XRP “Millionaire” Wallets Increase Despite Mild Price Decline: Insights from Santiment

The number of XRP wallets holding more than 1 million tokens has been increasing steadily this year, despite a slight decline in the token’s price. Analysts interpret this trend as a sign of growing long-term confidence in the asset.

Key Takeaways:

The rise in XRP "millionaire" wallets indicates renewed long-term confidence among significant holders, even amid a small price drop.
After a sharp decline in the fourth quarter of last year, whale accumulation has picked up, with 42 large wallets returning since January.
On-chain data shows increasing interest from "smart money" investors.

According to Santiment, XRP’s price has decreased roughly 4% since the start of 2026, yet the number of “millionaire” wallets has started to rise again after months of decline.

In a post shared on Wednesday, Santiment noted that this is the first consistent increase in large XRP holders since September.

XRP “Millionaire” Wallets Increase Despite Mild Price Decline: Insights from Santiment

XRP Whale Wallets Make a Comeback Following Q4 Exodus

Large-holder behavior is closely monitored by traders, who often interpret accumulation by wealthy wallets as a positive signal indicating long-term conviction.

Santiment reported that 42 additional wallets, each holding more than 1 million XRP, have "returned to the ledger" since January 1.

This follows a dramatic drop in the previous quarter, during which 784 millionaire wallets vanished between October and December, making the recent resurgence notably significant.

Currently, joining the XRP millionaire club requires a substantial investment. With XRP trading around $1.87 at the time of publication, an investment of 1 million tokens equates to approximately $1.87 million, according to CoinMarketCap.

Santiment described this renewed accumulation as "an encouraging sign for the long term," especially in light of the cautious tone prevailing in the broader market.

Other metrics also support this view. Data from Nansen indicates that “smart money” traders—wallets tied to the most consistently profitable market participants—have ramped up their XRP accumulation by 11.55% over the last 30 days.

Despite these positive indicators, analysts continue to have mixed opinions about XRP’s short-term prospects.

Crypto trader CW stated in a post on X that XRP seems close to clearing a significant selling wall. He argued that ongoing net buying could drive the price up to $2.30, provided it can overcome the existing resistance.

According to CoinMarketCap, XRP is up approximately 1.3% over the past month.

Building Case for XRP Breakout Amid Regulatory Concerns

Looking at the broader picture, asset manager 21Shares pointed out XRP’s tendency for long consolidation periods followed by sharp price breakouts. They suggested that enhanced regulatory clarity and institutional interest could position the network well for further gains.

However, some experts advise caution. Swyftx lead analyst Pav Hundal highlighted potential risks, noting that XRP's upward movement may overly rely on market narratives. He emphasized that any unexpected developments regarding the US CLARITY Act voting process could pressure prices in the short term.

Beyond XRP, market indicators indicate a tough landscape for altcoins. The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index shows Bitcoin with a score of 31 out of 100, indicating that Bitcoin has outperformed most major altcoins in the last 90 days.

Furthermore, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index reported a “Fear” score of 26 on Thursday, reflecting ongoing investor caution within the digital asset market.