XRP leads broad altcoin rally as bitcoin’s biggest weekly gain in two years lifts crypto

Bitcoin's biggest weekly rally in two years has fueled a broader surge across crypto markets, with XRP jumping nearly 40% and altcoins including Hyperliquid, Zcash and Chainlink each gaining more than 30% as bitcoin briefly topped $79,000 on Friday."Unlike recent weeks, when gains were concentrated in a handful of idiosyncratic names, this rally has been genuinely broad-based across the sector — which is itself a signal, since narrow rallies tend to be the ones that don't last," Iliya Kalchev, Nexo Dispatch analyst, said Friday in an email.Analysts say bitcoin's move is being supported by genuine spot and ETF demand, but (BTC) would need to hold above $70,000 to show the rally can outlast this week's historic short squeeze.Analysts remain divided over what initially sparked the move. Bernstein pointed to the Treasury's expanded buyback program as a liquidity catalyst, while MEXC Research argued that markets were giving the intervention too much credit and called the rally "premature."Kalchev noted that XRP (XRP) was the standout performer over the past few days, crossing $1.40 for the first time in months. He attributed some of XRP's outperformance to a regulatory backdrop that appears particularly favorable to the token, amid growing optimism around U.S. crypto legislation and rulemaking."Whether that XRP-specific regulatory sensitivity continues to translate into relative outperformance, or whether Friday's surge simply reflected the token catching up hardest to a broader wave, is the more interesting question heading into its next moves," Kalchev said.For the week, XRP is up 39%, while Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) have also posted sharp gains. Meanwhile, Chainlink (LINK) and Zcash (ZEC) have both notched gains over 30%, according to The Block's price data. For their part, bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH) are up between 24% and 28%.Hyperliquid was thrust further into the spotlight by President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday afternoon said the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is working to bring the onchain perps trading platform to the United States in a "fully compliant and legal fashion." Those comments sparked a surge in the (HYPE) token, which is up 37% this week and hit a new all-time high near $78 Friday morning.Looking ahead, Sygnum analysts expect the structural drivers — institutional ETF inflows, an advancing regulatory framework, and sovereign-level interest — to remain supportive."Volatility cuts both ways and sharp pullbacks are part of this asset class, but the direction of travel toward mainstream adoption looks increasingly well anchored." Sygnum CIO Fabian Dori said Friday.Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.© 2026 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.