Whales Move $500M in XRP as Ripple and BNY Mellon Forge Game-Changing Partnership

XRP just got a seismic jolt—half a billion dollars shifted by whales in a single move, while Ripple locks arms with banking giant BNY Mellon. Is this the institutional floodgate moment?

Big Money Talks

Someone’s betting heavy on XRP—$500M worth of ‘conviction’ hit the ledger. Whale watchers are scrambling as the transaction ripples through the market.

Wall Street’s New Crypto Crush?

Ripple’s BNY Mellon collab screams legitimacy. The 238-year-old custodian just handed XRP a backstage pass to traditional finance—because nothing says ‘adoption’ like a stodgy bank playing nice with crypto.

The Fine Print

Let’s not pop champagne yet. Remember when institutional interest was ‘imminent’ in 2021? This time feels different… or so they say every time. One thing’s clear: when whales and banks move in unison, markets notice.

Wallet Addresses on the Rise, Active Use Declines

According to a new H1 2025 report from Finbold, over 840,000 new XRP wallet addresses were created between January and June. That brings the total number of addresses from 6.28 million to 7.12 million — a significant 13.3% jump in just six months.

However, in a surprising contrast, the number of unique active addresses dropped sharply by 42.2%, falling from 39,515 to 22,743. This means that while more wallets are being created, fewer are being used actively.

This trend could signal that many of these new wallets belong to long-term holders, institutions preparing to integrate XRP, or investors who are choosing to hold rather than trade. The surge in wallets suggests rising interest in XRP as a long-term asset, even if immediate usage is down.

XRP Futures Open Interest Jumps 33%

In another bullish sign, XRP’s futures Open Interest has seen a big spike. crypto analyst Xaif noted on X (formerly Twitter) that Open Interest climbed to 800 million XRP, before settling at 743 million — a 33% increase from late June lows.

This jump in Open Interest reflects growing market confidence and likely stems from Optimism around a possible ProShares XRP ETF approval. If approved, such an ETF could attract more institutional investors, boost market exposure, and potentially push XRP prices higher.

Open Interest measures the total number of open futures contracts and is a key indicator of trader activity and sentiment. A rising figure usually suggests more money flowing into the asset, and in this case, it hints that XRP may be entering a more bullish phase.

Whale Moves Over $500 Million in XRP

A massive whale transaction has caught the eye of the crypto community. A single wallet transferred 214.14 million XRP (worth around $500 million) from a long-inactive wallet to a newly created one, according to crypto tracker WhaleAlert.

This new wallet — created in June 2025 — had shown little to no activity until this giant transaction. After receiving the tokens, its balance ballooned to 708 million XRP, making it one of the largest holders on the XRP Ledger.

Meanwhile, the original wallet still holds over 1 billion XRP, indicating that the sender still controls a large share of the circulating supply. This kind of movement often points to strategic reallocation, potential institutional positioning, or preparation for larger future use cases.

While the reasons behind such large transfers aren’t always clear, they often signal growing confidence or repositioning ahead of major developments.

Ripple Partners With BNY Mellon for Stablecoin

Perhaps the most significant update is Ripple’s partnership with BNY Mellon, one of the oldest and most respected banking institutions in the U.S. Ripple revealed that BNY Mellon will serve as the primary custodian for reserves backing Ripple’s upcoming stablecoin, RLUSD (Ripple USD).

This partnership is a major milestone in Ripple’s strategy to target institutional use cases with RLUSD — a stablecoin designed to improve speed, reduce costs, and enhance transparency in enterprise financial operations.

Unlike other stablecoins primarily focused on retail use, RLUSD is being built for business applications, and BNY Mellon will provide Ripple with the banking infrastructure and credibility needed to scale globally.

This collaboration is likely to accelerate adoption among banks, fintechs, and global enterprises, especially as traditional financial players continue to embrace blockchain-based solutions.

Final Thoughts

XRP’s ecosystem is evolving rapidly. The creation of hundreds of thousands of new wallets, a surge in futures activity, and movements by top whales all suggest a renewed wave of interest and investment. At the same time, Ripple’s collaboration with BNY Mellon shows how the company is deepening its ties with traditional finance — a critical step toward mainstream adoption.

While prices may fluctuate in the short term, these updates point to a strengthening foundation for XRP’s long-term growth. Investors, traders, and XRP enthusiasts WOULD be wise to keep an eye on how these developments unfold in the coming weeks.