XRP News Today: Tariffs Trigger XRP Bounce—Will SEC Drop Its Appeal? BTC at $82k

Trump Flip Flip Triggers XRP Rebound

The SEC vs. Ripple case took a backseat on Wednesday, April 9, as President Trump’s tariff policy shift dominated headlines. Trump raised tariffs on China to 125%, up from 104% effective immediately. Meanwhile, the US President lowered reciprocal tariffs to a uniform 10% for countries not imposing retaliatory measures, granting a 90-day negotiation window.

The President claimed more than 75 countries contacted the US administration to discuss trade barriers, tariffs, currency manipulation, and non monetary tariffs.

SEC Closed Meeting: Will the SEC Withdraw Its Appeal?

XRP rallied on the tariff news, soaring to a session high of $2.0893 before easing back due to appeal concerns. The SEC’s closed meeting on Thursday, April 10, will be pivotal as the SEC has yet to withdraw its appeal against the Programmatic Sales of XRP ruling.

According to the SEC’s meetings & events page, it’s the last meeting scheduled for April. Given Ripple must file its appeal-related reply brief by Wednesday, April 16, the SEC would need to vote to withdraw its appeal to prevent the appeal from progressing.

XRP remains subdued amid uncertainty surrounding the SEC’s next move. Legal clarity could provide a strong catalyst, with XRP trading well below its all-time high of $3.5505 (Binance).

XRP Price Outlook: Legal and ETF Catalysts

On Wednesday, April 9, XRP soared 14.32%, reversing Tuesday’s 5.45% loss to close at $2.0519. XRP outperformed the broader market, which gained 8.35%, taking the total crypto market cap to $2.59 trillion.

As the market focus returns to the Ripple case, several catalysts could influence XRP’s near-term trajectory:

• SEC vs. Ripple Court Filings: An SEC appeal withdrawal or settlement terms tied to the Final Judgment could drive XRP toward its all-time high of $3.5505.
• XRP-Spot ETF Prospects: SEC approval may boost institutional demand, while delays could cap gains.
• Macroeconomic risks: Tariff uncertainty, higher inflation, or a hawkish Fed—could drag XRP to $1.70. In contrast, tariff relief or softer inflation may open a path toward $3.00.

See our full XRP forecast here.

Bitcoin Rebounds on Tariff Developments

XRP’s rebound mirrored a broader crypto rally as bitcoin (BTC) responded to Trump’s tariff moves. Despite the uptick, BTC remains well below the level seen before Trump’s initial threats of levies. Since the January 31 high of $105,993, BTC has trended lower as markets considered levies on steel, aluminum, autos, and the sweeping 10% tariff on non-retaliating nations—plus the significant 125% tariff on China.

Higher import costs could fuel inflation, potentially leading to a more hawkish Fed stance. This could weigh on private consumption, which contributes over 60% to US GDP, and raise recession concerns.

Market intelligence platform Santiment warned of elevated market risk, stating:

“Trader sentiments have predictably flipped bullish with the US 90-day pause on tariffs. Crypto may rally for a bit as retail catches up with the news, but beware of the high level of FOMO and buying on ‘kick the can down the road’ news on a topic that has remained unresolved.”

BTC-Spot ETFs Outflows Suggest Cautious Optimism

Tariff developments also influenced the US BTC-spot ETF market as institutional investors considered Trump’s policy shift. According to Farside Investors, flows for April 9 included:

• Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) reported net outflows of $33.8 million.
• Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) reported net inflows of $6.7 million.

Excluding BlackRock’s (BLK) pending iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) data, total US BTC-spot ETF outflows reached $37.5 million, marking outflows in eight of the past nine sessions.

BTC Price Outlook: Scenarios to Monitor

On April 9, BTC rallied 8.27%, reversing Tuesday’s 3.64% loss to close at $82,594.

BTC scenarios include:

• Bearish Scenario: Tariff hikes, hotter US inflation (April 10), a hawkish Fed stance, extended BTC-spot ETF outflows, or opposition to the Bitcoin Act could drag BTC toward $70,000.
• Bullish Scenario: Cooling US inflation, dovish Fed signals, progress on trade, bipartisan support for the Bitcoin Act, and sustained ETF inflows could lift BTC toward $109,312.

Market Outlook: Themes to Watch

Market sentiment in the days ahead will hinge on:

• Updates from the SEC vs. Ripple case.
• Developments in global trade and tariff responses.
• Progress on the Bitcoin Act.
• April 10 US CPI release and Fed guidance.
• ETF flows and institutional investor positioning.

While recent SEC actions have provided short-term relief, long-term sentiment will depend on regulatory clarity and macroeconomic stability. Explore what analysts say is needed for cryptos to reach new highs.