XRP Fails to Reclaim $1 as Regulatory Clarity Eludes and Short Interest Rises

XRP is struggling to hold above the $1 mark as institutional demand wanes and regulatory uncertainty persists.

The token's price has slipped 0.8% over the past 24 hours, trading at approximately $0.9907 on August 18, 2026.

ETF inflows have collapsed sharply, with net inflows totaling just $2.25 million for the week ending August 14, a 85% decline from the previous week's $14.86 million.

Rising short interest on Binance has also intensified downward price pressure, with open interest climbing to $232.7 million as of August 17, a 28.6% increase since August 3.

The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which was seen as a potential game-changer for XRP's US regulatory status, now has only a 10% chance of passing in 2026, according to Galaxy Research's latest assessment.