Ripple Unlocks 1 Billion XRP on October 1: Tenth Release of 2026

Ripple's XRP escrow unlock is just two weeks away from its tenth release of 2026, with 1 billion XRP set to be released on October 1. The event marks a continuation of Ripple's monthly process, which has remained largely unchanged since it introduced its escrow program in 2017.

The upcoming release follows nine previous XRP unlocks this year. On September 1, Ripple unlocked 1 billion XRP through three separate escrow transactions, continuing the schedule that has remained consistent over the years.

Ripple's XRP escrow system is designed to provide transparency over its token holdings. Up to 1 billion XRP is unlocked on the first day of each month, but Ripple typically does not release the full amount into circulation. Instead, it has historically returned most of the unlocked tokens to new escrow contracts.

The actual increase in potentially circulating XRP has generally averaged between 200 million and 300 million tokens per month, rather than the full 1 billion XRP released from escrow. This is due to Ripple's long-standing practice of relocking most newly unlocked tokens.