Chris Larsen's Dormant XRP Wallets Suddenly Awakened, Moving Over 2.7 Billion XRP

A blockchain investigator discovered a series of dormant XRP wallets linked to Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen

A blockchain investigator has uncovered a series of dormant XRP wallets linked to Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, collectively holding over 2.7 billion XRP, valued at approximately $7.18 billion. Some of these wallets had remained untouched for periods of six to seven years before unexpectedly reactivating in January 2025.

Old Wallets Begin Moving Large Amounts

While the attention on these wallets is no secret, crypto sleuth ZachXBT has highlighted that these wallets did not remain idle for long after waking up. More than $109 million in XRP transactions were registered, with cash going to prominent exchanges like Coinbase, Bitstamp, and Bybit. This unexpected activity has sparked questions regarding the timing and purpose of the transfers.

Some in the cryptocurrency world are wondering if Larsen lost access to the wallets and has only recently regained control. Others suspect that the money changed hands a long time ago, possibly as early as 2013. As ZachXBT notes, it is unclear if Larsen still has direct control over all of these wallets.

This revelation coincides with a key announcement by US President Donald Trump, who outlined ideas for a strategic cryptocurrency reserve comprising XRP, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and Cardano. This news item has contributed to a sharp price increase in XRP—from $2.23 to a peak of $2.93 and then to $2.60, translating to an 18% rise.

Investors and traders are paying attention, with some speculating that the wallet movements might be linked to the observed increase in the value of XRP.

Previous Transfers Add More Questions

Larsen’s transactions have hit the headlines before. Back in September 2020, he transferred approximately 500 million XRP—worth $115 million at the time—to an unidentified address. He later explained that the move was to NYDIG for security purposes.

Nonetheless, others in the cryptocurrency domain suspected that there could have been other motivations, although there was no substantial proof to corroborate those assertions.

The discussion has been reignited in response to recent developments. Is this just standard fund management, or is something bigger unfolding? Only time will tell.

As the XRP community keeps an eye on these wallets, speculation continues. Will there be more massive transfers? Could this have a further impact on the XRP market price? While no one can say for sure, one thing is certain: when billions of XRP begin moving, people will notice and start to buzz.