The altcoin market is flashing mixed signals on May 29, 2025, as Bitcoin’s dip below $106,000 triggers a wave of profit-taking that ripples across major alternative cryptocurrencies. Yet amid the sea of red, one standout performer is capturing attention: XRP, whose on-chain profitability has surged above 90%, outpacing every major altcoin and trailing only Bitcoin itself.
TL;DR
- XRP leads altcoin profitability at over 90% of circulating supply in profit, surpassing Ethereum (71.5%), Dogecoin (77.9%), and Cardano (71.0%)
- Bitcoin slides to $105,641, down 2% in 24 hours, dragging the broader altcoin market lower
- Solana drops 3.25% to $166.59, Cardano sheds 3.29%, and Avalanche leads losses with a 5.55% decline
- $11.7 billion in BTC and ETH options set to expire on May 30, adding volatility pressure
- CME Group launches 24-hour crypto futures trading, signaling deepening institutional adoption
XRP’s Profitability Dominance Raises Eyebrows
On-chain data from Santiment reveals that more than 90% of XRP’s circulating supply is currently held at a profit, even though the token’s price has remained relatively flat over the past three months. This metric places XRP well ahead of its altcoin peers — Ethereum sits at just 71.5%, Dogecoin at 77.9%, Cardano at 71.0%, and Chainlink at 80.5%.
Only Bitcoin, with 98.4% of its supply in the green, outperforms XRP on this metric. The implications are significant: high profitability often precedes sell pressure as holders look to lock in gains, but it also signals strong underlying conviction among long-term holders who have refused to part with their positions despite recent price stagnation.
Analysts at Santiment note that this profitability metric serves as a barometer for investor sentiment. When most wallets are profitable, near-term selling pressure can increase. However, the flip side — when most investors are underwater — often signals undervaluation and attracts fresh capital. XRP’s positioning in the former camp suggests a maturing holder base that accumulated at lower levels and remains confident in the token’s trajectory.
Altcoin Market Bleeds as Bitcoin Stumbles
The broader altcoin market tells a different story on May 29. Bitcoin’s 2% decline to $105,641 has pulled the entire market lower, with altcoins bearing the brunt of the selling pressure. Solana (SOL) fell 3.25% to $166.59, extending its weekly losses to over 7%. Cardano (ADA) dropped 3.29% to $0.7223, while Avalanche (AVAX) suffered a steeper 5.55% decline to $22.25.
Even meme coins are feeling the heat. Dogecoin (DOGE) slid 2.69% to $0.2148, with weekly losses approaching 12%. Shiba Inu (SHIB) declined 3.05%, and the overall market contraction reached approximately 5% as Bitcoin dominance continued to climb.
Notable exceptions include TRON (TRX), which managed a modest 0.29% gain, and Toncoin (TON), which rallied 1.62% on the day. These outliers suggest that select altcoins with specific catalysts can still attract capital even during broader market weakness.
Institutional Tailwinds for XRP Despite Price Dip
Beyond the on-chain metrics, XRP benefits from a confluence of institutional developments that could sustain its bullish narrative. Nasdaq-listed VivoPower has announced plans to establish a $121 million XRP-backed treasury — the first such initiative by a US-listed public company. This move reinforces growing corporate confidence in XRP as a treasury asset.
The XRP Ledger is also experiencing rapid ecosystem expansion. The Dubai Land Department recently selected the blockchain to power a real estate tokenization project, while new stablecoin products including EURØ, USDB, and XSGD have launched on the network. These developments expand XRP’s utility across fintech and traditional financial institutions.
On the derivatives front, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) recently introduced XRP futures products that logged $15 million in daily volume on debut. The US Securities and Exchange Commission is currently reviewing multiple filings for a spot XRP ETF, with CBOE submitting four separate applications. These institutional on-ramps could dramatically expand XRP’s investor base in the coming months.
Massive Options Expiry Looms Over Markets
Adding to the uncertainty, Deribit data shows that $11.7 billion in Bitcoin and Ethereum options are set to expire on May 30 — the largest monthly expiry of 2025. Bitcoin options account for $10.03 billion in notional value with a put/call ratio of 0.87, while Ethereum options represent $1.67 billion with a put/call ratio of 0.83.
