Long-Term XRP Holders Are Taking Profits – Will Price Tank?

XRP is facing renewed selling pressure as long-term holders accelerate profit-taking, a shift that has added momentum to the token’s recent price decline.

Glassnode data indicates that these early cohorts are now realizing gains at a pace that eclipses previous cycles, even as the market weakens.

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XRP Long-Term Holders Sell Into Weakness

According to the data, XRP traders who accumulated the token below $1 ahead of its late-2024 surge have begun unwinding positions at an unusual scale.

Glassnode reports that profit-realization activity has increased by 240% since September, rising from approximately $65 million per day to nearly $220 million.

This increase has unfolded as XRP’s price retreated from its September high of $3.09 to roughly $2.30 at the time of writing. It marks a clear break from the historical pattern in which selling typically accompanied strength.

That divergence signals that long-term investors are not exiting to lock in rally-driven upside. Instead, they are selling into weakness to preserve capital as sentiment deteriorates.

Glassnode noted that this pattern reflects “distribution into weakness,” a dynamic that suggests fading confidence in XRP’s near-term upside.

Most recent buyers are now underwater, while earlier entrants—particularly those from the sub-$1 accumulation phase—remain firmly in profit as they trim their holdings.

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XRP Fundamentals Remain Strong

Despite the current slowdown in the XRP price, the fundamentals surrounding the digital asset remain strong.

Ripple’s multi-year legal battle with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ended in a settlement after several favorable court rulings. The outcome prompted a sharp increase in accumulation.

That legal clarity directly fueled bullish momentum, positioning XRP for its strongest run in years.

At the same time, recent developments at Ripple are reinforcing the asset’s longer-term outlook.

The company’s $500 million fundraise, combined with several strategic acquisitions, is positioning Ripple to deepen its product ecosystem and broaden its global reach.

These moves are widely viewed as supportive of XRP’s market fundamentals because they expand the infrastructure that relies on or complements the token.

Meanwhile, ETF-related developments added an additional layer of optimism. XRP remains one of the largest cryptocurrencies without spot ETF products in the US.

However, the digital asset has numerous applications from several asset managers awaiting approval from the US financial regulator.

Market observers argue that an approval could help stabilize sentiment. They add that it could also reverse the current downtrend, given the scale of institutional flows that typically accompany such launches.