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Ripple Labs released 1 billion XRP from escrow on May 1, 2026, placing the token back under market watch as selling pressure increased. The unlocking happened when Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse defended the company’s commitment to XRP during the XRP Las Vegas 2026 conference.
Ripple unlocked 1 billion XRP in four separate transactions at the start of May. The released tokens were valued at about $1.37 billion, based on the XRP price at the time of reporting. The transactions included 400 million XRP, 100 million XRP, 300 million XRP and 200 million XRP.
The 400 million XRP transfer was the largest single transaction, valued at about $547 million. After the release, XRPScan data showed that Ripple still held about 33.35 billion XRP in escrow. The remaining escrow balance was valued at about $45.69 billion.
Ripple introduced its escrow system in 2017 to manage XRP supply in a more predictable way. The system releases up to 1 billion XRP each month. However, Ripple often returns unused tokens to escrow after each monthly release.
Market analysts expect Ripple may relock 700 million XRP, as it has done in recent months. The remaining 300 million XRP, worth about $411 million, could move to exchanges or OTC desks. However, no final movement had been confirmed at the time of reporting.
The XRP unlock came as the token faced renewed selling pressure. XRP traded near $1.37 after falling more than 4% over the past seven days. Its market capitalization also dropped to nearly $85 billion.
The token’s circulating supply stood at about 61.68 billion XRP. Consequently, traders continued to monitor whether the latest release would add more short-term pressure. Large token unlocks often attract attention because they can increase available supply.
However, Ripple’s monthly escrow releases are expected by the market. The company has followed this model for years. Even so, the timing of the unlock kept XRP in focus, especially as whale activity increased.
XRPScan also showed that more than 14.33 million XRP had been burned. The network had over 7.82 million activated accounts, according to recent data. These figures showed continued network activity as supply movements drew wider attention.
The escrow release came during a busy period for Ripple and the XRP community. At XRP Las Vegas 2026, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse addressed doubts about the company’s commitment to XRP. He said Ripple remained the largest holder of the token.
Garlinghouse stated, “Ripple is extremely committed to make XRP the most useful digital asset, the most liquid digital asset, and the most trusted digital asset.” His remarks responded to claims that Ripple had moved away from XRP while building institutional payment products.
He also said Ripple remains the party most interested in seeing XRP succeed. According to him, the company’s large XRP position gives it a strong reason to support the token’s long-term use.
Still, some doubts remained within the community. Australian attorney Bill Morgan said Ripple’s claims sounded reasonable but should come with data. He said clear examples would help show how Ripple’s recent deals and acquisitions support XRP use.
Garlinghouse also addressed concerns around Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. Some community members had questioned whether the stablecoin could reduce XRP’s role. He said Ripple does not share every part of its strategy because competitors could use that information.
At the same time, Ripple continued to expand its global operations. The company opened a new Middle East and Africa regional headquarters at Dubai’s DIFC. It also saw fresh XRP-related activity in Asia, including a Korean won stablecoin test on XRPL and wider XRP access through Rakuten Wallet in Japan.
Also Read: Will XRP Reach Four Figures If Ripple Takes Over 50% of SWIFT Transactions?
