The XRP Ledger blockchain is undergoing a significant transformation, removing the Ripple brand from its codebase while on-chain data reveals that whale investors now control over 74% of the total XRP supply. These dual developments highlight both the network’s push for decentralization and deep-pocketed investors’ unwavering confidence in the asset.
XRPL Foundation rebrands core daemon
The XRPL Foundation has announced a crucial technical update that renames the main program used to launch the network from “ripple daemon” to “xrpl daemon.” This move aims to definitively separate the independent public ledger from the commercial entity Ripple, addressing years of confusion among users, courts, and regulators. The Foundation believes the complete removal of the corporate name from the code will serve as a strong argument for decentralization in legal contexts, such as the ongoing case with the US SEC, and could encourage third-party developers to join the project. Beyond branding, the updated daemon also consumes 30–40% less RAM, which should lead to noticeably faster network performance.
Whale accumulation hits all-time high
Simultaneously, on-chain analytics platform Santiment reports that wallets holding at least one million XRP now command a record 74.1% of the total supply. These millionaire addresses have accumulated an additional 1.53 billion XRP over the past six months, steadily increasing their dominance from approximately 73.7%. While the percentage rise seems modest, the sheer volume of coins absorbed demonstrates a long-term investment strategy rather than speculative trading. Santiment analysts attribute this whale confidence to Ripple’s expanding institutional payment corridors, active tokenization projects on the XRP Ledger, and improving market sentiment following the resolution of geopolitical tensions.
Market reaction
XRP’s price surged 13% in a single day, reclaiming the $1.28 level for the first time in two weeks. The broader crypto market also reacted positively to reports of a settlement in the Middle East conflict, which eased risk-off fears. However, it is the sustained whale accumulation that is drawing the most attention from traders monitoring XRP’s long-term prospects.
