Spot XRP ETFs Attract $1.44 Billion in Six Weeks Amid Bitcoin Fund Outflows
Since their launch in November 2025, spot XRP ETFs in the US have recorded six consecutive weeks of net inflows, accumulating approximately $1.44 billion. This comes amid regulatory improvements (the CLARITY Act) and expanding institutional partnerships for Ripple.
A quiet institutional revolution: why XRP ETFs are gathering $1.44 billion while Bitcoin and Ethereum bleed
The Core: What's Really Happening
Just over six months have passed since the first spot XRP ETFs launched in the US on November 20, 2025. During this time, seven funds, including products from Bitwise, 21Shares, and Franklin Templeton, have accumulated $1.44 billion in net inflows, showing six consecutive weeks of positive momentum. Against the backdrop of record outflows from Bitcoin ETFs ($226.84 million in a week) and Ethereum funds ($10.05 million), this figure looks not just like an anomaly but a structural shift.
This is not about speculative pumping or hype around another memecoin. It is about institutional allocators — UBS, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs — beginning to view XRP not as a "Ripple token" or even an "altcoin," but as an independent asset class with a clear legal status and a specific use case in cross-border payments. This is a fundamentally different level of play.
Non-obvious insight: $1.44 billion in ETFs is just the tip of the iceberg. Exchange reserves of XRP have fallen to a seven-year low of 1.6 billion tokens, 50% lower than in October 2025. This means institutions are not just buying ETF shares — they are withdrawing the underlying asset from exchanges into cold storage. When spot market supply tightens and ETF inflows continue, the price math becomes very interesting.
Timeline and Context
It all started with Ripple's legal victory over the SEC in 2023, but the real turning point came in March 2026, when the SEC and CFTC jointly classified XRP as a "digital commodity," removing it from SEC jurisdiction over securities. This created the legal basis for launching ETFs, which happened in November 2025.
| Period | Event | Volume / Significance |
|---|---|---|
| November 2025 | Launch of spot XRP ETFs in the US | 7 funds from Bitwise, 21Shares, Franklin Templeton, etc. |
| January – March 2026 | Goldman Sachs enters XRP ETFs | $154 million — first major bank |
| March 2026 | SEC-CFTC joint decision | XRP officially recognized as a digital commodity |
| May 2026 | Record month for inflows | $132 million; UBS and Bank of America enter XRP ETFs for the first time |
| Week ending June 18 | Another week of inflows | $10.66 million; cumulative inflow $1.44 billion |
| Expected by July 4 | CLARITY Act — presidential signing | Codifying XRP's commodity status at the law level |
The key catalyst in the coming weeks is the CLARITY Act. On May 14, 2026, it passed the Senate Banking Committee by a vote of 15:9, and the House of Representatives had already passed it in July 2025 (294:134). The White House aims to sign the law by July 4, 2026. Polymarket estimates a 62% probability of passage. If the CLARITY Act becomes law, XRP's status as a digital commodity will be enshrined not just at the regulatory guidance level but at the federal statute level. This would open the door for pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and insurance companies that are currently legally unable to hold assets with unclear status.
Who Wins and Who Loses
XRP and its long-term holders win. ETF inflows create constant institutional demand that is independent of retail sentiment. Moreover, Ripple is winning on multiple fronts simultaneously. Beyond ETFs, the company received conditional OCC approval to establish Ripple National Trust Bank, allowing it to seek direct access to Fedwire and FedNow — the Federal Reserve's payment systems. A decision on this request is expected within 90 days of the signing of the relevant executive order by Trump on May 19, 2026. If access is granted, Ripple could settle payments directly without intermediary banks, drastically reducing costs and time for cross-border payments.
ETF issuers win, especially those who launched products first and are collecting fees on a growing asset base. Total assets under management for XRP ETFs have already exceeded $1 billion.
The XRP Ledger (XRPL) ecosystem wins. Ripple is actively expanding the token's utility: in June 2026, the MXNB stablecoin, pegged to the Mexican peso, launched on XRPL in partnership with Latin American giant Bitso. RLUSD is being integrated into the Mastercard network, and Ripple participated in Flutterwave's funding round to develop African corridors. This transforms XRP from a "payment token" into an infrastructure asset of the global financial system.
Bitcoin and Ethereum lose in the short term. Institutional capital is being reallocated. Some money that might have gone into BTC or ETH is flowing into XRP. This does not mean the flagships will collapse, but their dominance in institutional portfolios is eroding.
JPMorgan and Jamie Dimon personally lose. The bank's CEO publicly opposes the CLARITY Act, and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse accused him of "deliberately distorting facts" to protect JPMorgan's profitable payment business from blockchain competition. If the law passes, traditional banks will lose part of their role in cross-border payments.
What the Media Isn't Saying
Most headlines scream about "incredible XRP ETF inflows," but miss three crucial nuances.
First: ETF inflows are a long-term catalyst, not a short-term one. Despite $1.44 billion, XRP has been trading around $1.14–$1.15 in the last 24 hours, 62% below its all-time high of $3.65. Inflows soften the decline but do not reverse the trend alone. Technically, XRP remains in the $1.10–$1.30 range, and a breakout above $1.45 is needed to confirm a reversal.
Second: 84% of XRP ETF inflows come from retail investors, not institutional giants. Yes, UBS and Bank of America entered, but the bulk is from individuals. Retail capital is more volatile and can leave as quickly as it came. The institutional "anchor" is forming but not yet fully secured.
Third and most important: Unlike Bitcoin, which has no staking, and Ethereum, where staking in ETFs is just beginning, XRP was originally designed as a settlement asset, not a yield-bearing one. This means XRP ETFs do not offer staking rewards, and investors come solely for price exposure and utility. This is both a strength and a weakness — strength in simplicity and clarity of the model, weakness in the absence of additional income that large players could reinvest.
Forecast: Next 30 Days and 90 Days
Next 30 days (through end of July): XRP's fate largely depends on the CLARITY Act. If the law is signed by July 4, it will be a powerful psychological and legal catalyst. Target range: $1.45–$1.60 in the short term, with a possible surge to $1.80 on the news. If signing is delayed or blocked, a pullback to $1.10 or even a test of $1.00 is likely. Polymarket gives 62% odds of passage — stakes are high.
90 days (through September 2026): The key factor is the Fed's decision on Ripple National Trust Bank's access to master accounts. If positive, Ripple gains direct connection to Fedwire and FedNow. This would fundamentally change the company's business model and make XRP not just a speculative asset but critical infrastructure for global payments. In this scenario, year-end target range is $1.90–$2.20. Without access, XRP will remain in the $1.20–$1.60 range.
Editorial Forecast
Asset: XRP. Direction in the next 24–72 hours: sideways with an upward bias after bouncing off support at $1.12–$1.15. Key resistance at $1.20 and then $1.30. Confidence level: medium. Main risk: lack of news on the CLARITY Act or a Fed statement delaying the decision on Ripple's banking access could trigger a pullback to $1.10. We recommend monitoring official statements from the Senate and White House, as well as ETF inflow data at Monday's market open. This opinion is not investment advice.
— Editorial Team
