XRP ownership in 2025 continues to reflect major holders shaping the crypto landscape, with Ripple Labs and key executives dominating the top spots. Examining who controls the largest shares of XRP helps unveil the token’s current distribution and its financial implications across the crypto industry.

Ripple Labs: The Largest XRP Holder

Among all entities, Ripple Labs retains the most substantial amount of XRP, holding around 40 billion tokens as of early 2025. While not all tokens are freely accessible — with a significant portion locked in escrow — Ripple still wields immense influence over the XRP ecosystem. These escrowed funds, released gradually each month, provide liquidity and funding for Ripple’s business operations and XRP-based services.

This accounting structure, introduced to promote transparency and minimize volatility, ensures stakeholders can follow how these holdings impact circulating supply. Ripple’s holdings have long been watched by analysts, as the firm carefully manages token sales and releases to balance innovation funding without flooding the market.

Chris Larsen’s Multi-Billion Dollar XRP Stake

Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen continues to appear near the top of the XRP rich list. As of 2025, his personal holdings amount to almost 5 billion XRP. While previously believed to jointly hold as much as 17 billion tokens along with fellow co-founder Jed McCaleb, the actual breakdown has since evolved. McCaleb, after years of selling and distributing his tokens, has reportedly exited most of his XRP position. Meanwhile, Larsen remains a prominent holder, reflecting his deep-rooted connection to Ripple’s mission and long-term strategy.

Unlike institutional holdings, personal stakes like Larsen’s are often tied to the founders’ belief in future use cases. His equity affirms his ongoing conviction in XRP’s role within cross-border payments and financial infrastructure.

Other Top Wallets Holding XRP

Beyond Ripple and its co-founders, several anonymous wallets rank within the top tier of XRP holders. These addresses often belong to early investors, crypto exchanges, and institutional custodians who manage funds on behalf of clients. Exact identities remain undisclosed due to the inherent privacy of blockchain addresses, but on-chain analytics platforms consistently monitor and update metrics around wallet balances.

Among these, exchange addresses — such as those of Binance and Coinbase — hold large XRP reserves to service customer liquidity needs. While not owned by the exchanges themselves, these wallet figures still reflect high levels of XRP activity and user demand on their platforms.

Escrow, Inflation, and XRP Circulation

XRP has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, with a large portion initially retained by Ripple. However, much of this supply went into a time-locked escrow system, with 1 billion XRP released on a monthly basis. Unused portions are returned to escrow, limiting token inflation through controlled releases.

This initiative, started in 2017, improves supply predictability. With over 50 billion XRP reportedly released into circulation over time, the remaining escrow balance now hovers around 45 billion XRP as of 2025. These figures influence trading volumes, market capitalization, and potential XRP valuations in the open market.

Transparency Through Block Explorers

Tools like XRPSCAN and other block explorers allow users to verify wallet balances, monitor transactions, and analyze holder behaviors. This transparency ensures continuous scrutiny over Ripple’s token management and large wallet movements, especially during periods of spiked volatility or price speculation.

For crypto enthusiasts and researchers, examining rich lists provides a snapshot of token distribution and decentralization trails. Knowing who owns the most XRP isn’t just about wealth — it’s about influence, trust, and the broader decentralization conversation in the crypto world.

XRP Ownership Landscape Moving Forward

XRP’s utility in cross-border payments and partnerships with financial institutions like SBI Holdings position it uniquely in the blockchain space. As Ripple advances its legal standing and international payment corridors, the token’s holder distribution could evolve to include more institutional participants. Retail interest remains strong, but large holders — especially Ripple and its founders — continue to shape XRP’s central narrative.

Keeping an eye on these ownership patterns is key for anyone invested in XRP’s long-term outlook. With scheduled escrow unlocks and potential market shifts, the rich list of 2025 offers both historical insights and forward-looking signals.

Related: XRP Price: $12M Max Pain for Bears

Major XRP holders in 2025 include Ripple Labs and co-founder Chris Larsen