XRP price is hovering near $1.35 as markets closely watch the January U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report due later today.

Economists expect headline inflation to tick slightly higher on a month-over-month basis. Annual inflation is projected to land in the 2.5% range. Core CPI, which strips out food and energy, is also expected to show sticky price pressures.

If CPI comes in hotter than expected, it could reduce the chances of near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts. That would likely strengthen the U.S. dollar and weigh on risk assets, including cryptocurrencies like the Ripple token (XRP).

A softer-than-expected print, however, could boost expectations of monetary easing and trigger a relief rally across crypto markets.

XRP price prediction and key levels

XRP is currently trading around $1.35, down roughly 0.6% on the day, according to the daily price chart.

The chart shows a clear downtrend since early January. XRP failed to hold above the $2.20–$2.30 region and has printed a series of lower highs and lower lows. The price is trading well below the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), which sits near $1.84, signaling continued bearish momentum.

The recent sharp sell-off toward the $1.20 zone was followed by a brief rebound, but upside momentum has faded. Candles are now compressing near the $1.35 level, suggesting indecision ahead of the CPI release.

The Chaikin Money Flow indicator is currently around -0.12, remaining in negative territory. This indicates capital outflows and weak buying pressure, reinforcing the bearish bias.

For the XRP price, immediate support lies near $1.30, followed by the recent swing low around $1.20. A break below $1.20 could open the door toward the psychological $1.00 level.

On the upside, initial resistance sits near $1.40, with stronger resistance at the 50-day SMA around $1.84.

A hotter CPI reading could push XRP below $1.30 and retest $1.20. A softer inflation print may spark a rebound toward $1.40 and potentially $1.60 in the short term.

Crypto treasury company ETHZilla has launched a token offering access to equity in jet engines that the company acquired last month as part of its pivot into tokenized assets.

ETHZilla said on Thursday that the token, called Eurus Aero Token I, was being launched through its new subsidiary, ETHZilla Aerospace, and is backed by two commercial jet engines that are leased to “a leading US air carrier.”

The company has priced each token at $100, with a minimum purchase of 10 tokens. ETHZilla said it’s targeting an 11% return rate based on holding it for the full term of the engine leases that extend into 2028.

ETHZilla was formerly a clinical-stage biotech company called 180 Life Sciences Corp that pivoted to buying and holding Ether (ETH) in July amid a frenzy of new crypto treasury companies at the time.

ETHZilla chairman and CEO McAndrew Rudisill said the project “expands investment access and modernizes fractional asset ownership in markets that have historically been available only to institutional credit and private equity.”

“Offering a token backed by engines leased to one of the largest and most profitable US airlines serves as a strong use case in applying blockchain infrastructure to aviation assets with contracted cash flows and global investment demand,” he added.

ETHZilla shifting away from crypto treasury

Rudisill said in December ETHZilla is moving away from just buying and holding ETH and aims to build a business that brings assets on-chain through tokenization.

Crypto treasury companies experienced significant growth and hype last year, but enthusiasm has since started to cool across the market.  

ETHZilla purchased the two jet engines for a combined $12.2 million in January, after selling off some of its ETH stash last year.