Ripple’s 1 Billion XRP Unlock Isn’t the Full Supply Story

Kamilah Stevenson, a wealth-focused crypto commentator, argued that Ripple’s latest monthly escrow release is being misread by investors who focus only on the headline figure: 1 billion XRP unlocked.

In her latest video, Stevenson said Ripple subsequently returned 700 million XRP to escrow, leaving roughly 300 million XRP available for business use, partnerships, or sales rather than placing the full amount directly into the market.

The distinction matters because XRP escrow events routinely trigger concerns that Ripple is adding heavy XRP selling pressure. Stevenson’s central claim is that wallet movements and escrow releases should not automatically be treated as exchange sales.

A Predictable Monthly Release, Followed By a Re-lock

Ripple placed roughly 55 billion XRP into time-locked escrow contracts at the end of 2017, according to Stevenson. Those contracts were designed to release XRP on a visible schedule, generally with up to 1 billion XRP becoming available at the start of each month.

Under the pattern she described, Ripple uses a portion of the released XRP for operational needs, partnerships and sales, then places most of the remainder into a new escrow contract scheduled near the back of the release queue. The process is recorded on the XRP Ledger, allowing market participants to monitor releases and relocks on-chain.

Dr. Stevenson compared the system to a public-company lockup period, though she said XRP’s arrangement is more transparent because the restrictions are enforced by ledger-based contracts rather than solely by legal agreements. “The supply schedule here is not a promise in a document,” she said. “It is in fact on the public chain.”

Why 300 Million XRP May Matter More Than 1 Billion

The video framed the latest cycle as a routine event rather than a sudden supply shock. Stevenson said the estimated 300 million XRP not relocked should be viewed against approximately 59 billion XRP already in circulation, while stressing that the market has seen similar monthly events for years.

Her argument rests on an important caveat: XRP moved between Ripple-controlled wallets would not necessarily affect market pricing unless it reaches exchanges and is sold. She said a materially larger release, a failure to relock the usual remainder, or on-chain transfers directly to CEXs would be more significant than the standard monthly unlock.

For investors, the practical takeaway is to separate escrow availability from actual selling activity. Ripple’s monthly unlocks remain a known source of potential supply, but the relevant market question is how much XRP is retained, relocked, transferred to counterparties, or ultimately sold into liquid markets.

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