Ripple conducted its first scheduled token release of the year, releasing 1 billion XRP (approximately $1.84 billion) from escrow on January 1, 2026. While the release was scheduled to occur on a previously announced monthly schedule, a false note attached to the transaction sparked controversy within the XRP community.
At midnight on January 1st, 1 billion XRP were released through three escrow transactions. According to on-chain data, 300 million and 200 million XRP were transferred to the "Ripple (28)" wallet, and 500 million XRP were transferred to the "Ripple (9)" wallet. Immediately following the release, these amounts remained in the wallets without further movement, and both wallets currently hold a balance of approximately 1 billion XRP, including the previously released portion.
The controversy began with a note attached to the transaction. The message claimed Ripple had sold over $8 billion worth of XRP in 2025 to fund corporate acquisitions, with plans for a larger sale in 2026. It also mentioned a focus on the growth of the RLUSD stablecoin, adding cynical language toward long-term holders, sparking a backlash from the community.
However, this note was confirmed to not be an official message written by Ripple. Anyone can initiate an unlock from the XRP escrow at a preset time, and the executing wallet can attach any note. This structure means Ripple has no control over who initiates the unlock or what message is included.
Initially, some investors misinterpreted the memo as Ripple's official position, sparking widespread criticism on social media. Blockchain experts pointed out that this case demonstrates how misinformation can quickly spread when on-chain data is interpreted without context.
Meanwhile, Ripple has historically redeposited a significant portion of the XRP released each month into escrow. In December 2025, approximately 70% of the released XRP was redeposited, with only a portion actually used to provide liquidity. As of now, there is no confirmation of an immediate redeposit for the portion released in January.
This escrow release coincides with ongoing discussions in the US Congress regarding digital asset regulations. Market analysts predict that clarity in the regulatory environment could impact Ripple's future liquidity management and redeposit decisions.
