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XRP is facing renewed criticism over its tokenomics and valuation, even as Ripple pushes the XRP Ledger into a new use case for AI-agent payments.
On June 14, crypto trader Moody Hank argued that XRP may still be expensive even if it trades near the $1 level, pointing to the token’s large supply, escrow structure, and Ripple’s continued holdings.
Hank said XRP has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, with about 58 billion currently circulating and roughly 36 billion held in escrow.
He criticized XRP’s pre-mined launch structure and said Ripple’s monthly escrow unlocks create ongoing selling pressure.
“Every single month Ripple unlocks up to 1 billion XRP from escrow,” Hank said, adding that while a portion may be relocked, the remaining amount can still enter the market.
Hank also questioned whether the XRP Ledger requires the XRP token to function, arguing that institutions using Ripple’s payment products can settle in local currencies.
“The token is optional infrastructure, not essential utility,” he said.
The criticism comes as Ripple expands its focus on artificial intelligence-linked payments.
This week, Ripple unveiled its XRPL AI Starter Kit, a developer toolkit designed to enable AI agents to send and receive payments through the XRP Ledger.
The package includes XRPL documentation access, Claude-powered wallet and payment tools, and support for x402 payments using XRP and RLUSD.
Ripple’s move positions the XRP Ledger as payment infrastructure for autonomous AI agents, reflecting a broader push into AI-driven commerce.
Separately, crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez said XRP is trading inside a symmetrical triangle pattern. He said a breakout from the pattern could trigger a 14% price move.
Coinbase has launched a High Yield USDC vault within its in-app DeFi lending offering, adding a second lending option that provides exposure to a wider range of collateral assets. The product is powered by Morpho infrastructure and uses vault allocations curated by Steakhouse Financial.
