Headline: Pro-XRP Analyst Urges Ripple to Release More Tokens From Escrow — Sparks Fresh Debate Over Supply and Market Impact
A vocal pro-XRP attorney and commentator, Bill Morgan, has reignited debate over Ripple’s XRP escrow policy, calling on the company to put a larger share of its monthly unlock into circulation rather than returning large portions to new escrow contracts.
What Morgan is pushing for
- Ripple releases 1 billion XRP at the start of every month as part of its escrow schedule. Morgan argues Ripple “should release more of the 1 billion each month and not lock so much back in escrow,” saying a faster release schedule would bring XRP closer to a true circulating supply and strengthen its case as “hard money.”
- His basic claim: the sooner all escrowed XRP is active supply, the sooner the market can price the token without the overhang of future unlocks.
How Ripple’s escrow actually works
- Each month 1 billion XRP is unlocked; Ripple often uses a portion for operations, liquidity programs or institutional activity and returns unused tokens to fresh escrow contracts.
- That re-escrowing makes the ultimate end date for Ripple’s escrow hard to predict. After the June 1 unlock, about 61.85 billion XRP were in circulation and roughly 38.15 billion remained locked. If Ripple continues returning significant amounts to escrow, the escrow schedule could stretch for nearly another decade.
Market and community responses
- The view is divisive. Supporters say clearing the overhang would improve XRP’s supply narrative and support its long-term valuation thesis. Critics warn that larger monthly releases could add selling pressure if demand doesn’t scale in tandem.
- Some traders point out the headline “1 billion unlock” matters less than the net amount Ripple leaves out of escrow — i.e., what actually hits active supply versus what’s returned.
Price and fundamentals snapshot
- XRP has traded in a tight range recently, around $1.13, with buyers defending the $1.10 area and sellers capping upside near $1.20. Despite Ripple’s business wins, the token has struggled to generate decisive momentum.
- Ripple’s adoption efforts continue: initiatives like RLUSD, MXNB, Mastercard settlement links and AI payment tooling have expanded use cases and supported fund flows. Yet whale selling and muted volume have kept traders cautious.
Why this matters for Ripple’s broader story
- Ripple has sought to distinguish its corporate performance from XRP’s market dynamics. CEO Brad Garlinghouse has indicated he expects Ripple to reach a $1 billion revenue run rate by the end of 2026 — a target that excludes XRP on the company balance sheet.
- That separation matters: Ripple’s growth through stablecoins, custody, treasury tools and payments can proceed regardless of escrow choreography, but Morgan’s suggestion would change how quickly the market reaches a final XRP supply structure — with potential implications for price discovery and investor sentiment.
Bottom line
The debate over whether Ripple should release more of its monthly unlock is part technical supply-management and part market psychology. Morgan’s call highlights a broader tension: speed up the path to a stable circulating supply and risk near-term selling pressure, or keep a conservative escrow approach and extend the overhang — with both options carrying trade-offs for XRP’s narrative as a contender for “hard money.”
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