Ripple’s 1B XRP Transfer & 700M Lockdown: Escrow Release Hits Strategic Delay

Ripple just executed a billion-dollar shuffle—moving 1 billion XRP and locking 700 million back in escrow. The scheduled release? Delayed. Again.

The Escrow Shell Game

Watch the vaults. Every month, Ripple unlocks 1 billion XRP from escrow, using what it needs and re-locking the rest. This time, they moved the full 1 billion but only sent 300 million into circulation. The other 700 million? Straight back into digital cold storage. The monthly unlock didn't hit its usual date—pushed back in what looks like a calculated pause.

Market Mechanics on Mute

This isn't a fire sale. It's supply management 101. By controlling the drip-feed of XRP, Ripple aims to avoid flooding the market—a move that would please no one but the short-sellers. The delay suggests a strategic look at liquidity conditions, perhaps waiting for a more favorable tide. After all, why sell into weakness when you can engineer scarcity? It's the oldest play in the traditional finance book, just with a blockchain ledger.

Timing the Tide

For a company knee-deep in regulatory battles and banking partnerships, controlling its largest asset is non-negotiable. The escrow isn't just a vault; it's a throttle. Delaying a release signals they're watching the gauges—trading volume, partnership announcements, the broader crypto sentiment. They're not just holding coins; they're holding cards.

One cynical finance jab? This is the crypto version of a central bank open market operation—just without the suits, the press conferences, or the accountability. Ripple plays the market like a piano, and right now, they've decided to play it softly.

TLDR

• Ripple moved 1 billion XRP tokens between multiple wallets on December 1.
• A total of 700 million XRP tokens were locked in escrow by Ripple for December.
• Ripple’s scheduled release of escrowed XRP tokens has been delayed for the month.
• The 1 billion XRP transfer included movements to Ripple (1), Ripple (14), and Ripple (15) wallets.
• Ripple locked up 300 million XRP from Ripple (15) and 400 million XRP from Ripple (14) in escrow.

Ripple has moved 1 billion XRP tokens in December, locking 700 million of them without releasing any escrowed tokens for the month. On-chain data reveals the company transferred the tokens between several wallets before locking up a significant portion. Ripple’s usual monthly escrow process continues to unfold, but the scheduled release of 1 billion XRP has not yet occurred.

Ripple Transfers XRP Across Multiple Wallets

Ripple initiated the transfers early today, moving 500 million XRP from two of its wallets. The Ripple (26) wallet moved 300 million XRP to Ripple (1) and 200 million XRP to Ripple (15) at 1:02 AM UTC. Then, Ripple (27) transferred 100 million XRP to Ripple (15) and 400 million XRP to Ripple (14) just minutes later.

These transactions brought the total moved from Ripple (26) and Ripple (27) to 1 billion XRP. Ripple (1), Ripple (14), and Ripple (15) received 300 million, 400 million, and 300 million XRP tokens, respectively. These movements are consistent with the company’s practice of regularly shifting tokens between its wallets.

After transferring the tokens, Ripple locked 700 million XRP tokens in escrow. The Ripple (15) wallet moved all 300 million XRP to escrow at 1:12 AM UTC. Just two minutes later, Ripple (14) followed suit, locking up its 400 million XRP tokens in escrow.

This brings the total amount locked up in escrow to 700 million XRP, with the remaining 300 million XRP held by Ripple (1). The escrow system for Ripple operates in this manner each month, securing tokens to prevent market disruptions. No tokens were released from escrow as of the latest transactions.

Ripple’s Escrow Practices and Delayed Releases

Ripple’s escrow system has been subject to delays throughout 2025. Last month, for instance, the company moved 1 billion XRP but did not release the escrowed tokens until two days later. A similar delay appears to be happening now, with the 1 billion XRP not yet released despite the transfer.

Despite this, the locked-up tokens remain a part of Ripple’s typical monthly schedule. As the December lockup progresses, the company continues to await the release of the scheduled escrowed tokens. This delay follows a pattern seen in previous months, with the full release of XRP tokens often occurring after the scheduled date.