- XRP whales accumulated roughly 440M tokens ($3.8B) in a week, even as the market turned risk-averse.
- The buying spree included 120M XRP on Aug. 15 alone, while XRP’s market cap dropped $10B in 24 hours.
- Historical patterns suggest whale accumulation during selloffs often precedes medium-term price reversals.
XRP whales seem unfazed by the broader market jitters, scooping up tokens even as prices slipped to one of their steepest declines in months. On-chain data from analyst Ali Martinez shows that on August 15 alone, large holders snapped up around 120 million XRP—right as the token shed nearly $10 billion in market value in just 24 hours. That single-day buy came after XRP’s capitalization slid from $193.8B to $182.8B, while spot prices dropped almost 8% to $3.08.
Billions Flow Into Whale Wallets
This wasn’t an isolated move either. In the three days leading up to August 15, whales accumulated another 320 million tokens, putting the week’s total at roughly 440 million XRP—worth nearly $3.8 billion at current prices. Such a level of concentrated accumulation during a market downturn hints at long-term conviction, even as retail traders continue to scale back. Meanwhile, daily trading volumes plunged 36% to $7.55B, showing thinning liquidity across spot markets.
Market Signals Point to Possible Reversal
Historically, heavy whale accumulation during periods of declining exchange reserves often signals a medium-term turnaround. Even with XRP’s fully diluted valuation holding firm at $308.3B, the disconnect between falling market cap and rising whale demand could set the stage for a rebound. With less liquidity in circulation and big players positioning aggressively, retail selling pressure may be offset, sparking renewed upside momentum if demand holds steady.