XRP Rallies After 1 Billion Token Escrow Release on September 1

The release followed the same process Ripple has used for years. XRP Ledger escrow contracts unlock up to 1 billion XRP on the first day of each month and send them to Ripple-controlled wallets. Ripple created the program in December 2017 by locking 55 billion XRP into time-based contracts. Any XRP that Ripple does not use returns to escrow at the end of the release queue. By September, Ripple's escrow balance had fallen to 31.28 billion XRP, data cited in the supplied material. Ripple typically re-escrows 700 million to 900 million XRP monthly. That pattern leaves roughly 100 million to 300 million XRP available for operational use, OTC liquidity deals, or institutional payments. As a result, the headline unlock exceeds the amount that usually stays outside escrow. Historical figures in the supplied material show seven-day price moves after monthly releases averaging between a 3.1% decline and a 1.7% gain. Thirty-day trading volume increased by 15% to 22%.