Ripple CTO Bets on Clarity Act: Progress Now, Imperfect Is Fine
At the XRPLasVegas 2026 conference, David Schwartz emphasized that even though the Clarity Act isn’t flawless, making progress on it is the most important thing.
At the XRPLasVegas 2026 conference, David Schwartz emphasized that even though the Clarity Act isn’t flawless, making progress on it is the most important thing.
And get this-they did it while the whole crypto market was having an existential crisis. Absolute volume dropped 26% to a mere $832 billion, according to ARK Invest’s DeFi Quarterly report. Because who needs trillions when you’ve got street cred?

On a recent day, the observer, with the gravity of a tragedian, avers that XRP seems to repeat a scene far more expansive than the 2017 pre-breakout affair, which at the time unleashed a prodigious performance of 68,000 percent-a spectacle that would make any ledger blush.

Although slightly lower than some peaks in mid-to-late April that reached around $2.4 billion (before final calculations), the latest figure shows a definite improvement. Following significant losses in late 2025 and early 2026, which coincided with Bitcoin falling from its record high of nearly $126,198, March saw a recovery of $1.32 billion, paving the way for this turnaround.
“If the billion‑dollar prophets truly believed that a digital talisman could rise to the realm of five‑digit riches,” he mused with a weary smile, “they would have already pushed it beyond $20, like a stone tossed into a pond that only rings a single echo. Yet the tides remain still, and the fervent beaks waver, unmoored from any rational crab.”

This report looks at how much borrowed money (leverage) is being used to trade XRP and how that relates to its price. The findings show an unusual situation that appears unsustainable. Currently, leverage is low and hasn’t changed much, indicating less speculative trading. However, the price remains relatively high despite this lack of leverage. Usually, low leverage and a stable price don’t last together. This difference creates a pressure that will likely lead to a price drop or a rise in the near future.

Key Takeaways (or should we say, Key Steakaways?):
In 2026, hackers from two separate groups carried out attacks and stole approximately $577 million in total, according to the report.

The slide below $2,300 did not go quietly. In a single hour after the level cracked, Taker Buy Volume on Binance leapt past $1 billion-a fearless stampede of market orders, like a parade of brave bulldogs charging ahead. OKX joined the carnival too, with nearly $20 million in buying flows flashing like little fireflies over the same period.