NewsBTC
Mar 23, 2026 upd. 10 Jun

XRP Ledger returns $1M to users, on-chain activity hits records

2 min

First Ledger’s founder unlocked abandoned funds on XRPL. 750,218 XRP went back to users.

First Ledger founder recovers 750,218 XRP from expired escrows

Adam from First Ledger scanned the entire XRP Ledger. He searched for expired escrows left unclaimed.

Validator Vet confirmed the totals and the surge in unlocks. He noted most funds belonged to community members, not institutions. See figures and the post from Mar 20, 2026.

XRPL escrow unlocks

How XRPL escrow works:

  • Escrow does not auto-release on expiry. A recipient must submit an EscrowFinish to claim funds.
  • After a second deadline, the escrow expires. Only a cancel transaction returns funds to the sender. Escrow basics.
  • If no expiration was set, funds can remain locked indefinitely.

First Ledger now runs regular scans. The goal is to catch and release eligible escrows quickly.

Network activity ticks up

The report cites broader usage growth on XRPL. AMM deposit transactions hit a record 70,735 on Feb 28. AccountSet transactions reached 114,690 on Mar 20, a single‑day high. Insufficient reserve errors topped 370,000 on Mar 18, the highest in three years.

XRPL usage metrics