XRP price forms key bullish reversal pattern as weighted funding rate turns negative

XRP price has been forming a major bullish reversal pattern over the past three weeks. If confirmed, it could lead to a sharp rebound in the token’s price.

According to data from crypto.news, XRP (XRP) price fell 4% to $1.38 last check on Wednesday, March 11. The fifth-largest crypto asset, with a market cap of $84.5 billion, has dropped nearly 16% from its February high and over 40% from its highest point this year.

XRP price fell as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of U.S. CPI data, set to be released later today. A hotter-than-expected print could force the Fed to maintain its restrictive policy stance, while a cooler reading could alleviate pressure and potentially trigger a pivot, boosting investor demand for risk assets.

While investors remain in the wait-and-watch mode over signs of persistent inflation, a look at XRP charts provides an interesting technical outlook.

On the 4-hour XRP/USDT chart, XRP price action has been shaping an inverse head and shoulders pattern over the past three weeks. 

The pattern is formed when an asset creates three distinct troughs called shoulders with a deeper middle trough that forms the head of the pattern. Once confirmed, it has typically been followed by sustained rallies over subsequent sessions.

For now, the next key resistance level lies at $1.42, which aligns with the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level.

A decisive breakout from it could confirm the pattern. Once confirmed, XRP price could springboard to $1.67, a target calculated by adding the height of the inverse head and shoulders pattern formed to the point at which it would break above the neckline of the pattern.

Momentum indicators suggested that bulls were at an advantage at press time. The MACD lines, which measure the strength of price trends, were pointing upwards while the Money Flow Index showed a reading of 62, signaling healthy buying pressure.

One major catalyst that could serve as a tailwind for XRP price is demand across the derivatives market. Notably, XRP’s weighted funding rate has turned negative. When funding rates turn negative, it signals that the market has become heavily one-sided, with short sellers effectively paying long holders to maintain their bearish bets.

If XRP price experiences a potential short squeeze, it could be the primary engine that drives the price through the $1.42 neckline to confirm the inverse head and shoulders pattern.