Good morning. In 1987, the stock market suffered its worst single-day drop in history, Black Monday, with the Dow plunging 22.6% in one session.

No tweets. No memes. Just pure panic selling.

-Jonathan Kibbler, Pat Lewis, Shaun A

MARKETS

Prices supplied by Google Finance as of 4:00am ET - stock prices as of close. Here is what the prices mean.

TRADER INSIGHTS

Hey traders, I am coming again with a lesson, should you trade less to make more?

I know that most traders believe the more time you spend at the chart, the more money you’ll make. I also used to be that way, taking more trades to increase my profit and yes in the past it worked for a short period of time. But for me, results supercharged when I traded less. In fact over the past three months I’ve traded less than ever and had some super profitable trades.

That’s it. No 15 minute breakout positions, no fading of news events. And yet, the results have been solid. 

Now I have already transitioned from trading lower time frames back to higher time frames. But trading the daily chart and holding on to trades for over a couple of months or so has been fairly fresh. 

I noticed that, because my mind was elsewhere, I wasn’t checking on my trades as much. My typical trading style would be to bank profits at key highs, but this time I have just let them go, leaving the trades to breathe. 

Another point was I had to be super selective. This means I only focused on setups that I considered strong. 

I still have my moments of fomo, being involved in the market all the time you get a feeling of what’s moving and what’s not. 

Trading less doesn’t mean being lazy or uninformed. I still do my research and follow my custom trading process, but I’ve learned:

Sometimes the best trade is the one you don’t take.

If you’re struggling with overtrading or inconsistency in your results, try trading less.

Limit yourself to 1-2 high quality trading ideas a week or a day depending on your current frequency. 

Spend more time analysing markets and sentiment to understand the current narrative. 

Distract yourself with something productive outside of your trading, maybe set some time to backtest strategies or read a book on trading development. 

You may just surprise yourself. 

I never planned to trade less, it was a byproduct of my new role. But it has taught me one of the most valuable lessons in trading psychology: sometimes, doing nothing is the smartest trade you can make.

-Jonathan Kibbler

CRYPTO

The markets witnessed a historic moment as XRP, one of the top digital assets by market capitalization, soared to a new all-time high, surpassing a key price level that had stood unchallenged for seven years. On Thursday, XRP’s price surged beyond its previous peak of $3.40, set back in January 2018 during the initial coin offering (ICO) boom, according to data from CoinGecko. The asset’s recent rally reflects a broader resurgence in altcoin momentum, with XRP climbing more than 36% over the past week and briefly overtaking Tether’s USDT as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

Analysts have pointed to several factors driving XRP’s upward trajectory. The broader cryptocurrency market has been experiencing a bullish phase, with major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also outperforming Bitcoin’s more modest weekly gains. Ethereum rose by 21%, while Solana saw an 8% increase, indicating a shift in investor focus toward alternative cryptocurrencies. XRP’s market capitalization now exceeds $200 billion, surpassing USDT’s $160 billion valuation, a notable achievement given the stablecoin’s dominant role in crypto trading.

Financial institutions have played a key role in XRP’s adoption, with major banks and payment providers integrating the XRP Ledger for settlement and liquidity purposes. Ripple’s partnerships with entities such as Bank of America and various international banks have reinforced its position as a blockchain solution for institutional use. Additionally, the company’s introduction of Ripple USD, a stablecoin launched just eight months ago, has already grown to a $517 million market presence, further expanding the ecosystem’s utility.

Standard Chartered, a global banking giant, has expressed strong optimism about XRP’s future. In a recent research note, the bank’s digital assets team, led by Geoff Kendrick, projected that XRP could reach $5.50 by the end of 2025, a potential 200% increase from current levels. Kendrick also suggested that XRP could climb to $12.25 within the next decade, citing increasing on-chain transaction volume and the potential launch of a spot XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) in the U.S. as key catalysts.

The resolution of Ripple’s long-standing legal dispute with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has also contributed to the positive sentiment. Last month, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse announced that the company would drop its cross-appeal against the SEC, effectively bringing an end to the four-year legal battle. The SEC had previously accused Ripple of conducting an unregistered securities offering through XRP sales, but recent developments suggest a more favorable regulatory outlook for the asset. Garlinghouse emphasized that the company is now focused on advancing its vision for an "internet of value," moving past legal hurdles to prioritize innovation and adoption.

Market sentiment appears overwhelmingly bullish, with many traders anticipating further gains. Predictive platforms, including Myriad, a product of Decrypt’s parent company, DASTAN—, stimate an 85% probability that XRP will climb to $3.50 before experiencing any significant pullback. This optimism is supported by technical indicators and the asset’s strong fundamentals, including its use case in cross-border payments and growing institutional interest.

While XRP’s rally is a cause for celebration among its supporters, investors should remain mindful of potential volatility. Cryptocurrency markets are known for rapid price swings, and macroeconomic factors, regulatory developments, or shifts in investor sentiment could influence XRP’s trajectory. Nevertheless, the breakthrough to a new all-time high marks a pivotal moment for XRP, reinforcing its position as a major player in the evolving digital asset landscape. As the broader crypto market continues to mature, XRP’s performance will be closely watched as a barometer for altcoin strength and institutional adoption in the years ahead.

-Pat Lewis

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ANSWER

Answer: Ethereum (ETH) $ETH.X ( ▼ 3.47% )