Is This Why XRP Crashed? $175 Million Moved to Exchanges
A series of XRP transfers totaling $175 million by Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen has triggered intense controversy, with some in the crypto community alleging market manipulation as XRP’s price dropped from $3.55 to $3.09, a 10% decline in the last 24 hours.
The transfers, which were done between July 17 and July 23, 2025, have ignited speculation on their impact, with neither Ripple nor Larsen giving any official response to quell controversy.
XRP’s Price Dip Tied to Larsen’s Exchange Transfers
On-chain analyst ZachXBT disclosed that Larsen transferred 50 million XRP, valued at approximately $175 million, to four addresses between July 17 and July 23, 2025.
Approximately $140 million of this was sent to centralized exchanges, a move often interpreted as a precursor to a sell-off. The moves came as the crypto hit an all-time high of $3.60 on July 18, 2025, after dropping to $3.09 by July 24, 2025, according to real-time market data.
XRP price chart (Source: CoinMarketCap)
Additional reports confirm Larsen has moved over $344 million in XRP since January 2025, including an $8 million transfer, approximately 2.46 million coins, to Coinbase on July 15 and 16, 2025, while XRP was trading at $3.25.
Larsen holds an estimated 2.6 billion Ripple coins, worth approximately $8.03 billion at the current price of $3.09.
The timing of the transfers, near the crypto’s recent peak, has led to speculation that they contributed to the 10% price decline from $3.55 to $3.09. However, the general market factors, including Bitcoin’s volatility, also influenced the downturn.
While some believe the transfers are efforts to decentralize holdings, others argue they created selling pressure, causing increased scrutiny of Larsen’s actions.
Silence from Ripple Fuels Debate Over Larsen’s Sales
The crypto community remains divided. While some community members show frustrations, claiming “Chad for dumping on his autistic fan base,” accusing Larsen of taking advantage of retail investors, others defend him and argue the transfers are in line with Ripple’s goal of reducing XRP centralization.
As of July 24, 2025, neither Larsen nor Ripple has commented on the transactions, as the company continues to focus on partnerships and scam alerts, avoiding the issue.
XRP’s price has shown volatility, reaching a 1-month high of $3.56 on July 22, 2025, and reaching a low of $2.99 earlier today before settling at $3.09.
With a market capitalization of approximately $183 billion, the crypto retains a strong market presence. Analysts suggest XRP could approach its 2018 all-time high of $3.84 if market conditions improve, though the recent decline has tempered short-term optimism.
Ripple Faces Trust Test as XRP Eyes Recovery
The controversy shows the lingering concerns about transparency and insider activity in the cryptocurrency market.
Without statements from Larsen or Ripple, questions remain about whether the transfers were strategic or opportunistic.
Ripple’s ecosystem shows signs of strength, with recent XRP Futures launches and ETF filings indicating institutional interest, which could support price stabilization. However, additional transfers by Larsen could sustain market volatility.
