XRP Whales Accumulate as Small Holders Retreat

XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger, and shifts between large and small wallets are closely watched as a gauge of risk appetite and token distribution. Accumulation by so-called whales while smaller holders sell can reduce near-term supply and support prices. The signal is not definitive, however: blockchain addresses do not map cleanly to individual investors, and some large wallets may belong to exchanges, custodians or other institutions rather than seasoned buyers.

Blockchain analytics firm Santiment said on July 22, 2026, that wallets holding 100,000 to 100 million XRP increased their combined balances by 2.8% over the previous five weeks. Over the same period, micro-wallets holding less than 0.01 XRP cut their balances by 5.2%. XRP moved back above $1.16 on Tuesday, July 21, after trading in a roughly $1.05-to-$1.12 range, highlighting a widening divide between large-holder accumulation and retail retreat.