Despite recent positive closes from spot XRP ETFs, the cryptocurrency's price action is sending a clear warning to traders. Market structure remains weak, and without signs of a confirmed reversal, short-term risks persist. XRP's current behavior highlights that bullish sentiment from ETFs alone isn't enough to drive a sustained rally, making caution essential for anyone entering the market. New Year Volatility Hits Crypto Markets Hard Efloud, in a recent update, highlighted that with the start of the new year and continued uncertainty across the markets, cryptocurrencies have once again been among the hardest hit. Low trading volume and a lack of clear direction have kept pressure on the sector, and without an obvious reversal signal, altcoins continue to grind lower day by day. Related Reading: XRP Dominates Institutional Inflows, But Why Is Price Still Low? Given this backdrop, caution remains essential. As emphasized in previous analyses, any attempt to trade against the prevailing trend at support levels should be backed by clear bullish breakout structures on lower timeframes. Without such confirmation, moves higher are more likely to be short-lived reactions rather than meaningful reversals. From a technical standpoint, XRP's price has now lost the "Daily Imb" zone, weakening the overall structure. If price dips below the most recent swing low and then attracts buying interest, the $1.98 area is expected to act as the first major resistance. As previously noted, the outlook remains negative unless the YO region is reclaimed. Beyond $1.98, another key resistance lies within the red boxed zone. Together, $1.98, the YO area, and the red boxed region form three critical hurdles where price is likely to face selling pressure in the near term. Price Action Still Outweighs ETF Optimism According to Efloud, while spot XRP ETFs have posted positive closes for 18 consecutive days, this development alone does not outweigh what the chart itself is signaling. He emphasized that price action and market structure remain the most important factors. Until these begin to shift in a clearly bullish direction, any purchases are better seen as part of a gradual accumulation strategy rather than a confirmation of a trend reversal.  Related Reading: XRP Price Needs To Hold This Macro Support For Hope Of Revival From this perspective, these buys are primarily aimed at averaging down while the market searches for a more stable structure. Efloud added that if market suppression continues and a sharper correction unfolds, the area around $1.53 could emerge as a potential buy zone. However, this scenario depends on broader market behavior and is not a certainty. Finally, the analyst clarified that the $1.53 level was illustrated as a hypothetical example. Efloud warned that entering positions at support zones or key levels without observing clear breakout or reversal structures carries added risk and should be approached with caution. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com