XRP News Today: XRP Whales Consolidate Holdings Amid Volatility, Signal Long-Term Accumulation Focus

XRP whales are undergoing a significant structural shift, with on-chain data revealing a 20.6% decline in the number of large wallets holding over 100 million XRP over the past eight weeks, according to analytics firm Santiment. Despite this reduction in wallet count— from 569 large wallets disappearing to a remaining pool— total holdings for these entities have surged to a seven-year high of 48 billion XRP according to Santiment data. The divergence between shrinking whale populations and expanding balances suggests a strategic consolidation phase, as remaining large investors deepen their positions amid recent market volatility.

The trend has coincided with a sharp price correction for XRP, which dropped more than 6% to $2.02 on December 1, following accelerated distribution from major whale wallets. On-chain metrics indicate that large holders, defined as those controlling 1 million XRP or more, began unwinding their positions in late November, marking one of the steepest single-week reductions of 2025. This selling pressure has been compounded by a sustained downward drift in the Accumulation/Distribution (A/D) line, a key indicator of informed participant behavior, which now sits near 8.14 billion—a multi-month low. Santiment analysts attribute the phenomenon to a "changing whale composition," with remaining large investors prioritizing long-term accumulation over immediate liquidity.

The implications for XRP's price trajectory are evident in technical indicators. After failing to breach the $2.30–$2.35 resistance zone, the asset has entered a bearish consolidation phase, with sellers maintaining control as it retests the lower bounds of its multi-week trading channel. The 6% drop has brought XRP back to the $2.20 level, a critical threshold that could determine near-term directionality. Analysts warn that without a sustained rebound above $2.30, the asset remains vulnerable to further declines, with the $1.90 psychological support level representing a potential floor for stabilizing demand.

Market observers note that the current dynamics reflect a broader distribution trend that began months ago, with whale activity intensifying after a period of gradual unwinding from September. The acceleration in late November has amplified liquidity pressures, as holdings fell from 70 billion XRP to 57 billion in the most recent data snapshot. This influx of tokens into the market has created a self-reinforcing cycle, where increased supply exerts downward pressure on price, prompting further selling from whale cohorts.

While the immediate outlook remains bearish, Santiment's analysis highlights the potential for renewed buying interest at key support levels, should fundamental demand materialize. The interplay between whale behavior and technical indicators underscores the delicate balance between distribution and accumulation in the XRP ecosystem, with the next few weeks likely to determine whether the asset can stabilize or face deeper corrections.