U.Today Crypto Digest: Ripple Exec Confirms XRP as Priority, Shiba Inu (SHIB) Price Eyes 10% Spike, Fidelity Launches RLUSD Competitor on Ethereum - U.Today

• Ripple reiterates XRP’s central role amid ecosystem expansion
• Shiba Inu nears volatility squeeze as price compresses
• Fidelity to launch digital dollar, competing with Ripple and Tether

Ripple reiterates XRP’s central role amid ecosystem expansion

The executives are moving to reassure the community that XRP remains the “heartbeat” of the company’s rapidly diversifying ecosystem.

• Strategic priority. Ripple executive Reece Merrick stated on X that “XRP will continue to be at the heart” of the company.

Ripple is sending a clear signal to the market and its community: XRP remains the central engine of its corporate strategy. This comes amid the company’s rapid expansion into custody, stablecoins, and prime brokerage

In a recent statement on X, Ripple executive Reece Merrick addressed the issue, stating, “XRP will continue to be at the heart” of the San Francisco-based enterprise blockchain company

• XRP at the center. CEO Brad Garlinghouse made a similar pledge in October 2025 after Ripple’s $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury and Hidden Road (Ripple Prime).

There is a major update scheduled for mid-February, where the company plans to outline exactly how the digital asset fits into its evolving ecosystem. Monica Long (Ripple President) will lead the discussion, moderated by Jacquelyn Melinek (CEO of Token Relations).

As reported by U.Today, CEO Brad Garlinghouse in October 2025 issued a similar statement following the company’s $1 billion acquisition of GTreasury and the prime brokerage Hidden Road (now rebranded as Ripple Prime)

At the time, Garlinghouse urged the community to “lock in,” explicitly stating: “I’m reminding you all that XRP sits at the center of everything Ripple does.”

Shiba Inu nears volatility squeeze as price compresses

SHIB is ready for a proper price bounce, but only if important resistance level is broken.

• Free move. Shiba inu is approaching a technical setup that can lead to a “free move,” a fast price push driven by chart structure.

Shiba Inu is getting close to a technical setup that frequently results in what traders refer to as a free move, which is a quick push with little resistance that is primarily motivated by structure rather than fundamentals

The price of SHIB is currently compressed between a rising ascending trendline below and the 50 EMA overhead, forming a tightening ramp that is unlikely to resolve sideways for very long under current conditions. The price has performed poorly, but in a controlled manner, over recent weeks, suggesting pressure is building rather than dissipating.

• Possible trigger. Sellers have failed to make new lows, while price forms higher lows along the trendline.

Despite being clearly below the 100 and 200 EMAs, SHIB remains locked in a wider downtrend; however, sellers have not been able to push the asset to new lows. Instead, the price has repeatedly pushed into the 50 EMA while continuing to carve out higher lows along the rising trendline, creating a visible compression zone.

Rather than resolving through a slow drift, this type of squeeze typically ends with a noticeable increase in volatility once price is forced to choose a direction. The 50 EMA is the primary trigger level in this structure.

Fidelity to launch digital dollar, competing with Ripple and Tether

The Wall Street giant is officially launching a direct competitor to Ripple’s RLUSD.

• New stablecoin. Fidelity plans to launch the Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD), entering the stablecoin market.

Fidelity announced Wednesday that it intends to launch the Fidelity Digital Dollar (FIDD). The move places the $12 trillion asset manager on a direct collision course with Ripple and Tether

The Ethereum-based token, which is set to go live in early February, represents one of the most significant entries of a traditional financial heavyweight into the on-chain economy. It arrives shortly after Tether unveiled its US-focused “USAT” token and amid Ripple’s aggressive expansion of its RLUSD stablecoin into corporate treasuries.

• Fidelity vs. Ripple. Fidelity is targeting the same enterprise and cross-border settlement clients as Ripple.

Mike O’Reilly, president of Fidelity Digital Assets, confirmed that the launch was prompted by the passage of the GENIUS Act, the new federal framework that standardizes reserve requirements for payment stablecoins. FIDD will be issued by Fidelity Digital Assets, a federally chartered national bank, which sets it apart from offshore competitors

Ripple has spent the last year pitching RLUSD as the “enterprise-grade” solution for cross-border settlement. Fidelity is now targeting that exact same client base. As reported by U.Today, RLUSD recently appeared among the top five USD stablecoins