XRP Whale Wallets Hit a 2026 High as Price Holds Near $1.18 — What the Santiment Data Shows

The number of XRP wallets holding at least 1 million tokens has climbed to 2,147, the highest level of 2026. The data, from blockchain analytics firm Santiment and reported by CoinDesk in its live market coverage, shows large holders building positions even while XRP's price trades under pressure — a split between price and positioning that is worth understanding properly.

XRP closed November 6 at about $1.18, down 2.7% on the day, after trading between $1.17 and $1.22. Bitcoin ended the same UTC day at $75,736, down 0.5%, and Ether at $2,235, down 0.1% — so XRP underperformed the two majors on a day when half the top 50 crypto assets still rose.

The whale numbers in detail

Santiment's count is specific, and the pace matters as much as the total:

• 2,147 wallets now hold at least 1 million XRP — a 2026 high
• +28 wallets added over the past 10 days
• +18 of those added in just the past three days
• Santiment flagged $1.20 to $1.25 as the key price range to watch
• $1.30 and $1.40 were named as potential recovery levels if momentum returns

One caution belongs right next to those numbers: Santiment tracks wallet addresses, not individual investors. One holder can control many wallets, and an exchange or custodian wallet can represent thousands of customers. A rising whale-wallet count is a signal about on-chain positioning, not proof that 2,147 separate wealthy investors are buying.

Why would large wallets grow while the price falls?

There are three ordinary explanations, and none of them require a conspiracy.

First, accumulation on weakness. Long-term holders who already decided XRP belongs in their portfolio often add during drawdowns rather than rallies, because the same budget buys more tokens. XRP is down sharply from its 2025 highs alongside the rest of the market, so position-building at lower prices is rational for anyone with a multi-year horizon.

Second, wallet restructuring. A holder splitting funds across new addresses — for security, for separate business purposes, or when moving between custodians — can raise the count of large wallets without any new money entering XRP at all.

Third, exchange and service wallets. When trading volume rises during volatile weeks, custodial wallets can cross the 1 million threshold as customer balances are consolidated. That is plumbing, not conviction.

The honest reading is the middle one: the growth is consistent with accumulation, it happened quickly (18 wallets in three days), and it happened while price was falling — but on-chain wallet counts alone cannot prove who is behind the wallets or why they grew. Anyone presenting this data as a guaranteed price signal is going further than the data allows. For a calmer way to build any crypto position through volatile periods, our guide to dollar-cost averaging in crypto explains the research behind spreading purchases over time.

The price picture around XRP

XRP's short-term chart is still fragile. It lost 5.4% over the week covered by the November 6 close, underperforming Solana, which rose 0.5% on the day to about $90.02, and it sits below the $1.20–$1.25 zone Santiment highlighted. In crypto markets, a level that acted as support on the way down often becomes resistance on the way back up, which is why reclaiming that band matters more than any single green candle.

The broader market context is not helping yet. Bitcoin is holding near $76,000 after a selloff that erased its post-election rebound, US spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded about $430 million in net outflows on Thursday followed by about $412 million on Friday, and risk appetite is still repairing. Altcoins rarely sustain independent rallies while Bitcoin ETF flows are negative — capital usually returns to Bitcoin first, then rotates outward. Our explainer on how crypto ETFs work covers why those daily flow numbers move the whole market, not just Bitcoin.

What to watch next

For XRP specifically, the checklist is short and observable:

• Does the whale-wallet count keep rising, stall, or reverse? A one-week rise is a data point; a month-long trend is a pattern.
• Can XRP reclaim $1.20–$1.25 and hold it on daily closes, rather than intraday spikes?
• Do Bitcoin ETF flows turn positive again? Sustained inflows would lift the whole altcoin complex.
• Does XRP hold above $1.17, the low of the November 6 range, on any further Bitcoin weakness?

Follow the running discussion with other traders on the Zimbuck News page and in the Zimbuck Market News group, where on-chain stories like this one are debated as the data updates.

FAQ

How many XRP wallets hold at least 1 million tokens? 2,147, according to Santiment — the highest count of 2026, up 28 in 10 days and 18 in the last three days alone.

Does a rising whale count mean the XRP price will rise? No. It is consistent with accumulation, but wallets are not people, and custodial or restructuring activity can raise the count without new buying. Treat it as one signal among several.

What price levels did Santiment flag for XRP? $1.20 to $1.25 as the key range to watch, with $1.30 and $1.40 as potential recovery levels.

What was XRP's price at the November 6 close? About $1.18, down 2.7% on the day, in a $1.17–$1.22 range.

This article is market news and general information only, not financial advice. Join the conversation on Zimbuck — the finance social platform for traders and investors.