If you’ve ever wondered how many XRP are in circulation, you’re not alone. XRP is the digital asset native to the Ripple network — a blockchain-based platform focused on fast, low-cost international remittances. Circulating supply refers to the number of XRP tokens that are currently available in the market for trading, investing, and transactions. This number is critical for understanding market capitalization, assessing the token’s price trends, and evaluating its overall ecosystem health.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about XRP’s circulating supply, from its origins and updates to why it matters for users.
The question "how many XRP are in circulation?" is answered by looking at blockchain data and trusted analytics platforms. XRP was launched with a fixed total supply of 100 billion tokens. Unlike Bitcoin, XRP tokens were pre-mined — meaning all tokens were created at launch, with no ongoing mining or token creation.
Each month, Ripple Labs releases a portion of escrowed XRP into the market (often up to 1 billion XRP), but typically only a fraction of this is sold or distributed; the remaining is returned to escrow. This affects the available supply, but not the maximum fix cap.
Comparison Table: XRP vs Other Major Cryptos
| Asset | Circulating Supply | Max Supply | Mining Model | |----------|--------------------|------------------|--------------| | XRP | ~55.6B | 100B | Pre-mined | | Bitcoin | ~19.6M | 21M | PoW Mining | | Ethereum | ~120M | Unlimited | PoS Staking |
Why does this matter?
Understanding how many XRP are in circulation involves more than looking at a single number. Several mechanisms and market events can impact the supply:
Ripple Labs placed around 55 billion XRP into a series of cryptographic escrows. Each month, 1 billion XRP is unlocked, but unused tokens are frequently re-escrowed. These mechanisms provide predictability and prevent sudden, massive dumps of new XRP into the market.
While Ripple doesn't actively burn coins in the same way some projects do, each XRP transaction carries a tiny fee that is destroyed or “burned.” Over many years, this gradually reduces the total supply, albeit at a slow rate. As of 2024, only a fraction of XRP has been burned through these mechanisms.
Ripple periodically sells XRP to institutional clients and partnerships to drive adoption for cross-border payments. Some XRP used in pilot programs or partnerships re-enters the market depending on usage and deal structure.
Some XRP is likely lost due to forgotten keys or inaccessible wallets. While estimates are difficult, this further reduces the effective circulating supply.
Key Takeaway: The circulating supply of XRP isn’t just about minting or burning — it includes complex escrow mechanics and gradual release, which are transparently tracked via Ripple’s monthly market reports.
If you’re planning to buy, hold, or trade XRP, knowing how many XRP are in circulation is fundamental to:
Platforms like Bitget Exchange show the real-time price and circulating supply of XRP based on reliable sources like CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko, ensuring you make informed trading decisions.
Ripple’s quarterly reports provide transparency on released, sold, and escrowed XRP. These are a must-read for anyone tracking significant supply changes. Those reports can be found on the official Ripple website, and analyst insights from Dune, Glassnode, and Nansen also provide additional metrics on wallet concentration and asset flows.
Circulating supply is the number of XRP not locked in escrow or held by Ripple for programmed releases. It includes tokens in user wallets, exchanges, and in active use. Data comes from blockchain explorers and analytics sites.
No. The XRP supply is fixed at 100 billion; there will never be more. Only supply already in existence changes status (available, escrowed, or destroyed via transaction fees).
Monthly, due to scheduled escrow releases. Also, a minuscule amount is reduced with every transaction fee.
Choose a reputable, secure web3 wallet for storing your XRP — Bitget Wallet is highly recommended for its security features and user-friendly interface.
Ripple has committed to predictable, responsible sales of XRP, mainly to institutions or for use within its network. Massive market sell-offs are avoided to protect the token’s health and price stability.
According to Ripple’s latest Q2 2024 report, XRP’s circulating supply remains tightly managed through escrow releases and transparent reporting. Recent partnerships with international remittance providers in Asia and South America have increased XRP usage for real-world settlement, boosting network activity.
On-chain analytics, from sources like Nansen and Glassnode, confirm a steady trend in supply growth aligned with previous years and little evidence of unusual whale accumulation or sell-offs. This stability signals healthy ecosystem management and is one reason why traders consider XRP among the more transparent large-cap cryptocurrencies.
Ripple’s legal clarity in the U.S. has also boosted institutional confidence, encouraging broader usage and making the circulating supply a more meaningful metric for traders and analysts.
Understanding how many XRP are in circulation empowers you to make better trading and investing choices. Stay informed with up-to-date analytics and always use reputable platforms for holding or buying your digital assets.