Ripple’s latest massive on-chain movement has once again stirred the broader crypto market, raising questions about the digital asset company’s intentions as a major XRP holder. A recent blockchain record shows millions of XRP leaving a wallet linked to Ripple, prompting speculation about whether this could signal a broader sell-off. With the price currently in a downtrend, showing no signs of a recovery in weeks, the transfer only adds to the growing unease in the community.
Ripple Transfers 200 Million XRP To Unknown Destination
New reports from a popular blockchain monitoring system, Whale Alert has revealed that 200 million XRP, valued at approximately $445 million was recently moved from a wallet associated with Ripple. The large-scale transaction immediately caught the attention of the market, given both its size and origin, as Ripple Labs remains the largest single holder of XRP, controlling roughly 42% of its total supply.
Notably, the transaction occurred on November 18, 2025, at 16:22:00 UTC and was sent from a Ripple-linked wallet address to an unknown destination. The transfer itself was inexpensive, incurring a minimal fee of just 0.00004 XRP. The movement also took place while XRP was still trading at approximately $2.22 per token.
Considering Ripple’s influence on the altcoin, any significant outbound transfer tends to spark immediate reactions from its community about intent. Some market participants interpreted the transaction as a potential precursor of a sell-off, suggesting that it may be time to exit positions.
However, other observers note that large wallets often redistribute holdings ahead of expected volatility, emphasizing that such internal rotations do not necessarily correlate with selling pressure. They argue that broader accumulation trends provide a more accurate picture than reactions to an isolated transfer. In addition, another commentator emphasized that Ripple has a long history of making large-scale movements for more treasury management, liquidity operations, or over-the-counter transactions—none of which translate directly into immediate market dumps.
Whales Quietly Accumulate Billions
While Ripple’s 200 million XRP transfer has ignited speculation, new data from Santiment has highlighted a significant uptick in whale activity. According to on-chain data, large holders have acquired more than $2.36 billion worth of XRP within a single week, pushing their combined balance to 9.74 billion XRP. This marks one of the strongest accumulations recorded recently, suggesting that whales may be positioning for the long-term rather than selling off.
The increase in whale holdings comes at a time where the market is experiencing a notable downtrend. If these movements were distribution rather than accumulation, they could put additional pressure on the already weak price action. However, as more whales continue to buy XRP at lower price levels, it could provide underlying support for the cryptocurrency, potentially stabilizing the market.
Featured image created with Dall.E, chart from Tradingview.com
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