Virtu Financial’s $63M XRP Bet Defies Whale Exodus - $260M Daily Sell-Off Creates Perfect Storm

Market makers double down while crypto whales flee - who's reading the signals right?

The Institutional Gambit

Virtu Financial just placed a $63 million vote of confidence in XRP, betting big while major holders dump $260 million worth daily. This divergence creates textbook market tension - sophisticated players accumulating while retail sentiment wobbles.

Whale Watching Turns Bearish

That $260 million daily exodus isn't just noise - it represents strategic repositioning from addresses that typically move markets. Yet Virtu's counter-position suggests they see value where others see exit signs. Classic Wall Street versus crypto native playbook unfolding.

The Liquidity Paradox

Massive sell pressure typically crushes prices, but institutional buying at these levels creates fascinating support. Somebody's wrong here - either the whales missing recovery signals or Virtu catching a falling knife. Because nothing says 'smart money' like betting against people who actually understand the asset.

When the sharks and whales disagree, smaller fish get caught in the crosscurrents. Perfect conditions for volatility - and for those who get the timing right, legendary gains.

TLDR

• Virtu Financial’s $63M XRP investment signals rising institutional interest.
• Whale sell-off of $260M daily has caused XRP price to drop by 27%.
• Coinbase recorded $23.93M in XRP inflows, indicating increased sell pressure.
• Despite sell-offs, Evernorth’s XRP treasury grows to $1 billion, showing confidence.

Virtu Financial, a $7 billion Wall Street firm, has recently revealed it holds $63 million in XRP. This MOVE signals an increasing institutional interest in the cryptocurrency, even as a growing number of whales—large XRP holders—are accelerating their sell-off. According to on-chain data, these investors are offloading over $260 million worth of XRP each day, putting significant pressure on the token’s price.

Virtu Financial’s XRP Holdings

Virtu Financial, known for providing liquidity across various asset classes, has expanded its portfolio to include XRP. A recent SEC filing confirmed the firm now holds XRP alongside more traditional assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum. This places Virtu among a select group of major financial institutions directly involved in the digital asset market.

The company’s decision to include XRP on its balance sheet reflects a broader trend of traditional financial players increasing their exposure to blockchain-based assets.

The SEC filing, dated September 30, 2025, highlights the growing mainstream adoption of XRP and other digital currencies. This move comes at a time when the U.S. government has provided more clarity on the regulatory status of Ripple’s token. Ripple, the company behind XRP, has faced numerous legal challenges, but recent developments suggest that institutional confidence in XRP is on the rise.

Whale Activity Contributing to Sell-Off Pressure

While institutional adoption of XRP continues to grow, a large-scale sell-off by whales is having the opposite effect on the token’s market. On-chain data from Glassnode indicates that long-term holders of XRP, who accumulated their tokens before November 2024, have ramped up their selling activity significantly. The data suggests that these seasoned investors have increased their daily sell-off by approximately 580% from $38 million to $260 million.

This surge in selling has contributed to a sharp decline in XRP’s price, which has dropped by 27% from $3.30 to $2.40 since early August 2025. The sell-off by whales highlights the impact of profit-taking by long-term holders, who may be capitalizing on last year’s rally. The market’s response to this large-scale selling has made it difficult for XRP to sustain any meaningful price recovery.

Coinbase Sees Rising XRP Inflows

Data from Coinglass reveals that Coinbase has seen a significant increase in XRP inflows, further supporting the notion of rising sell pressure. In just 12 hours, Coinbase recorded $23.93 million in net XRP inflows. This surge in inflows suggests that traders are moving their XRP to exchanges, likely to take profits or liquidate positions in response to the ongoing price decline.

The growing volume of XRP being transferred to exchanges indicates heightened sell activity within the market. Despite this, XRP has shown a slight recovery, with its price climbing by 3.17% over the past 24 hours. This uptick, however, is modest in comparison to the broader trend of selling by whales, which has kept the token under pressure.

Institutional Confidence and Market Uncertainty

Although whales are selling large amounts of XRP, institutional interest in the token remains strong. Companies like Ripple-backed Evernorth are increasing their XRP holdings, with Evernorth’s treasury now totaling $1 billion. This indicates that while some market participants are taking profits, others continue to bet on the long-term potential of XRP.

Despite the volatility and sell-off pressures, the continued involvement of institutions like Virtu Financial and Evernorth suggests that there is ongoing confidence in XRP’s future. These moves signal that, while short-term market conditions may be challenging, XRP remains an attractive asset for large-scale investors looking to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency market.