Ripple Labs has recently unlocked an additional 1 billion $XRP from its escrow account, valued at approximately $1.37 billion. This latest release occurred on May 1, 2026, and was detailed through on-chain data from XRPSCAN, which was analyzed by Finbold. The company executed this monthly tranche in four separate transactions, with the largest being 400 million tokens worth about $547 million. The other transactions consisted of 100 million, 300 million, and 200 million $XRP unlocks.
Following this unlock process, Ripple’s escrow account now contains about 33.35 billion tokens, translating to an estimated value of $45.69 billion according to XRPSCAN metrics. Analysts suggest that a portion of this released amount, approximately 700 million $XRP, could potentially be relocked in the escrow account, a recurrent practice for the firm over the past several months. The remaining 300 million tokens, currently worth around $411 million, might be allocated to cryptocurrency exchanges or over-the-counter desks for potential liquidation.
Ripple relies on the sales of $XRP to further develop its payment products, aiming to enhance the mainstream acceptance of the $XRP Ledger (XRPL). A majority of the transactions conducted on XRPL are focused on payments, particularly concerning cross-border settlements, according to previous reports.
However, the recent unlock coincides with a wave of selling pressure from larger investors, or “whales,” prompting concerns about the potential dilution of the circulating supply of $XRP, which stands at approximately 61.68 billion. This dilution is likely to amplify the bearish sentiment surrounding the token in the near term.
In response to these developments, the price of $XRP has fallen over the past week, dropping by more than 4% and currently trading at around $1.37. Consequently, the market capitalization of $XRP has decreased to nearly $85 billion. Analysts and investors will be closely monitoring whether the effects of this unlock and subsequent market conditions will lead to further price fluctuations for the altcoin.
