Ripple Defends XRP Sales Amid Growing Investor Criticism

Ripple, one of the major players in the crypto sector, is once again in the spotlight. While the company is regularly criticized for its management of the XRP supply, its Chief Technology Officer, David Schwartz, made comments that are sure to fuel the debate. According to him, Ripple has every right to act in its own interest through the sale of XRP tokens, a statement that grates on the nerves of the community. This statement comes as new elements reinforce the concerns surrounding the distribution of XRP. A dormant wallet containing over $7 billion in XRP has been identified, and some massive transfers have been spotted in the markets. Between legitimate financial strategy and market manipulation, the question of the impact of Ripple’s sales on the price of XRP is more urgent than ever.

Ripple Defends Its XRP Sales

In a straightforward statement, David Schwartz asserted that “Ripple can, wants, and must act in its own interest,” thus defending the legitimacy of the company’s XRP sales. This response follows criticisms from Pierre Rochard, Vice President of Riot Platforms, who accuses Ripple of taking advantage of the situation to offload its reserves without consideration for investors. Indeed, “XRP is not a security, as Ripple owes you no utility nor any benefit,” indicates the latter on platform X (formerly Twitter) on March 4, 2025.

Far from easing tensions, this stance has reignited the debate over the relationship between Ripple and the XRP market. For years, questions have persisted about the true independence of the token from the company that created it. Some observers believe that the firm is exploiting its position to manipulate supply and demand, while others view these sales as a classic financing mechanism used by many companies.

A Dormant Wallet Resurfaces and Fuels Speculations

Alongside these statements, a strange element has caught the community’s attention. A wallet inactive for six years, linked to Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple, reportedly holds over 2.7 billion XRP, equivalent to $7.18 billion. Even more concerning, recent transactions indicate that at least $109 million in XRP was sent to exchanges in January 2025.

While some believe that Larsen may have lost access to this wallet, others do not rule out the possibility of strategic sales behind the scenes. This discovery coincided with a temporary surge in XRP, which reached $2.99 following the announcement of a national crypto reserve project in the United States that includes XRP, alongside Bitcoin, Solana, and Cardano. However, this momentum was short-lived, as the price quickly fell back to $2.50, raising doubts about the robustness of the upward trend.

The latest revelations revive questions about Ripple’s control over XRP, a topic that divides the crypto community. For investors, the main issue lies in the transparency and management of the sales conducted by the company. If Ripple continues to unload significant volumes of XRP, the impact on the market could undermine buyer confidence and maintain downward pressure on prices. In light of this situation, the question remains: Is Ripple acting as a mere economic player seeking to finance its expansion, or does it exert excessive influence over the market for XRP? One thing is certain, these events are likely to fuel debates on the governance and independence of cryptos from their historical issuers for a long time to come.