I ask this as a genuine question, because my instincts make me suspicious about what I see.
Ripples' creators have not yet made their code open source. They still hold almost all the 'pre-mined' (in other word self-created/counterfeited) internet pseudo-currency that they have invented. If you go to Bitstamp, you can get as many ripples as you want if you hand over 'real' money (USD ... and yes, BTC, etc, too which are all ultimately convertible into USD), indicating to me that XRP's creators, whilst producing a 'circuses and bread' effect with their token giveaways, are intent on selling off their pretend-money for as many 'real money' dollars as they can get. The XRP/dollar rate is plummeting, showing that the selling is being ramped up. Of course we all realize the creators of internet-money have the intention of pumping and dumping and getting dollars for the pretend-money they've created, but with XRP it seems to be happening too soon and too quickly, which leads me to believe the overall cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that we're all engaged in may not last nearly as long as some people might expect.
Caveat emptor, as they say. The smart people are selling the currencies they've invented. What are we to think about the people who are buying those eventually worthless 'currencies'?
In short no, the ripple creators and opencoin staff are not dumping XRP for $ or
BTC.
However, some early adopters are selling percentages of their stock, but then they always have been at key price points.
The big walls on the market, are from external investors who bought in between 80,000 per BTC and 25,000 per BTC, and one group of people in particular who sold out to buy back in cheaper and are now trying to keep the price lower.
I know this because I'm in contact with 95%+ of the big holders, and manage, move, or acquire their XRP for many of them off market. They are neither selling or purchasing at the minute, everybody is waiting for something to move in one direction or the other.