XRP whale wallets rise as price dips in early 2026

XRP dropped 4% in early 2026, but wallets with over 1M XRP rose by 42 to 2,016, signaling renewed whale accumulation—a positive long-term sign despite weak sentiment.

XRP began 2026 with a 4% price decline, reflecting weak market sentiment. However, on-chain data from Santiment reveals a notable increase in wallets holding at least 1 million XRP, rising by 42 to reach 2,016. This marks the first uptick since September 2025, following four months of decline. The growth in these large “whale” wallets suggests renewed accumulation by major holders, which is often interpreted as a positive long-term signal. This trend aligns with continued inflows into U.S.-listed XRP ETFs, which attracted $91.72 million in January, contrasting with outflows from Bitcoin ETFs. Although XRP’s price remains range-bound and the broader crypto market lacks clear direction, analysts view the accumulation by large investors as encouraging for XRP’s future. Historically, such divergences between on-chain accumulation and price action have preceded periods of increased volatility, potentially signaling early accumulation or a pause in the downtrend.