Ripple's founders, executives, and major cryptocurrency exchanges dominate the 2023 XRP rich list. The top 10 addresses control 20.5% of XRP's circulating supply, while addresses ranked 10–50 hold 29.1%. Remaining investors collectively own 50.3% of available XRP.
With a $33 billion market capitalization, XRP remains one of cryptocurrency's most widely held assets. Despite price volatility tied to regulatory challenges, its fixed 100-billion-coin supply continues to attract investors—53.72 billion XRP are currently in circulation.
The XRP Whale Landscape
Key Holders and Distribution Patterns
Centralized exchanges like Binance, Kraken, and Uphold custodially manage the largest XRP reserves on behalf of users. Ripple-linked addresses also rank among the top holders:
- Top 10 addresses contain ~11 billion XRP ($6.79 billion)
- Top 50 addresses control 15.6 billion XRP (29.1% of supply)
- Remaining addresses hold the majority at 50.3%
Notably, Binance's BNB Chain hosts 168 million XRP in its top 10 BEP20 wallets—over 60% of that token variant's supply.
Ripple's Executive Holdings
Co-founders initially allocated themselves 20 billion XRP:
- Jed McCaleb sold his 9-billion share by 2022
- Chris Larsen retains ~5 billion XRP across verified addresses
- Brad Garlinghouse (current CEO) holds undisclosed amounts
Regulatory uncertainty from the SEC case has influenced holding strategies among founders.
Comparative Crypto Wealth Distribution
| Cryptocurrency | Top 100 Addresses' Control | Notable Concentration Factors |
|---|---|---|
| XRP | 32% (top 20 addresses) | Exchange custodial holdings |
| Bitcoin | 40%+ | Institutional investment |
| Ethereum | 41.5% | Staking contracts, exchanges |
| Dogecoin | 66% | Exchange reserves dominate |
| Cardano | 18.97% | More decentralized distribution |
Key observations:
- XRP shows less centralization than Ethereum/DOGE
- Exchange-held assets inflate whale metrics
- Bitcoin's institutional holders create supply bottlenecks
FAQ: XRP Wealth Distribution
Why do exchanges appear as top XRP holders?
Exchanges aggregate user deposits into omnibus wallets, making custodial addresses appear as single large holders.
How much XRP do Ripple executives own?
Founders initially held 20 billion XRP collectively. Current verified executive holdings exceed 5 billion XRP, with additional unverified amounts.
Is XRP's distribution more centralized than Bitcoin's?
While top BTC addresses control more supply proportionally, XRP's exchange-concentrated holdings create different decentralization dynamics.
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What percentage of XRP do retail investors control?
Approximately 50.3% of circulating XRP is held outside the top 50 addresses, suggesting significant retail participation.
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Final Analysis
XRP's rich list reflects its hybrid custody model—exchanges and Ripple hold large reserves, while nearly half the supply circulates among retail investors. This contrasts with more institutionally concentrated assets like BTC and ETH. The ongoing evolution of regulatory frameworks may further reshape these distribution patterns in coming years.