Ripple surprised the XRP community this week by unlocking 400 million tokens from its escrow account. Valued at approximately $217 million, the transaction was accompanied by an odd memo that has left many scratching their heads.

The memo included cryptic references to the execution of February's escrow, welcoming back popular XRP enthusiast Hodor, and shouting out attorney John Deaton. This, combined with the irregular timing of the unlock, has sparked widespread intrigue.

Ripple typically unlocks a tranche of XRP on the first of each month, a schedule that provides predictability around supply. The recent mid-month unlock marks a break in this procedure. Some have speculated that it could be a week early, while others theorize it may be three weeks late.

The unusual event follows February's escrow transaction where only half a billion XRP was locked up - contrasting the billion tokens locked away each month beforehand.

Ripple utilizes the escrow mechanism to provide transparency around XRP's supply. By controlling flow into the market, the company aims to prevent manipulation and maintain stability in the token's price.