More than 6 billion XRP entered exchanges tracked by CryptoQuant over the 30 days through Oct. 19, marking the token’s highest rolling monthly inflow since March. The surge comes as large-holder activity declines sharply and XRP’s recent trading range points to more cautious market participation.
Exchange deposits accelerate
CryptoQuant recorded 6.05 billion XRP in exchange inflows during the period, roughly twice the level seen in mid-August. Exchange inflows measure tokens moved to trading platforms from other wallets. Such transfers can be associated with greater liquidity or trading activity, although the data alone does not establish whether investors intend to sell.
XRP rose from approximately $1 to a peak of $1.70 during the period covered by the analysis before retreating to levels near $1.30. CryptoQuant said the increase in exchange-bound transfers could reflect more activity on exchanges or movement between personal wallets and trading platforms.
The data was highlighted in reporting by Cointelegraph, which also cited CryptoQuant’s assessment that XRP is receiving less attention from large-volume investors. Analysts suggested that whales may be waiting for more favorable prices before adding to their positions.
Whale outflows fall sharply
The decline in whale activity is particularly visible in CryptoQuant’s 90-day moving average of whale exchange outflows. The measure reached $3.5 billion in February 2025, shortly after XRP reached an all-time high of $3.40. It has since fallen 98.6% to $49.7 million, its lowest level since October 2021.
Whale outflows track large amounts of tokens leaving exchanges, where assets are generally more readily available for trading. CryptoQuant said the subdued reading could mean XRP lacks buying volume from large holders, while also noting that the token has shown notable resilience during the 2026 crypto bear market.
A separate measure, the realized profit/loss ratio, fell 41% in October. The decline is consistent with a return to rangebound trading conditions, in which prices move within a relatively limited band rather than sustaining a clear directional trend.
Bitcoin data points to quieter trading
The broader crypto market has also shown signs of reduced investor activity. Bitcoin traded between $80,000 and $87,000 in October, according to the source material. In its latest Market Pulse bulletin, Glassnode said Bitcoin’s realized profit/loss ratio fell from 0.8 to 0.4 over one week, a 50% decline.
Glassnode interpreted the change as a cooling in profit-taking relative to loss realization, describing market sentiment as more subdued and aggressive spending by participants as diminished.
Current market picture
Moneyiar market data at 11:04 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2026, showed XRP at $1.356869132, up 4.93% over 24 hours but down 0.99% over seven days. Quant was priced at $199.0204845961, up 2.8% in 24 hours and down 4.62% over seven days. Ethereum Name Service stood at $5.683755084, with a 24-hour gain of 5.06% and a seven-day decline of 4.63%. OriginTrail was $0.4034294384, up 5.82% over 24 hours and down 10.49% over seven days.
