XRP trading volume has collapsed to its lowest levels since before January 2018. That is not a minor statistical footnote. Crypto analyst Dark Defender (@DefendDark) has now put this on record with a detailed volume chart covering nearly a decade of XRP’s history.
The chart maps monthly XRP volume against every major legal and product milestone in Ripple’s history. It shows exactly how traders responded to each one.
#XRP Volume & Timeline in a Nutshell.
Lawsuit filed: everyone was here; volume at a top!
Lawsuit won: half left,
Lawsuit ended: the rest left.Today's volume is lower than it was before the 2018 all-time high.
So, who is buying while they sleep? pic.twitter.com/gTHXFrJZ9D
— Dark Defender (@DefendDark) September 7, 2026
Volume Surged at the Worst Possible Time
XRP set its previous all-time high in January 2018. Volume was already elevated heading into that period. Ripple then launched ODL and xRapid in October 2018, a product milestone that coincided with a volume response visible on the chart.
December 2020 brought the SEC lawsuit, and the volume exploded. The chart shows that peak as the most active trading period in XRP’s recorded history, with the highest bars clustered through late 2020 and into early 2021.
Victory Brought Falling Volume
The volume dipped after these developments. The Hinman Documents were released in June 2023. Judge Torres ruled in July 2023 that XRP is not a security, and volume picked up briefly. The penalty ruling came in August 2024, with another small reaction. RLUSD, Ripple’s stablecoin, launched in December 2024. The lawsuit formally ended in August 2025, and the volume was already at very low levels.
Where Volume Stands Now
The current monthly volume sits at approximately 8.08 million. That figure places today’s activity below every monthly reading recorded before XRP’s January 2018 all-time high. Every product launch, every legal victory, every resolution produced a reaction. None of them reversed the volume trend.
Dark Defender asked a direct question about this condition: “Who is buying while they sleep?”
The Follow-Up Observation
Dark Defender addressed the current data in a subsequent post. September 2026 is month-to-date, so its bar is incomplete. He rather directed attention to July and August 2026. Both are full months. Both remain lower than any complete month recorded since 2017.
He then noted something specific about the current environment: “XRP has never been this quiet at such a high price.”
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What the Chart Points To
The chart covers nearly a decade of XRP volume. Participation peaked at the worst legal moment and has declined through every positive development since. Volume is now at a historic low relative to price.
Dark Defender did not offer a price target, but XRP has faced criticism for its poor reaction to major developments, and this chart showing the long-term volume decline highlights that trend.
Disclaimer: This content is meant to inform and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not represent Times Tabloid’s opinion. Readers are advised to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. Any action taken by the reader is strictly at their own risk. Times Tabloid is not responsible for any financial losses.
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