XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is facing renewed criticism over its tokenomics and valuation, even as Ripple pushes the XRP Ledger into the emerging market for AI-agent payments.

‘Token Is Optional Infrastructure, Not Essential Utility' 

Crypto trader Moody Hank argued on June 14 that XRP may still be expensive even near the $1 level, citing the token’s large supply, escrow structure and Ripple’s continued holdings.

He noted that XRP has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, with about 58 billion currently circulating and roughly 36 billion still held in escrow.

The trader criticized XRP’s pre-mined launch structure and argued that Ripple’s monthly escrow unlocks create a steady source of selling pressure.

"Every single month Ripple unlocks up to 1 billion XRP from escrow," the trader said, adding that although much of it is relocked, the remaining amount can still enter the market.

Moody 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,” the trader said.

Ripple Pushes XRP Into AI Payments

The criticism comes as Ripple expands its focus on artificial intelligence-linked payments.

Ripple this week unveiled its XRPL AI Starter Kit, a new developer toolkit aimed at enabling 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.

The launch reflects Ripple's push into AI-driven commerce, positioning XRP Ledger as a payment infrastructure for autonomous AI agents.

Analyst Eyes 14% XRP Move

Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez said XRP is trading inside a symmetrical triangle pattern. A breakout from the pattern could trigger a 14% price move.

Since the war started (Feb.28), XRP has lost 15.1% compared to a drop of 12.3% in Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) and Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: BTC) 3.1% fall.

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