Despite a broader crypto market downturn that has pushed Bitcoin close to $70,000, sentiment around XRP has remained notably resilient on social media.
Blockchain analytics firm Santiment said in a post on X that XRP traders are showing a more optimistic outlook compared with Bitcoin and Ethereum, both of which have seen sentiment turn sharply negative following the latest market dip.
📊 Sentiment has turned extremely bearish toward Bitcoin and Ethereum following crypto’s major downswing this past week. XRP is seeing a more optimistic outlook among traders.
😱 As we know, markets move opposite to the fear & greed of retail traders. There remains a strong… pic.twitter.com/1U23pQ48D6
— Santiment (@santimentfeed) February 4, 2026
According to Santiment’s Positive/Negative Sentiment indicator, which tracks the ratio of bullish to bearish social media mentions, XRP currently has a score of 2.19. That figure is more than double Ethereum’s 1.08 and significantly higher than Bitcoin’s 0.80, highlighting a stark divergence in trader mood.
XRP holders wear volatility differently
Santiment said XRP has slipped about 4% since the beginning of 2026, but large-holder activity is showing early signs of recovery.
The platform noted that the count of so-called “millionaire” wallets has begun rising for the first time since September, a development often watched closely by traders looking for long-term accumulation signals
The upbeat sentiment persists even as prices fall. Over the past week, Bitcoin and Ethereum have slipped roughly 5% each, while XRP has dropped further, declining nearly 7%, based on CoinMarketCap data
Fear levels may set the stage for a relief rally
Santiment suggested that the widespread pessimism across crypto markets could eventually become a contrarian signal.
The firm noted that as long as retail traders remain doubtful about crypto’s prospects, the conditions may support a short-term relief rally.
That caution is reflected across multiple sentiment gauges. Alternative.me’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index recently dropped to an “extreme fear” reading of 12, its lowest level since mid-December, pointing to heightened anxiety among investors.
Meanwhile, CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index sits at 32 out of 100, firmly in “Bitcoin Season,” indicating that capital continues to favour Bitcoin over higher-risk altcoins.
Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan echoed the gloomy mood, saying on X that many market participants are only now recognizing the depth of the downturn.
“We’ve been in a crypto winter since January 2025,”
Hougan said, adding that markets may now be closer to the end of that cycle than the beginning.
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