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XRP Price Under $1.60 Post Ripple’s 1B XRP Escrow Unlock
XRP took a quick dip below $1.60 right after Ripple’s scheduled February 2026 release of 1 billion tokens from escrow. As of February 3, 2026, XRP sits around $1.59 to $1.62, showing the broader crypto market pullback playing a bigger role than the unlock itself. Many everyday investors wonder: Is this just routine noise, or something more serious? Let’s break it down simply.
What Exactly Happened with Ripple’s Escrow Unlock?
On February 1, 2026, Ripple’s smart contracts automatically released 1 billion XRP as part of the monthly plan started back in 2017. These tokens were worth roughly $1.6 billion at the time. But Ripple didn’t just let them all hit the open market—reports show about 700 million got sent right back into new longer-term escrows, leaving a net increase of around 300 million XRP in circulation.
This monthly rhythm keeps things predictable: big headline number, but small real impact most months.
Why Did XRP Price Drop Below $1.60?
The drop wasn’t caused by the unlock alone. Crypto markets were already shaky in early February 2026, with many coins sliding. XRP had already lost ground in late January, so the unlock landed during a weak moment. Some traders sell ahead of these events out of habit, even though history shows limited lasting damage.
Past unlocks in 2025 often caused short dips followed by recovery when the bigger market mood improved. This February slide of 5-6% fits that pattern more than a panic sell-off.
XRP Must Hold This Level To Avoid Transition To Macro Bear Structure
How Does Ripple’s Escrow System Actually Work?
Picture escrow like a bank time-deposit with strict rules. In 2017, Ripple locked 55 billion XRP (over half the total supply) into on-chain contracts that release up to 1 billion each month. This setup was designed to avoid sudden floods of tokens and give everyone confidence in predictable supply.
Each month:
- The contract auto-unlocks 1 billion XRP.
- Ripple uses a portion for real business needs (like partnerships or liquidity).
- Most (often 70-80%) gets re-locked into fresh escrows for later dates.
This keeps the circulating supply growing slowly and steadily, which appeals to big institutions that hate wild surprises.
What Could Happen to XRP Price Next?
Right now, XRP is testing support near $1.50-$1.60. If it holds, a bounce could follow once market fear eases. Longer term, bigger factors matter more: clearer regulations, Ripple’s payment partnerships growing, and overall crypto adoption.
Monthly unlocks will keep happening, but they’ve become background noise since most tokens cycle back into lockup. History from 2025 onward shows these events rarely derail the long-term trend when the market turns positive.
For regular holders: Treat these as scheduled calendar items, not red alerts. Keep an eye on the real drivers like XRP’s use in fast, cheap cross-border transfers.
The February 2026 unlock was business as usual for Ripple—transparent, controlled, and mostly recycled. While it contributed to the dip under $1.60 during tough market conditions, these moments have passed before without changing XRP’s bigger story. Stay calm, stay informed, and watch the fundamentals over monthly headlines.
