Ripple Whales Bought an Additional 160 Million $XRP Over the Weekend

Whales are making waves in the crypto market and it’s looking like a big bull run ahead. In early December 2024, whale activity was up across several altcoins, especially those tied to enterprise and government use cases, with XRP and HBAR being the top picks. ADA also saw a nice price bump during this time. With the recent whale activity, everyone is wondering about the XRP price after whale buy and how this will shape the market. What does this mean for retail investors? How will the market change after Trump is in office? And which coins should you watch? Let’s dive in.

December 2024 started with significant whale buying across several altcoins, especially XRP, and the price went up and market is getting more confident. This means big investors are preparing for future gains which will impact the market trends moving forward due to increased buying pressure. Also XRP is in a consolidation phase which could be before a big breakout if market conditions remain favorable.

The Santiment chart’s shaded area is the total number of XRP tokens held by wallets classified as ‘large holders (1,000,000 to 10,000,000 XRP). A spike in this value means increased asset accumulation usually done through strategic buying or asset transfer which reduces the circulating supply and impacts liquidity.

As of December 10, 2024, Ripple whales accumulated 160 million XRP over the fall, worth around $380 million, and the price is up 430% and hit 2018 highs. The rally started in early November after the US election and the renewed investor confidence and growing institutional adoption and clarity on XRP regulation. Tokens tied to US based companies like XRP got more interest from institutional and retail investors.

The crypto community is getting more optimistic that Ripple will settle its ongoing SEC lawsuit. As the market conditions change, investors are hoping a Trump administration will mean a good outcome for the company and its lawsuit with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Hedera (HBAR)

No surprise other altcoins also saw significant whale buying activity during the same time. Hedera in particular saw accumulation from both small and large holders, signaling growing confidence in its enterprise and government-use case.

The chart above shows various Hedera accounts holding 1,000+, 10,000+, 100,000+ tokens and more. The consistent upward trend across all account categories means steady accumulation since early October, likely in anticipation of a bullish market. This could be due to expectations of a bullish market, likely fueled by growing enterprise adoption of Hedera’s network and interest in its energy-efficient consensus mechanisms for government use cases.

This accumulation matches HBAR’s price up 47% to a 7 month high of $0.253. At the same time, trading volume went up 323% to around $3.46 billion, meaning strong market interest and increased buying activity.

Cardano (ADA)

The chart above shows various ADA whale accounts holding 100,000,000 to 1,000,000,000 tokens. A slight dip in mid-November means possible profit taking but overall upward trend in holdings matches ADA’s price rally during this period, so whale activity is impacting the market.

This is also reflected in the price rally from mid-November 2024 when Ada went from around $0.60 to a peak of $1.40 in early December—a 130% gain. The rally coincided with increased market activity as trading volume went up during this period.

What do Whale Movements Mean for Retail Investors

Whale activities—accumulating, selling or transferring assets—can impact the market. For example, large inflows to exchanges mean selling pressure, while withdrawals mean long-term holding. Además, el market cap of a cryptocurrency can influence growth and investment opportunities. These movements often indicate changes in market confidence, strategic accumulation or preparation for broader trends, affecting both retail and institutional investors. Large inflows to exchanges mean selling pressure, while withdrawals mean long-term holding. Whales also accumulate during market dips, potentially meaning long-term value. Monitoring these activities can help identify underlying market signals, such as regulatory or technological changes and supply and liquidity, to make more informed trading decisions and increase the chances of catching up trends.

The CryptoQuant chart of XRP Ledger Whale Inflows to exchanges shows increased activity which means whales are selling. This is especially true as these inflows often coincide with price rallies, meaning whales are looking to sell at higher prices. Además, el Relative Strength Index (RSI) is above 50% which means positive behavior in the future. Data also shows XRP whale activity—measuring large wallet funds moving to and from exchanges—remained high throughout November, multiple times higher than any previous period.

So, are whales going to take profits after Trump’s win? Most likely yes. But a broader market analysis and more data is needed to confirm this trend. If whales are selling, it will lead to more volatility and short term price drops especially for assets with concentrated holdings. Retail investors should monitor whale activity closely and consider implementing risk management strategies like stop-loss or diversification to navigate price fluctuations and use the support levels for XRP between $2.17 and $2.18.

Not Investment Advice!

Trading, investing and buying crypto involves risks. This is educational information only. Do your own research, consider your situation and goals and consult with investment professionals before making any decisions.