by Coinstrooper Crypto Articles
Quick Take
  • Last week was a rollercoaster for crypto, but it may have laid the groundwork for the market’s biggest and best surge yet.
  • Bitcoin exploded to a record-breaking all-time high (ATH) of $126,080 last Monday, lifting the broader digital asset sector in its wake.
  • Investor money poured into altcoins and the best meme coins, many of which have already posted new historic highs in the last year.
  • When Trump announced a 100% tariff on Chinese imports on Friday, crypto plunged sharply.

What Happened

Bitcoin exploded to a record-breaking all-time high (ATH) of $126,080 last Monday, lifting the broader digital asset sector in its wake. Investor money poured into altcoins and the best meme coins, many of which have already posted new historic highs in the last year.

But the excitement didn’t last. When Trump announced a 100% tariff on Chinese imports on Friday, crypto plunged sharply. Within an hour, several leading tokens lost as much as 30%, turning the markets into a bloodbath. Many analysts, however, saw this as a necessary reset, a flush-out of over-leveraged traders that historically precedes a fresh bull run.

Support from the UN Capital Development Fund and partnerships with major U.S. banks have pushed XRP’s profile into the #3 spot, now capitalizing over $150 billion of the market.

Ripple’s introduction of RLUSD, its USD-pegged stablecoin, highlights its ambition to capture a slice of the potentially explosive stablecoin market.

Market Context

Last week was a rollercoaster for crypto, but it may have laid the groundwork for the market’s biggest and best surge yet.

As the market recovers, here are the top altcoins ahead of what could be the next crypto gold rush.

Currently, XRP’s relative strength index (RSI) hovers around 37, suggesting it’s poised for recovery after a 12% drop over the week. Crypto’s broader $3.98 trillion crypto market has bounced 2.3% in the last 24 hours, pulling XRP up 1.8%.

With a market cap of over $25.6 billion, ADA would need to quadruple in price to challenge Solana for the title of Ethereum’s biggest killer.

Trading near $0.6993, ADA jumped 4% in the last 24 hours, indicating strong post-crash accumulation. Under favorable macroeconomic conditions, ADA may see $1.50 by autumn and possibly retest its $3.09 ATH by year-end.

Solana ($SOL) continues to dominate as one of the fastest, most scalable blockchain platforms, now boasting a market cap of roughly $113 billion. Its total value locked (TVL) has climbed above $11.6 billion, reflecting surging activity across its DeFi ecosystem.

Why It Matters

Technical analysis shows two bullish flag formations on XRP’s summer charts. If ETF approvals materialize by mid-October, renewed optimism could propel XRP into the $5–$10 range.

If long-promised comprehensive US crypto legislation arrives, then the ceiling may even be $20.

Even absent major policy catalysts, steady adoption alone could push ADA close to $2 in 2025.

From a technical angle, ADA formed a bullish flag pattern during the summer, a formation that often signals an upward breakout. Though momentum briefly waned amid September’s downturn, the setup has yet to break out.

Traders are eagerly awaiting U.S. approval of a Solana spot ETF, which could trigger major institutional inflows akin to Bitcoin and Ethereum’s post-ETF performances. However, an ongoing partial U.S. government shutdown has disrupted timelines.

Details

Ripple (XRP): 2025’s Cross-Border Payments Titan Ready for More Highs

XRP ($XRP), the fuel behind Ripple’s lightning-fast, low-cost payment network, outperforms legacy payment systems like SWIFT.

Over the last year, XRP has soared 360%, hitting a seven-year high of $3.65 on July 18, and outperforming Bitcoin’s 72% growth over the period fivefold.

Cardano ($ADA): The Sustainable Smart Contract Platform with 2026 Ambitions

Cardano ($ADA) has maintained steady growth throughout 2025, delivering 95% gains for all who have held for the last 365 days, outperforming Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

Founded by Charles Hoskinson, one of Ethereum’s original co-founders, Cardano is built on Proof-of-Stake (PoS) technology and driven by consistent research. Its academic influence even rubs off on Ethereum from time to time.

Key resistance sits near $1.15, while support zones hold between $0.65 and $0.70.

Solana ($SOL): Ethereum’s Main Rival and This Week’s Momentum Leader

Solana’s RSI of 47 is rising again as traders buy back in, driving the token to converge once again with its 30-day moving average.