Your day-ahead look for Sept. 18, 2026
By Omkar Godbole|Edited by Sheldon Reback45 min ago3 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on XRP's potential golden cross. (TradingView/CoinDesk)This is an excerpt from CoinDesk newsletter 'Daybook.' Sign up here, if you haven't already.
The cryptocurrency XRP, which focuses on payments, is nearing a significant bullish indicator as the dominance of Bitcoin in the crypto market wanes, leading traders to explore alternative coins.
This bullish indicator is known as the golden cross, which is anticipated to manifest soon in XRP’s price trends.
A golden cross occurs when the 50-day moving average of an asset surpasses its 200-day moving average. Analysts often interpret this as a bullish long-term signal. This pattern has shown promise in various markets, including Bitcoin, which recently confirmed its own golden cross.
The expectation is that XRP’s forthcoming golden cross may indicate a potential for substantial price increases. However, historical data advises caution. Specifically for XRP, past golden crosses have not consistently predicted sustained upward movement.
Indeed, none of the 16 previous golden crosses for XRP lasted beyond 12 months and were often followed by a death cross, which indicates a bearish trend in moving averages.
Nonetheless, several of these golden crosses resulted in notable three-month gains (refer to Today’s Signal). Out of the 10 crosses that lasted long enough to reach the three-month milestone, five recorded gains ranging from 85% to over 1,000%, including a staggering 1,009.6% increase following the April 2017 cross and a 135% jump after the February 2021 cross.
Currently, XRP's 50-day moving average is approximately 2% below its 200-day average, marking the closest proximity since its last golden cross in August 2024.
Meanwhile, analysts express optimism regarding Bitcoin’s price outlook, currently at BTC$77,980.13, as it has managed to endure this week’s challenges, including a setback related to the Clarity Act and a Federal Reserve rate hike. The cryptocurrency remains near $78,000, showing little change from a week prior.
However, Bitcoin's market dominance has dipped to a one-month low of below 59%, suggesting a shift towards altcoins. Many altcoins, including UNI, NEAR, and ARB, have surged nearly 30% within 24 hours.
“Altcoins have seen a sharp rise while major cryptocurrencies lag behind. There is hope in the markets for SEC and CFTC crypto adoption, along with the advancement of the Bitcoin Reserve Bill,” stated Alex Kuptsikevich, chief market analyst at The FxPro, in an email.
“It seems that traders are carefully redirecting their attention to altcoins, though the altcoin season index and overall market sentiment have yet to reach elevated levels,” he added. Stay vigilant!
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Crypto Daybook Americas - The latest moves in crypto markets, in contextMarket analysis for crypto traders and investors.PreviewSign upBy signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms & conditions and privacy policy.Read more: For analysis of today's activity in altcoins and derivatives, see Crypto Markets Today. For a comprehensive list of events this week, see CoinDesk's "Crypto Week Ahead."
What’s trending
- Stocks and bonds dip as central banks raise rates to combat inflation (Reuters): Global equities and bonds fell, while the yen faced its largest daily decline since mid-February, following the BOJ's interest rate hike to a 31-year peak.
- U.S. claims Iran’s Strait of Hormuz toll booth operated via a bitcoin exchange (CoinDesk): This year, Iran has charged tankers between $1 million and $2 million to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, with part of those funds reportedly funneled through the Tehran-based crypto exchange BitBank since June, according to the U.S. Treasury.
- Ether and XRP ETFs experience outflows as crypto majors rise (CoinDesk): U.S. spot ether ETFs saw about $39 million in net outflows on Thursday, marking the third consecutive day of withdrawals. XRP funds lost around $5 million, reversing a minor inflow from the previous day. Conversely, Bitcoin ETFs attracted approximately $159 million.
- Asian shares close higher, buoyed by falling oil prices, while European markets retreat (AP): Most Asian equity indexes rose on Friday, benefiting from a rally on Wall Street and declining oil prices, whereas European indices faced losses in early trading. U.S. stocks are anticipated to drift higher.
Today’s signal
XRP's golden cross: historical performance. (CoinDesk, TradingView)The table illustrates XRP's price performance three and 12 months following each of its 16 previous golden crosses, with instances cut short by a death cross indicated.
Each of these instances was terminated within 12 months, with six not lasting even three months. Of the 10 that did, five achieved gains between 85% and over 1,000%, while the other five saw losses as steep as 32%.
This data suggests that while the golden cross can indicate potential, it is not always a reliable standalone indicator.
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