XRP has fallen behind BNB in cryptocurrency market capitalization rankings following a sharp decline in its value.
As of press time, XRP’s market cap stood at $82.8 billion, down about $7.7 billion from its weekly peak of $90.5 billion on February 26.
Meanwhile, BNB’s market cap at the time of reporting stood at $84.5 billion, placing the asset fourth in the overall rankings. The shift puts BNB ahead of XRP by roughly $1.7 billion, pushing XRP down one spot.
At the same time, XRP’s price has also weakened, with the token trading at $1.35 as of press time, down 2.6% over the past week.
Why XRP is plunging
Notably, the decline reflects broader cryptocurrency market pressures that intensified in February 2026 and carried into early March. Weakness in Bitcoin (BTC) weighed heavily on the wider altcoin market, dragging sentiment lower across the board.
At the same time, massive leveraged liquidations, in some cases exceeding $2 billion, accelerated the sell-off and amplified downside momentum.
Slowing inflows into XRP-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which had previously provided support, further reduced buying pressure.
From a technical perspective, the token’s breakdown below key support around $1.60 triggered additional selling, while February’s historical tendency to produce weaker performance for XRP added to the cautious tone.
Beyond crypto-specific factors, macroeconomic uncertainty also played a role. Shifts in interest rate expectations tied to the nomination of a new Federal Reserve chair, combined with risk-off sentiment fueled by geopolitical tensions, including developments involving the U.S. and Iran, dampened investor appetite for risk assets.
Meanwhile, a noticeable rotation into stablecoins signaled a defensive market posture, reducing demand for more volatile assets such as XRP.
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