Ripple Unlocks 1 Billion XRP From Escrow on April 1

Ripple releases one billion XRP on April 1

Ripple, the US company behind the XRP digital asset, will release one billion XRP tokens from escrow on 1 April 2026. Escrow is a cryptographically secured contract that locks tokens and releases them on a fixed schedule. Ripple has run this monthly release program since late 2017, when the company locked 55 billion XRP into escrow to limit its ability to sell freely.

Most released tokens return to escrow

Ripple does not sell all released tokens. In March 2026, the company re-locked 700 million of the one billion released tokens into new escrow contracts. In January and February 2026, Ripple re-locked approximately 700 million tokens each month. The re-lock rate across recent months sits between 60% and 80%. The net addition to circulating supply — the total number of XRP available for trading — is therefore roughly 200 to 300 million tokens per release.

"the escrow actually restricts the company's power to sell", 01 January 2026. — David Schwartz, Chief Technology Officer, Ripple

Release value near 1.3 billion dollars

XRP traded at approximately $1.37 per token as of 25 March 2026, placing the total unlock value near $1.37 billion. The token recorded a 3.2% decline over 24 hours and a 5% decline over the prior week. The April 1 release is the fourth monthly escrow unlock Ripple has executed in 2026.

Escrow program limits open-market selling

The escrow mechanism was established in late 2017 to address concerns about Ripple's control over XRP supply. Ripple originally locked 55 billion XRP in the program. Because Ripple re-locks the majority of each monthly release, the actual increase in tradeable supply remains smaller than the headline one billion figure.