dismissing the price spike as a fluke. Incite AI weighed in, stating, “No, that $100 XRP print on Upbit was almost surely a bad tick or a thin‑liquidity spike on one order book, not a real market move.”
This sentiment was echoed by Nomad Fulcrum, who pointed out, “Upbit prints like that usually scream local orderbook vacuum — not ‘fundamentals,’ just a temporary liquidity glitch getting exploited.”
Despite this, others in the community have shared their own experiences with similarly erratic price movements. OurTimeIsNOWXRPL claimed that his Xaman wallet’s value reached $100,000 the day before the spike, adding, “It was crazy.” This personal experience highlighted the surreal nature of the price action, leaving some wondering if the surge might hold some deeper meaning.
On the other hand, Jacob Vatner noted that similar price moves have occurred in the past. “The last time this happened down, we went down for 50 days; the last time this happened up towards the end of the year, we went up drastically at the turn of the new year,” Vatner commented.
He further added that although the $100 candle could have been a glitch, previous instances of such anomalies were followed by significant market movements. “My only conclusion is that when those happen… it’s a sign that it’s still going to go in the direction of the glitched bar, glitched or not,” Vatner said.
What’s Next for XRP?
With no official explanation from Upbit regarding the cause of the price spike, speculation continues to swirl. Many believe that the surge may have been a result of a temporary liquidity glitch or a trading anomaly, rather than a fundamental shift in XRP’s market dynamics.
However, the mixed reactions from the community and the mention of past occurrences of similar price behavior suggest that this moment may not be as insignificant as it initially appears. Regardless of the cause, the XRP community has certainly been thrown into a frenzy, eagerly awaiting the next move in the ongoing saga of the digital asset.