Grapedrop, an XRP Ledger (XRPL) validator, has revealed what he believes could be signs of XRP price manipulation.
In a recent disclosure on X, Grapedrop confirmed that since launching his XRPL validator on July 12, 2025, he has tracked blockchain activity that raised concerns about market manipulation.
XRPL Validator Warns of XRP Price Manipulation
He pointed out that while the XRPL network has about 1,000 nodes worldwide, only 150 to 170 actively validate transactions on the main network, and his is one of them. With this access, he began monitoring transactions in real time.
The community commentator revealed that he built a Python tool that flags any XRP payment larger than 10,000 tokens. He insisted that the results were hard to ignore, as large transfers continued to move tokens every few minutes.
Some of the transactions he tracked involved 49,900 XRP, 67,655 XRP, and even 146,757 XRP. He claimed many of these high-value transfers linked back to exchange addresses such as Bitget and other platforms. To him, these amounts exceed normal retail trading behavior, suggesting coordinated or institutional activity.
3/6 – Some examples from my logs:
• 49,900 XRP
• 67,655 XRP
• 146,757 XRP
Thousands of these volumes a day. 👀Many trace to exchange addresses like Bitget via https://t.co/NKhGTd1h56 as an example, but not limited (see screenshot).That’s a lot of high-value movement — far… pic.twitter.com/GgIHj6unwJ
— 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞 (@RealGrapedrop) August 12, 2025
Grapedrop argued that such movements matter because crypto prices often rely on volume-weighted averages. As a result, if the same players shuffle large amounts of XRP between exchanges, a practice known as wash trading, they could inflate reported volumes, influence price indexes, and market cap data.
He warned that this could create the illusion of higher demand, trigger algorithmic trading bots, shift market sentiment, and, in thinner markets, even push prices slightly. Grapedrop noted that while wash trading is banned in traditional finance, the crypto markets still lack consistent enforcement, leaving space for manipulation.
Large Transactions Do Not Always Point to Manipulation
However, this theory is not conclusive. Specifically, while large transactions could point to manipulation, they are not definitive signs. Notably, exchanges, market makers, and institutional players often move significant funds for routine operations such as liquidity management, internal transfers, or settling accounts.
On-chain data also doesn’t always reveal who controls a wallet or why a transaction occurred. Without direct evidence that these transfers link to coordinated trading activity, the possibility remains that these transactions are legitimate market movement rather than price-rigging. However, there is no confirmation.
Previous Comments on XRP Price Manipulation
Grapedrop’s comments join a list of accusations from others who believe XRP’s price has continued to face manipulation. In October 2023, market commentator WallStreetBulls claimed that the wealthy elite were actively manipulating the XRP price to keep it down. At the time, XRP traded for $0.48.
Also, in December 2023, XRP suffered a massive 7% crash below $0.6 within an hour, leading to questions. Speaking on the event, market analyst EGRAG argued that the price action was the result of price manipulation.
Over the years, critics have also accused Ripple of using trading bots to control XRP’s price, a claim the Ripple CTO David Schwartz has rejected. Others argue that Ripple’s monthly escrow releases put downward pressure on the token’s value.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
