XRP Whales Buy 70M Tokens as Reserves Hit Low Since February

XRP whales accumulate 70 million amid falling exchange reserves

XRP whales added roughly 70 million tokens over the past week as the market reclaimed levels above $1.11 and Binance’s on-exchange reserves dropped to the lowest reading since February. On-chain analytics and market indicators point to growing buying pressure, tighter price structure and concentrated derivatives liquidity around the current price — all factors traders will be watching closely.

Whale accumulation and social sentiment

Data shared by Santiment and highlighted by crypto analyst Ali Martinez on July 16 shows wallets holding between 1 million and 10 million XRP increased their combined balance to nearly 3.83 billion tokens. That accumulation happened even as macro and regional geopolitical noise, including tensions between the US and Iran, created intermittent volatility.

Santiment’s social metrics showed that bullish commentary outpaced bearish posts by a wide margin, delivering one of the strongest fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) signals for XRP among the assets the platform monitors. The elevated positive-to-negative commentary ratio has coincided with renewed interest from larger holders and retail participants alike.

Exchange reserves and Binance airdrop

While whales were accumulating, exchange balances moved lower. CryptoQuant figures indicated Binance held about 2.61 billion XRP, its smallest reserve level since February. A reduction in exchange reserves often suggests outflows to private wallets, custody providers, or staking and custody services — a dynamic that can reduce available selling pressure on the spot market.

Adding to activity around Binance, the exchange announced an $800,000 XRP airdrop for users holding Ripple USD (RLUSD). The promotion, running July 17 through Aug. 14, will distribute XRP weekly to qualifying participants across Binance Earn, Margin and Futures products as Binance pushes RLUSD adoption.

Technical landscape: triangle resistance and momentum

XRP traded near $1.11 at the time of reporting after a rebound above recent lows, gaining more than 5% from the dip near $1.05. Spot trading volume, however, declined by more than 15% during the rebound, suggesting the move was driven more by concentrated buying than broad-based retail participation.

On the 4-hour Binance chart, XRP is testing the upper boundary of a symmetrical triangle after forming a series of lower highs and higher lows since mid-June. The descending trendline sits close to $1.12 while rising support is around $1.06–$1.08, creating a tightening price range that often precedes a directional breakout.

XRP price 4-hour chart — July 16

Momentum indicators and near-term targets

Capital flow metrics point to net buying: the 4-hour Chaikin Money Flow reads about 0.26, signaling inflows to XRP. Some indicators remain mixed — the Aroon Up is at 0% while Aroon Down is 57.14% — showing limited trend conviction on the short-term timeframe.

Daily indicators show improving momentum but not a confirmed reversal. The MACD histogram has turned positive, though the MACD line remains below zero. The RSI sits near a neutral 49, meaning there is room for a move in either direction.

XRP price daily chart — July 16 

Fibonacci retracements place immediate resistance at $1.124, with the next major barrier near $1.215. A clean breakout above $1.124 and the descending trendline would likely propel XRP toward $1.15 and then $1.20. Conversely, failure to hold the $1.09–$1.10 support band could expose the triangle’s rising support near $1.06.

Derivatives picture: open interest and liquidation clusters

Derivatives flows are signaling increased engagement: CoinGlass tracked XRP futures open interest near $2.50 billion after a 2.65% 24-hour rise. Both CME and Binance posted modest increases in open interest, indicating traders added exposure as price recovered.

XRP liquidation heatmap 

The 24-hour liquidation heatmap shows the densest nearby liquidity between $1.117 and $1.13, just above the market. Additional leveraged positions cluster near $1.14, making that area a focal point if XRP clears the descending trendline. Below the market, there is notable liquidity around $1.09–$1.10; if that zone fails, the rising support toward $1.06 becomes vulnerable.

What traders should watch

• Break and hold above $1.124–$1.13: could trigger short squeezes and test $1.20.
• Failure to defend $1.09–$1.10: may open a retest of $1.06–$1.05.
• Exchange reserve trends: continued outflows from Binance could reduce sell-side liquidity and support price stability.
• Futures open interest and liquidation clusters: concentrated leverage near current prices could amplify intraday moves.

Overall, continued whale accumulation, falling exchange reserves and improving sentiment have combined to tighten XRP’s technical structure. Traders should monitor breakout confirmation, derivatives liquidity and broader macro cues — including US inflation and policy expectations — that can shift risk appetite across crypto markets.