Ripple’s Monthly Reserves and Sell-Offs
Ripple, a major XRP seller, utilizes its monthly unlocked reserves to fund its operations and team members. As of December 21, the company had already sold 240 million XRP ($148.8 million), surpassing this month’s unlocked amount by 40 million tokens. This suggests that Ripple is actively liquidating its reserves. On December 27, the company spent an additional 70 million XRP, bringing the total spent this month to over $192.2 million worth of XRPs.
Throughout December, Ripple made various transactions involving its reserves. On December 1, it sent 200 million XRP to its reserves, followed by two transactions of 60 million tokens each on December 6 and 12. Finally, on December 20, it made a payment of 120 million XRP.
Ripple’s Monthly Dumps and Remaining Reserves
Typically, part of Ripple’s monthly unlocks is sent to its treasury reserves account, while the rest is relocked into new escrows for future sell-offs. These sell-offs involve payments to an unidentified-owner address (‘rP4X2…Kxv3’), which then forwards the funds to several other anonymous addresses likely owned by the same entity. Eventually, the XRP tokens are liquidated on centralized exchanges.
Currently, approximately 26.34 million XRP ($16.33 million) remains in Ripple’s treasury reserves that can be spent at any time.
Impact on XRP Investment Values
This month’s sell-offs represent one of Ripple’s largest liquidation events in 2023, and it is unclear if they will continue until the year ends. Ripple has not disclosed the reasons behind the increased volume. Furthermore, Ripple still holds around 46.10 billion XRP in escrows set to finish by 2027, making it the largest holder of XRP. This selling pressure directly affects the investment values of the token, as it constitutes XRP’s supply inflation. Ripple’s ability to control the economic dynamics of its token and its future price and value is a significant factor to consider.
Hot Take: Ripple’s Ongoing Reserves Sell-Off Raises Questions
Ripple’s continuous liquidation of its reserves raises questions about its long-term strategy and impact on the XRP market. The significant sell-offs throughout December suggest that Ripple is actively reducing its holdings and potentially affecting XRP’s investment values. As one of the largest holders of XRP, Ripple’s actions directly influence the token’s supply inflation and future price. While the company remains silent about the reasons behind these sell-offs, investors and enthusiasts must closely monitor Ripple’s movements to assess their implications on the overall market and make informed decisions.