Ripple Kicks Off 2026 with 1 Billion XRP Unlock
Analysis
Price Impact
LowThe release of 1 billion xrp is a scheduled, monthly event. historically, ripple re-locks a significant portion of these tokens, preventing a sudden massive influx into the market and mitigating potential selling pressure.
Trustworthiness
HighThe report is based on confirmed data from whale alert regarding ripple's established escrow mechanism and historical practices, which are well-documented and predictable.
Price Direction
NeutralWhile 1 billion xrp is a large sum, the market is accustomed to these monthly unlocks. ripple's consistent re-locking strategy means the actual increase in circulating supply is often much lower than the unlocked amount, leading to a generally neutral price reaction.
Time Effect
ShortAny potential market reaction or slight selling pressure would typically occur within the first few days of the unlock, followed by stabilization as re-lock transactions are confirmed.
Original Article:
Article Content:
Cover image via www.freepik.com Read U.TODAY on Google News Early clarity Ripple's re-locks Advertisement Ripple, the San Francisco-headquartered enterprise blockchain company associated with the XRP token, has executed its scheduled monthly release for the start of the new year. A total of a billion tokens have been released in three separate tranches, according to the latest data provided by Whale Alert. Early clarity Ripple used to hold roughly 60% of the total XRP supply in its own wallets. Since there were no rules, no one knew how many tokens the San Francisco-based company would sell in a given month. Then, the company voluntarily locked 55 billion XRP into a series of cryptographically secured escrows on the ledger. These contracts were programmed to expire on the first day of every month (one by one). As noted by Ripple CTO David Schwartz, the escrow actually restricts the company's power to sell. HOT Stories Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2026 Ripple Kicks Off 2026 with 1 Billion XRP Unlock Crypto Market Prediction: Two Big Bitcoin (BTC) Barriers, Best XRP Price Timeframe at the Start of 2026, Shiba Inu (SHIB) Having a Calm New Year Top Crypto News of 2025: XRP's ATH, $19 Billion Wipeout, CZ's Pardon and More This January 2026 unlock appears to have executed smoothly and "on time". Advertisement You Might Also Like Wed, 12/31/2025 - 13:10 Ripple Exec Reacts to $1.6 Trillion Asset Manager XRP Spotlight: Details By Tomiwabold Olajide In mid-2025, Ripple started moving funds internally and "re-locking" tokens before the main unlock appeared on trackers. This reversal confused some community members, and it even fueled some conspiracy theories. However, as reported by U.Today , the company went back to the familiar pattern later in the year. Advertisement Ripple's re-locks What happens after the unlock is probably the most misunderstood part of this process. Historically, Ripple rarely uses the full 1 billion. They typically sell a portion to provide liquidity to ODL customers or fund operations. The company typically re-locks the remainder. For instance, if they unlock 1 billion but only need 200 million, they will put the remaining 800 million into a new escrow contract that will open in the distant future. In the coming hours or days, Whale Alert will report several "re-lock" transactions. #Ripple News #XRP News