On July 1, Ripple released 500 million XRP from escrow, marking a notable deviation from its usual monthly pattern of unlocking one billion tokens. This move injected roughly $1.1 billion worth of XRP into the market, raising questions about its potential price impact. Ripple’s “Ripple (27)” wallet received the full 500 million XRP, initiating a series of rapid internal transfers as part of its routine rebalancing strategy.
Shortly after the release, Ripple transferred 200 million XRP valued at around $440 million to the address “rN8pqR.” The company then moved an additional 300 million XRP, worth approximately $660 million, to another address identified as “rKwJaG.” Despite these large-scale movements, the “Ripple (27)” wallet still retained the original 500 million XRP after the transfers, signaling internal liquidity management rather than direct market distribution.
400 Million XRP Locked Back into Escrow
Ripple followed up the transfers by locking 400 million XRP back into escrow, using its “Ripple (15)” wallet. This wallet received two separate inflows of 200 million XRP each from addresses “rGKHDy” and “rHGfmg.” These actions align with Ripple’s ongoing efforts to manage XRP supply without flooding the open market.
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Since late 2017, Ripple has consistently released one billion XRP each month from escrow. However, starting earlier this year, it began conducting internal transactions ahead of formal unlocks. In March, Ripple also created new escrows using existing XRP, a trend that has continued in recent months.
Minimal Impact on XRP Price Despite Movement
Despite the massive token movement, XRP’s price showed little reaction. At the time of writing, XRP traded at $2.17 down 1% over the last 24 hours and 0.8% lower for the week. Historically, monthly unlocks have not significantly influenced the token’s market behaviour, with macroeconomic factors and regulatory updates having a greater effect.
XRPUSDT Source: Tradingview
From a technical analysis standpoint, XRP currently trades below its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) of $2.27, indicating possible short-term weakness. Nonetheless, it remains well above its 200-day SMA of $1.81, supporting a long-term bullish outlook. Additionally, the relative strength index (RSI) sits at 50.04, reflecting neutral momentum and a lack of strong buying or selling pressure.
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Ripple’s July token unlock follows a shifting strategy in XRP management, with internal transfers and escrow re-locks helping to control market supply. While these moves may spark interest within the crypto community, XRP’s price continues to mirror broader market trends and regulatory developments rather than reacting strongly to scheduled token releases.
