Ripple is preparing to release 1 billion XRP on August 1 as part of its monthly escrow unlock program.
The upcoming release follows Ripple’s longstanding escrow mechanism, which automatically unlocks up to 1 billion XRP each month from escrow accounts on the XRP Ledger. Ripple introduced the escrow system in 2017 to make the release of its XRP holdings more predictable and address concerns that large quantities of the token could enter the market without warning.
Although the headline figure is significant, the market has largely treated these events as routine due to Ripple’s consistent practice of re-locking most of the released tokens.
At current levels, XRP’s circulating supply stands at approximately 65 billion tokens out of the asset’s fixed maximum supply of 100 billion XRP. The headline unlock is therefore equivalent to roughly 1.5% of XRP’s circulating supply. However, the actual increase in supply is typically much smaller because most of the released tokens are returned to escrow.
The August unlock will temporarily make 1 billion XRP available to Ripple before most is typically returned to escrow. Through automated smart contracts, Ripple releases tokens on a fixed monthly schedule, using a portion for liquidity management and institutional partnerships while re-locking the remainder.
Historically, the company has re-escrowed the majority of unlocked tokens, resulting in a much smaller net increase in circulating supply.
XRP re-escrowed amount
In most recent cycles, only around 200 million to 400 million XRP ultimately remained outside escrow, with the remainder locked in new escrow contracts extending years into the future.
However, XRP remaining outside escrow does not necessarily enter exchange circulation immediately. Ripple may retain the tokens in company-controlled wallets or distribute them gradually, meaning the increase in tradable supply can differ from the amount initially left unlocked.
This predictable structure has helped reduce uncertainty surrounding XRP token unlock events and has limited the market impact of previous releases.
Several monthly escrow releases throughout 2026, including those in January, May, June, and July, generated little immediate volatility in XRP’s price.
Analysts have generally attributed XRP’s performance this year more to broader cryptocurrency market trends, regulatory developments, and adoption of Ripple’s payment infrastructure than to escrow releases.
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Across July, XRP has remained relatively stable, trading in tandem with the broader cryptocurrency market.
The amount of XRP remaining in escrow has gradually decreased over time. According to Ripple’s latest published figures, approximately 32.6 billion XRP remained subject to on-ledger escrow as of June 30, 2026.
XRP price analysis
With the August release already known in advance and most of the tokens expected to be re-escrowed, XRP’s near-term price direction may depend more heavily on broader market momentum and whether buyers can overcome nearby resistance.
By press time, XRP was trading at $1.14, up about 4% over the past 24 hours. On the weekly timeframe, the cryptocurrency had also gained roughly 4%.
Indeed, XRP is showing renewed strength after weeks of consolidation, with the asset attempting to break above the key $1.20 resistance level.
