Ripple moves toward $1.35 support amid growth of new crypto utility protocols

Ripple is testing key support near $1.35 as market attention increasingly shifts toward utility-driven DeFi platforms such as Mutuum Finance.

Ripple (XRP), a long-standing leader in the cross-border payment sector, is currently testing the resolve of its holder base as it slides toward a critical psychological floor. This movement comes at a time when the broader market is shifting its focus toward productive digital assets, protocols that offer automated financial services and verifiable on-chain utility.

Ripple

Ripple is trading at approximately $1.35, maintaining a market capitalization of roughly $82.9 billion. The token is currently locked in a tight range following a period of high-volume selling that characterized the earlier trading sessions. 

While XRP saw a brief recovery toward $1.47 last week, it has since entered a broader corrective phase. Technical data indicates that roughly 66% of the circulating XRP supply is currently in an “unrealized loss” position, which has increased the pressure on weak hands to sell into any minor rallies.

Traders are now closely watching whether the $1.35 support zone can hold. Buyers have stepped in to defend this level multiple times over the last 48 hours, but the lack of strong institutional follow-through has kept the price action subdued. If a rebound occurs, the immediate resistance targets are set near $1.36 and $1.37, with a more significant “ceiling” appearing at $1.40.

On the downside, a decisive break below $1.34 could open the door to a deeper retracement toward the $1.30 to $1.32 range, which served as a foundation earlier in the year. Participation in the derivatives market remains mixed, while futures Open Interest has shown a slight uptick to $2.35 billion, it remains well below the record highs seen in 2025. 

The trend of new crypto utility protocols

The stagnation of many altcoins has coincided with increased interest in new crypto utility protocols. These projects aim to address specific operational needs, such as automated financial processes or non-custodial yield mechanisms. Unlike tokens that primarily respond to market sentiment, utility protocols are often evaluated based on their functionality and the volume of transactions they support.

This trend is reflected in Mutuum Finance (MUTM). As some investors seek alternatives to the sideways trading of assets like XRP, they are exploring Mutuum Finance’s audited lending platform. The project has reported raising over $20.7 million and has a user base of more than 19,000 individual investors. The MUTM token is currently priced at $0.04. 

V1 Protocol: Lending, borrowing and mtTokens

Mutuum Finance has already demonstrated its technical capabilities through its V1 Protocol. This version introduces the mtToken system, which manages how liquidity providers earn returns. When a user deposits an asset like ETH, they receive mtTokens (such as mtETH) as a digital receipt. 

These tokens are yield-bearing, meaning they grow in value as the protocol collects interest. For example, a deposit earning a 5% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) allows the user’s mtETH to eventually be redeemable for more than the original deposit, providing a passive income stream.

On the borrowing side, the system uses a strict Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio to ensure the safety of the protocol. If a user provides collateral with a 75% LTV, they can safely borrow a portion of that value in stablecoins. To track this, the system issues Debt Tokens to the user’s account. These tokens provide a transparent record of the outstanding loan and stay linked to the collateral until the debt is settled. This automated approach is currently being stress-tested by the project’s 19,000 investors to ensure it can handle the complexities of the live market.

Mutuum Finance and Ripple roadmap plans

The long-term outlook for both projects is defined by their upcoming technical milestones. Ripple is focusing on the expansion of its RLUSD stablecoin, which recently reached a market cap of $1.56 billion. 

Mutuum Finance is advancing a dual-market system to give users more choices for borrowing and lending. The Peer-to-Contract (P2C) market uses automated pools to offer instant loans, while the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) market lets people negotiate their own custom interest rates and timelines directly. 

To keep these markets safe and accurate, the protocol uses decentralized oracles that provide real-time price data for all collateral. The team is also planning a native stablecoin to provide a steady unit of account for large liquidity lines. 

To support the economy, a buy-and-distribute mechanism uses a share of platform fees to buy MUTM tokens and give them to users who stake their assets in the Safety Module to protect the network. This ensures the protocol stays secure while rewarding the community for its support.

Ripple (XRP) is navigating key technical support levels around $1.35 while exploring developments such as stablecoin initiatives aimed at maintaining institutional engagement. At the same time, newer crypto protocols reflect a broader interest in automated, non-custodial liquidity systems within decentralized finance. By incorporating features such as dual-market structures, decentralized oracles, and incentive mechanisms, Mutuum Finance (MUTM) aims to build infrastructure for more transparent financial services.