XRP Surges 13% as Whale Accumulation Meets Relief Rally After Geopolitical Calm Returns
According to leading on-chain analytics firm Santiment, XRP has delivered one of its strongest rebounds in recent weeks, highlighting a growing divide between retail investors and large holders.
After weeks of bearish sentiment and declining prices, XRP surged more than 13% within 24 hours, briefly reclaiming the $1.28 level for the first time in 2 weeks before retracing toward the $1.18 zone, according to CoinCodex data.
The rally came as cryptocurrency markets responded positively to reports that tensions between the United States and Iran had eased. The resolution of a major geopolitical flashpoint helped restore confidence across risk assets, triggering broad-based buying activity throughout the crypto market. XRP was among the biggest beneficiaries of the shift in sentiment.
What makes the recovery particularly noteworthy is that it emerged at a time when market sentiment toward XRP had fallen to some of its lowest levels of 2026. Following weeks of weakness, many retail traders had grown increasingly pessimistic, with fear-driven selling accelerating as prices declined.
However, history has repeatedly shown that periods of extreme bearishness often create the conditions for powerful relief rallies once uncertainty begins to fade.
XRP Whales Added 1.53 Billion Coins as Retail Investors Sold in Fear
Behind the scenes, XRP’s largest holders were telling a very different story. Santiment’s on-chain data reveals that wallets holding at least one million XRP now control approximately 74.1% of the asset’s total supply.
More importantly, these whale wallets accumulated an additional 1.53 billion XRP over the past six months, steadily increasing their exposure despite market volatility and negative sentiment.
What does this trend suggest? Well, while many retail investors were selling the dip, large holders were quietly accumulating. Such behavior is often viewed as a sign of long-term conviction, particularly when accumulation continues during periods of widespread fear and uncertainty.
Beyond whale activity, investors remain focused on the broader fundamentals supporting XRP.
Ripple’s expanding institutional payments network continues to strengthen its presence in cross-border finance, while tokenization initiatives on the XRP Ledger are attracting growing attention from enterprises exploring blockchain-based asset issuance.
These developments have helped maintain confidence in XRP’s long-term prospects even as short-term price action remained under pressure.
What’s next? Well, XRP’s latest rebound appears to be more than just a reaction to improving geopolitical conditions. It reflects months of strategic accumulation by major holders who remained confident while retail sentiment deteriorated as the support level of $1 continues to hold.
