Why Social Media Users Turn Bullish On XRP, Not Bitcoin

Alexey Bondarev
Alexey BondarevFeb, 06 2026 5:31
Steady institutional demand lifts Ripple's exchange-traded funds while the token slides and competing crypto products shed capital. (Image: Shutterstock)
Steady institutional demand lifts Ripple's exchange-traded funds while the token slides and competing crypto products shed capital. (Image: Shutterstock)

XRP (XRP) maintains positive social media sentiment even as investor mood around Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) has deteriorated during recent market declines.

What Happened: Sentiment Divergence

Analytics firm Santiment reported on X that social media sentiment has diverged sharply among major cryptocurrencies during the latest downturn.

The firm's Positive/Negative Sentiment indicator, which measures the ratio of bullish to bearish comments across major social platforms using machine learning classification, shows XRP's ratio reached nearly 2.2 as of early February.

Bitcoin's sentiment ratio dropped to 0.79, indicating bearish dominance, while Ethereum recovered to a neutral 1.0. All three assets saw their sentiment ratios fall below 1 at the end of January as prices crashed, but only XRP has rebounded to notably positive territory.

Also Read: Analysts Eye $730 As BNB's Last Stand Before Mid-$600s

Why It Matters: Contrarian Signals

Digital asset markets have historically moved contrary to retail trader expectations. Extreme fear can precede price rebounds, while excessive optimism often marks market tops.

"There remains a strong argument for a short-term relief rally as long as the small trader crowd continues to show disbelief toward cryptocurrency as a whole," Santiment stated.

The firm's analysis suggests Bitcoin and Ethereum may be better positioned for recovery given their bearish sentiment readings. XRP's unusually positive sentiment during continued price declines could signal limited near-term upside potential, though the divergence makes broader market predictions uncertain.

At press time, XRP traded near $1.27 after declining over 30% in the previous week.

Read Next: Can U.S. Government Bail Out Falling Bitcoin? Bessent Says No

Alexey Bondarev profile photo

Alexey Bondarev

Alexey Bondarev is the Head of Content at Yellow.com, having reported on crypto for the last 10 years. He specializes in in-depth Research and Learn pieces, with a focus on analytical reporting, industry context, and the bigger forces shaping crypto, from the AI era and security technologies to fintech innovation. He believes that everything digital will imminently overcome everything analogue and is working hard to make that come true.

page_article_disclaimer
Why Social Media Users Turn Bullish On XRP, Not Bitcoin | Yellow