Ripple is preparing to release one billion XRP. Like every start of the month, this scheduled operation revives questions about possible selling pressure. The figure is impressive, but it only partly reflects the reality of flows. Behind this unlocking lies a structured mechanism, well known to the market. It remains to be seen whether this event can really influence the price, or if it is part of a routine now anticipated by investors.
In brief
- Ripple is preparing to release one billion XRP, a monthly operation that raises concerns about possible selling pressure.
- The escrow mechanism helps limit the real impact, with a large portion of tokens re-locked each month.
- In practice, only a fraction of the unlocked XRP is actually injected into the market.
- Ripple adopts a strategy of active management of its offer, with regular sales over several years.
One billion XRP to unlock
Ripple set to unlock one billion XRP on the 1ster April as part of its sequestration system introduced in 2017, while the whales are accumulating massively. This mechanism, designed to regulate the supply, is based on a programmed release of tokens.
Behind this impressive volume, the reality is more measured: “60% to 80% of tokens are re-locked” each month, which greatly reduces the effective selling pressure on the market.
In fact, the functioning of the system is based on several key elements :
- The release of one billion XRP each month from escrow contracts;
- Between 60% and 80% of the tokens are placed back in escrow after release;
- Only 200 to 300 million XRP are actually injected into the market;
- In March 2026, Ripple re-locked 700 million XRP;
- Around 33.5 billion XRP remains in escrow today;
- Nearly 61 billion XRP are already circulating out of a maximum supply of 100 billion.
This mechanism, repeated every month, shows that the raw figure of one billion XRP does not reflect the reality of the flows. The escrow system acts as a shock absorber, allowing Ripple to control distribution without causing a sudden shock to the market.
Selling pressure supervised and integrated by the market
Beyond the simple monthly release, Ripple is part of a logic of active management of its offer. Over the year 2024, the company has sold 3.22 billion XRP, for an estimated value of $7.5 billion. This ability to regularly inject liquidity places Ripple among the most influential players in terms of structural selling pressure in the crypto ecosystem.
These distributions are not just direct sales. The released XRPs are also used to support specific uses such as liquidity for payment solutions or institutional partnerships.
This point is central to understanding why the impact on price often remains limited. The market now anticipates these operations, considered routine, which reduces their surprise effect. In the short term, fluctuations may appear, but their magnitude depends more on the overall context than on the unblocking itself.
In this context, the evolution of XRP seems less dictated by these monthly releases than by the general dynamics of the crypto market. If demand remains solid, these injections are absorbed smoothly. Conversely, a bearish environment could amplify their impact. While its CEO predicts a new all-time high for crypto, Ripple is imposing a unique supply management model, where transparency and predictability play a key role in the perceived stability of the market.
Maximize your Tremplin.io experience with our 'Read to Earn' program! For every article you read, earn points and access exclusive rewards. Sign up now and start earning benefits.
