Shocking XRP Price Manipulation: Validator Exposes The Truth! 😱📉

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In the ever-churning seas of XRP, an XRPL validator, known by the charming moniker Grapedrop (or Grape for short, because why not?), has dropped a bombshell. According to Grape, a relentless pattern of manipulation has been brewing beneath the surface-one that can sway XRP’s price like a gust of wind on a fragile leaf. Armed with nothing but his trusty XRPL Console and a keen eye, Grape claims to have spotted suspiciously large and repetitive transactions between exchange addresses, creating what he calls a “clear on-ledger footprint” of manipulation. 🧐

Validator Exposes Wash Trading on XRP’s Ledger

There are around 1,000 nodes in the XRPL ecosystem, but only about 150 to 170 are active validators-of which Grape is one, because who doesn’t want a front-row seat to crypto chaos? Since July 12, 2025, Grape has been tirelessly monitoring the network in real-time, and what he found would make anyone’s eyebrows raise. Using a custom Python tool, he flagged transactions where over 10,000 XRP moved with the grace and precision of a stampede. And the results? Thousands of such transactions, with the big-name exchanges like Bitget and Binance involved. 🌪️

The flagged transfers include hefty sums such as 49,900 XRP, 67,655 XRP, and an eye-popping 146,757 XRP-transfers so frequent that they practically have their own calendar. These high-value movements were far from normal retail activity, as they mostly flowed between exchange-controlled wallets. It’s as though the exchanges were engaged in a never-ending game of “pass the XRP,” but with none of the fun. 🎲

The destinations? Exchange wallets. The source? More exchange wallets. It’s like a never-ending cycle of XRP, and it’s starting to smell fishy-like sushi that’s been left out a bit too long. 🐟

Take a look at this transaction data from the Console. Grape found transactions such as 3,018,977.72 XRP, 460,119 XRP, and 146,757.57 XRP, all flowing from one Binance-controlled wallet to another. Is this really just a case of traders making bold moves, or is it a well-rehearsed dance of wash trading? You be the judge. 💃

Price Manipulation? The XRP Drama Unfolds

Now, Grape’s analysis digs deep into the mechanics of XRP price calculation, which relies heavily on volume-weighted averages. The problem? Moving massive amounts of XRP between exchanges can inflate these volumes, giving the illusion of a booming market. In short: wash trading. It’s like fake applause at a concert-loud, but hollow. 👏

By creating the illusion of heightened demand, wash trading tricks other traders or bots into hopping on the bandwagon. It’s a classic case of “everyone’s doing it, so I should too,” but with a far more sinister twist. 🎭

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2025-08-14 17:10