The maximum pain price for Bitcoin stands at $100,000, well below the current market price of roughly $105,641. For Ethereum, max pain sits at $2,300 compared to the current price around $2,632. The dominance of call options at higher strikes suggests traders remain broadly bullish, but the expiry event itself could trigger short-term volatility as positions are closed or rolled forward.
Why This Matters
The divergence between XRP’s on-chain profitability and the broader altcoin market’s performance highlights an increasingly fragmented landscape. While most altcoins are succumbing to Bitcoin-led selling pressure, XRP’s fundamental catalysts — corporate treasury adoption, institutional derivatives products, and real-world blockchain deployments — create a distinct narrative that could insulate it from further downside. The massive options expiry on May 30 adds a wildcard element to the near-term outlook, but the underlying trend of institutional infrastructure buildout continues to strengthen the altcoin sector’s long-term prospects.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
xrp 90 percent in profit while avax dropped 5.55 percent and btc slid below 106k
CME 24h futures launching into a $11.7B options expiry is not coincidence. market makers will use the new venue to hedge or gamma-squeeze depending on which side of the wall they sit
CME launching 24-hour crypto futures and $11.7B in options expiring the same week. the derivatives infrastructure is maturing faster than spot markets
CME launching 24h crypto futures during an options expiry week basically guarantees volatility gets amplified. $11.7B in options expiring May 30, the derivatives tail wags the spot market dog at this scale
ripple_skeptic the derivatives tail wagging spot is exactly right. with CME going 24h the basis trade between cme and offshore perps gets tighter. retail always eats the spread
ripple_skeptic cme 24h futures into an 11.7b options expiry was basically designed to amplify volatility. basis trade between cme and offshore perps just got a new playground
L1 token valuations need to be judged by developer activity
The rotation from memes to utility tokens has started
high profitability usually precedes sell pressure. the 11.7B in options expiring may 30 adds fuel to the dump
AVAX down 5.55% while XRP stayed profitable says everything about the rotation. money flowed from high-beta alts into XRP
Real revenue-generating protocols will outlast the hype coins
avax down 5.55 percent while xrp stayed profitable. the rotation into xrp from other alts is the real story here, not the btc dip below 106k
90% of XRP supply in profit while price is flat. long term holders are the ones sitting on gains, not recent buyers
xrp_holder_ 90% in profit while price flat. the holder base accumulated low and refuses to sell. that conviction is either genius or delusion
xrp_holder_ 90 percent in profit while price is flat. those holders accumulated low and refuse to sell. that kind of conviction either pays off or traps everyone
90% in profit while price is flat means almost everyone holding bought below current levels. the sell pressure from profit-taking will be intense once BTC drops below 100k again
options_sweep the $11.7B options expiry on May 30 was the real volatility engine. CME going 24h just amplified the basis trade
options_sweep 90 percent in profit and flat price means the holders are all underwater soon. one BTC dump below 100K and XRP profitability goes from bull signal to sell trigger
XRP outpacing ETH and ADA on profitability while having the least productive ecosystem of the three is a strong signal that price action and fundamentals are completely disconnected
Niamh B. XRP having 90% profitability while ETH sits at 71.5% tells you everything about which holder base actually accumulated vs which one got air dropped bags at the top
Niamh B. exactly this. 90 percent of XRP in profit while ETH sits at 71.5 tells you which holder base accumulated vs which bought the top
XRP at 90 percent profitability while BTC is under 106K tells you the altcoin cycle was running on fumes. classic late stage rotation
CME launching 24 hour crypto futures while $11.7B in options expire the same week. that volatility window was brutal for anyone running perp positions
CME 24h futures plus 11.7B options expiry in the same week was not a coincidence. the volatility window was engineered for max pain on both sides
90% of XRP holders in profit while BTC is at 105,641. every time XRP leads profitability it means the bagholders from the previous cycle finally got bailed out by a new wave of buyers
11.7B in BTC and ETH options expiring May 30 and XRP profitability hits 90%. the options dealers were hedging into alts while unwinding BTC positions. classic flow dynamics