XRP whales buy $72M near $1

TLDR

XRP (XRP) is seeing heavy whale accumulation around the key $1 level, with large holders adding about 72 million XRP in 24 hours while price hovers just under $1.

1. On-chain data shows whales buying roughly 72 million XRP near $1 as part of a larger accumulation trend, lifting big-holder balances above 12 billion XRP.
2. This whale bid is offsetting weakening institutional demand, with spot XRP ETF assets slipping below $1 billion and inflows stalling even as price tests major support.
3. The $1 support and $1.06 resistance zone are now the key levels to watch, alongside ETF flows and broader market conditions, to see if accumulation leads to a sustained move.

Deep Dive

1. Size Of The Whale Buying

On-chain analytics from Santiment and others report that large XRP holders have absorbed around 72 million XRP in the last 24 hours near the $1 area, extending recent buying that totals over 452 million XRP in recent weeks and lifting whale holdings to about 12.18 billion XRP, according to one detailed recap of the flows. Market data places XRP near 0.99791 USD, down about 1.02% over 24 hours and 2.62% over seven days, meaning this buying is happening into weakness rather than strength.

At the same time, the number of millionaire wallets (addresses holding at least 1 million XRP) has risen by 32 in recent months, reinforcing the pattern that larger holders are increasing exposure during the correction. Several reports note prior weekly spikes where whales added more than 380 million XRP in seven days as part of this broader build-up.

2. Whales Versus ETF Outflows

While whales are buying, institutional demand via spot XRP ETFs is weakening. Recent data shows ETF assets under management falling below the symbolic $1 billion mark to around $942 million, with inflows in early August around $3.27 million and several days of zero net flows as detailed in one market analysis. That means traditional investment products are not currently reinforcing the on-chain whale bid.

Network usage is skewed toward existing participants. Daily active addresses on the XRP Ledger have jumped from roughly 26,400 to 35,700, while new addresses stay near 2,260 per day, suggesting that experienced users and larger holders are driving activity rather than a broad influx of new retail demand.

3. Key Levels And Risks To Watch

Technically, $1 is a major psychological and chart support that has held since late 2024 in several analyses. XRP is currently trading just under that level, with downside scenarios pointing toward 0.95 or 0.90 if $1 fails. On the upside, around $1.06 is highlighted as a heavy resistance pocket where roughly 3 billion XRP have previously changed hands, meaning many holders sit near break-even there.

Analysts also flag a rare Tom DeMark Sequential buy signal on the monthly chart that historically preceded large rallies but whose last major sell signal in April 2025 preceded a 57% drop, underlining that it is a probabilistic indicator, not a guarantee. Separately, a CryptoQuant report frames BTC, ETH, and XRP whale accumulation as typical of late-stage bear markets, while warning that further downside is still possible before a confirmed floor.

Conclusion

Whales are clearly treating the area around $1 as a strategic entry zone for XRP, soaking up tens of millions of tokens even as price and ETFs show strain. For now, that buying is stabilizing the market rather than launching a new uptrend. Watching how XRP behaves around $1 and $1.06, together with ETF flows and broader crypto conditions, will show whether this accumulation becomes a durable base or just another defense line that eventually gives way.