XRP whales add 2.8% to holdings as price hits 2-week high

XRP rose 3% to $1.16 over the past week, reaching a two-week high as wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million XRP increased their combined positions by 2.8%, according to Santiment data. The accumulation by large holders contrasted with a 5.2% decline in balances among wallets holding less than 0.01 XRP over the same period.

"The divergence between whale accumulation and retail selling is one of the clearest on-chain signals we track," said Brian Quinlivan, lead analyst at Santiment. "XRP has historically tended to follow the behavior of large whales rather than small retail wallets."

XRP spot ETFs recorded $5.09 million in net inflows on July 21, following $2.27 million on July 20 and $6.10 million on July 16, according to CoinShares data. XRP exchange-traded products attracted nearly $40 million in fresh inflows, lifting assets under management to about $2.6 billion. Spot trading volume jumped sharply during the move above $1.10, suggesting institutional participation.

The next test for XRP is whether it can hold $1.16 as support. A sustained move above $1.20 could open a path toward the $1.30 to $1.35 region, while a daily close below $1.10 would shift focus back to the $1.04 to $1.08 support zone. On the XRP Ledger, validators are expected to vote in the coming weeks on a significant upgrade package introducing batch transactions and confidential transfers, with improvements to the Multi-Purpose Token standard.

Whale Accumulation vs. Retail Selling

The five-week divergence in wallet behavior mirrors a pattern Santiment has observed in previous XRP rallies. Wallets holding between 100,000 and 100 million XRP accumulated while the token traded in a relatively weak range between $1.05 and $1.12, suggesting large investors bought the dip. The 2.8% increase in whale holdings represents a shift in supply distribution, reducing the float available to retail traders.

XRP traded at $1.13 on July 21, well below its all-time high of $3.65 from July 2025. The token's daily relative strength index remains near oversold territory, while a TD Sequential buy signal on the three-day chart hints that bearish momentum may be fading, according to TradingView data.

Regulatory Catalyst on the Horizon

The CLARITY Act, which would establish a permanent regulatory framework for crypto in the US, faces a Senate vote in the coming weeks. The bill's odds of passing stood below 40% on Polymarket as of July 21 amid an ethics provision deadlock. A favorable outcome could remove a key regulatory overhang for XRP and the broader crypto market.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.