As 2026 progresses, cryptocurrency whales are shifting their focus from established coins like Ripple (XRP) to emerging altcoins such as Mutuum Finance (MUTM). XRP, currently trading at $1.42, has faced resistance at $1.45 and struggles to regain its 2025 highs of $3.65. With a market cap of $86 billion, XRP's growth is hindered by the need for substantial new investment to achieve significant gains. In contrast, Mutuum Finance, a decentralized lending and borrowing protocol on Ethereum, is attracting significant whale interest. The project, in Phase 7 of its presale, has raised over $20.6 million and boasts more than 19,000 holders. With its V1 protocol live on the Sepolia testnet, Mutuum Finance offers a functional platform that appeals to the DeFi community. Analysts predict MUTM could rise from its current $0.04 to between $0.20 and $0.50 by late 2026, driven by its utility and security features, including a Halborn Security audit and a $50,000 bug bounty.